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Checkmate, Osama: chess set pits Canadians vs. the Taliban - thestar.com
An ex-soldier from Toronto is behind military-themed chess sets that allow players to pit the Taliban against the Canadian Army.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper dressed in a suit can take down Osama bin Laden in a camouflage jacket, or vice versa.
British and U.S. sets are also available. You can even choose which American leader you want as your king — President Barack Obama or former president George W. Bush.
Queen Elizabeth II is the queen to Harper’s king, and the rook for the Canadian set is an Inukshuk. Snipers, gunners and soldiers back them up.
The sets are unique because they deal with current history, unlike older sets, such as Civil War-themed ones that are more common, said creator Jeffrey Train.
The U.S. military chess set he sells is the most popular.
“I believe this is because . . . they have the most soldiers, even though I originally designed with the Canadian Forces in mind.”
Train, who now lives in the Philippines, was a Master Corporal in the Canadian Army. He was stationed in Petawawa, Gagetown, Germany and Cyprus from 1980 until 1992.
The hand-painted pieces in each chess set represent the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and are mostly sold to military members looking for souvenirs. History buffs, collectors and big army supporters are also common buyers, Train said.
Since 2009, he has sold between 1,000 and 1,500 of the sets at $275 to $290 a pop. Only about 20 have been sold in Canada and the Taliban model is the most popular, according to Grant Lawson, the Canadian representative for the games.
Some of the profit is given to Canadian troops to help fund fun-runs and provide food for events in Afghanistan.
Many of the sets are sold at markets on military bases and online through the games website Hedwig & Sergeant Major.
Train said he hopes the games will continue to sell, even when he no longer runs production.
“I would like to find a toy company or chess company now to take over the idea and run with it on a larger scale.”
An ex-soldier from Toronto is behind military-themed chess sets that allow players to pit the Taliban against the Canadian Army.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper dressed in a suit can take down Osama bin Laden in a camouflage jacket, or vice versa.
British and U.S. sets are also available. You can even choose which American leader you want as your king — President Barack Obama or former president George W. Bush.
Queen Elizabeth II is the queen to Harper’s king, and the rook for the Canadian set is an Inukshuk. Snipers, gunners and soldiers back them up.
The sets are unique because they deal with current history, unlike older sets, such as Civil War-themed ones that are more common, said creator Jeffrey Train.
The U.S. military chess set he sells is the most popular.
“I believe this is because . . . they have the most soldiers, even though I originally designed with the Canadian Forces in mind.”
Train, who now lives in the Philippines, was a Master Corporal in the Canadian Army. He was stationed in Petawawa, Gagetown, Germany and Cyprus from 1980 until 1992.
The hand-painted pieces in each chess set represent the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and are mostly sold to military members looking for souvenirs. History buffs, collectors and big army supporters are also common buyers, Train said.
Since 2009, he has sold between 1,000 and 1,500 of the sets at $275 to $290 a pop. Only about 20 have been sold in Canada and the Taliban model is the most popular, according to Grant Lawson, the Canadian representative for the games.
Some of the profit is given to Canadian troops to help fund fun-runs and provide food for events in Afghanistan.
Many of the sets are sold at markets on military bases and online through the games website Hedwig & Sergeant Major.
Train said he hopes the games will continue to sell, even when he no longer runs production.
“I would like to find a toy company or chess company now to take over the idea and run with it on a larger scale.”