Premier Tournament Chess Bag

Customer Reviews of Premier Tournament Chess Bag

Louise from Ashton Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThis bag arrived missing half of a Velcro attachment so I had to add one myself. The internal pockets are very flimsy but there is a lot of room for chess set and other items. I just hope that it holds up through a lot of transportation.

John from Detroit Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewBag is good but not great material thin. For the price you get what you pay for.

jacobi6 from Delaware Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThis is a great bag! The only thing I didn't like was not being able to put another chess set in.

Bob from Tucson, AZ Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewOne year ago I purchased the Premier Tournament Chess Bag. I compared it to a hand-me-down bag and noticed that the overall quality of the bag was much higher in the Premiere bag than the hand-me-down, though both bags were probably made in China. This then might be considered a Report From the Field. For the past year the Premier Tournament Bag has gotten a REAL workout. I play chess at least twice a week, and by necessity I carry a HOS Marshall Chess set; a Wholesale Chess Quality Vinyl Chess Board; a full size Chronos push button chess clock carried in a padded Chronos bag; score pads; pens; business cards; medications; and maybe a chess book. I refer to this as my "Ultimate Road Warrior" kit. Everything, including the Chronos clock inside its padded bag, fit inside the zippered pockets, and side pocket of the Premier Tournament Chess Bag. When it is time to go play chess, I snatch it go. While a player who needs to carry their equipment to play chess twice week may not be the most extreme workout given to a bag, it is considerably more than an average person, who might play in one or two tournaments a year, or a person who may play only once a week, and who may or may not need to take their set with them, since many clubs, even small clubs, will usually have a half a dozen, cheap plastic "club" sets available, negating the need for the person to take their "tournament" equipment with them. In short while this might not have been a definitive test, it nonetheless was a very good workout. For the most part this bag came through with flying colors. After a full year of use and abuse the canvas still looks good, the interior stitching has held together, the interior lining has shown no signs of rips or tears, etc., however as they say that a product is only as good as its weakest link, in this case the weakest link is the zippers, both the internal as well as the external zippers. Last week while I was packing up to go home from our Friday weekly meet, as I was zipping in the pieces into their pockets, one of the zippers actually broke in half. Closer observation revealed that all the zippers are made of Aluminum, and the constant zipping and unzipping had fatigued the metal until it broke. Indeed a closer analysis of the the broken zipper showed severe wear on two other points, one being the bottom ring of the handle, where it joins the zipper, showed a lot of wear; and the other is the back of the zipper slide where the handle joins the zipper, and indeed where zipper problems are most likely to occur, since this appears to be a press fit crimp. Indeed having read the reviews of other bags similar to the Premier Tournament Chess Bag, in almost all without exception, the number one problem most frequently cited pertains to the zippers. Nor is this problem with zippers limited to chess bags, as it also carries over to back packs / book bags, with many of them also Made in China. I had just gotten a new back back / book bag -- made in China -- and the second time out the zipper handle parted from the zipper as I was opening the bag. Like the chess bags, the zipper on this too is made of Aluminum, and the handle is crimped closed. A second place where wear also showed up on the Premier Tournament Bag, was on the Velcro handle closure. After a year of opening and closing the bag as many times as I did, the Velcro "hooks' backing had started to tear away from its backing ie the stitching broke. Indeed this was not unexpected, as I have had many Velcro products over the years, and I tend to hate them all. The biggest problem with Velcro is that frequently the hooks fill up with hair, lint, and other debris. The second problem with Velcro is that either the hooks or the knapping will pull apart from its backing... or both at the same time. One competitor of a chess bag has eliminated all the interior zippers and relies only on Velcro, however in my experience with Velcro you are trading one problem -- a moving part, such as a zipper -- for something that relies upon being ripped open and closed, and has hundreds of tiny hooks that usually get clogged with debris, until it is no longer catching the knapping. Me?!? I'll take a quality made zipper any day.It does not make any difference from who or where you buy a chess bag, the chances are very good it was Made in China, using low cost labor, and low end components. A perfect example is that all their "bags" ie chess bags, back pack /book bags, etc. almost all exclusively rely on Aluminum Zippers, which is subject to metal fatigue and breakage. They are made in the thousands, and because the low cost, can be easily and affordably be replaced. Well how does the Premier Tournament Chess Bag distinguishes itself from its competitors?? While all these bags may have been Made in China, not all bags are created equal. The really poor bags, as I noted at the start when I compared my hand-me-down bag with the Premier Tournament Bag, will fall apart even with light use -- the interior lining rips easily, the zippers are poorly sown in, have only one line of stitching, use of light thread, use of lighter grade canvas, etc. etc., etc. yet frequently costing as much or even more than then the Premier Bag. All the bags have the same basic shape, but the sizes will differ. So what sets each bag apart is the overall QUALITY that goes into each bag. The Premier Tournament Chess bag is the LARGEST bag on the market of this type -- large enough to hold a full size Chronos in a padded clock bag zipped inside the clock pocket, a 22 inch vinyl board, the bag is double stitched, uses a fairly heavy duty canvas, and the interior lining seems to softer and more durable, and while the padding is a bit thin (hence the need for the Chronos clock bag), it is more generous than most, but most importantly what truly makes this a quality bag is that Wholesale Chess really means what they say about their Lifetime Warranty -- they will replace it if need be. After I called them to report the broken zipper they said no problem, and had a replacement shipped out the next business day. Almost as an exclamation point, just as soon as the new bag arrived and while I was unzipping the old bag to transfer the contents from the old bag to the new, one of the two external zippers broke, and one of the remaining two interior zippers was starting to show signs of failure. For the AVERAGE person who rarely carries, or needs to carry, all their equipment with them week after week, I suspect this bag will at least last several years, if not quite a lifetime. No bag is perfect, and this one could still be improved upon as I noted in my last review, to which I can now add the need for a lot better quality zipper, so for that reason the bag still only gets 4 stars, but the SERVICE of Wholesale Chess is 5 star all the way. All things considered, this is STILL the Bag to beat.

Luis from Oceanside Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewGreat chess bags. As far as I can tell, these bags fit most chess clocks, most pieces, and most chess boards.

Thomas from Springfield IL Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewWhat sold me on this bag was the shoulder strap. As I get older, I find that carrying bags in my hand becomes an increasing burden and this bag will let me replace an older bag from U.S.C.F. that I bought back around 1990.

Shaoyun from Xie Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewI built my own combo with this bag. Such a pity. Everything is great except this bag. The cheap zip of internal bags is totally a mess, make this bag a trash.

Ivan from WA Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewReal cheap quality, I just got it (brand new) and it is falling apart. Wholesale do not compromise your reputation with this kind the products that it has a lack of quality.

jose from Panama Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewExcellent

John from Austin Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThese bags are sizeable, can hold the larger sets with ease. Highly recommended

yanping from Holden, ma Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThe material looks very cheap

Chase Turner from St. Paul Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewAt times, it is difficult to unzip the smaller pockets. Eventually, you lean that you have to lift up on the pocket to ensure the loose threads below do not get caught in the zipper. For the price of the bag, I cannot complain but I am now on the hunt for a bag with zipper and fabric that is immune to getting jammed.

Steve from Nashville Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewHave had a while,liked at first. Cheap. Outside zipper has broke(with minimal use),cheap inside,thin material.Good idea that they have made cheaply.

Johnny from Memphis Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewBag has plenty of room for my chronos Blitz chess clock in the box, 22 inch thick mousepad board, and triple weighted chess pieces in bags. The zippers could be a little more sturdy and might have the possibility of getting stuck or off track in the future. Overall a nice big bag.

James from Albuquerque Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewI like the extra large size and assortment of colors. I contacted customer service about the zipper issue (read the reviews) prior to purchasing and was assured the lifetime guarantee would be honored. My experience with the zippers is that one must be careful zipping around the corners as the zippers do not move easily at the corner points. Otherwise a nice bag for the price. Fast shipping.

George from New Jersey Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewExcellent size / appearance / layout. However, inside zippers get stuck -- anywhere from slightly to they won't move. Suggestion - move to drawstring compartments or larger / more heavy duty zippers. That is the only thing that I would change.

A-tan from VA Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewOrdered this as part of a custom combo with a clock, nice deal at 10% discount. This bag is very roomy with three zip pockets, a 22" vinyl roll-up board fits well, the Premier pieces easily fit in the large pockets on either side and my Chronos clock will indeed fit in the box with room to spare at the top and bottom. The velcro divided pocket will easily hold as many score pads and other documents as you could possible need and there are loops for pen/pencils. The outer shell is fairly rugged, think basic backpack canvas with double stitched edges. The inner lining is lightweight with a smooth satin like finish so it won't rough up you pieces. The piece and clock pouches are padded with a thin pieces of soft lightweight foam. As far as criticism I would have liked it if the zippers were nicer, they can get stuck and they are a bit lite so tugging to un-stick them is a minor hassle. I would also have liked it if the foam padding was made of a much denser material. Overall an excellent bag at a reasonable price. Top-notch customer service as well.

Keith from Freeport, IL Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThis bag is almost comically huge. It will, indeed, hold anything you want to put in it (except, perhaps, a folding wooden board, only because of its configuration), and then some. But all this space may not be necessary for you. I bought it because the descriptive text implied that a full-size Chronos clock wouldn't fit in an ordinary tournament bag but would fit in this one. As it turns out, the regular Carry-All Tournament Bag can hold a Chronos in its clock pouch just fine. (It can't hold the Chronos's BOX, nor is it padded, but it CAN hold the clock itself.) This one's clock pouch can actually hold TWO Chronos clocks, one next to the other!I would recommend spending the extra money on this bag only if you have oversize pieces, tote around a lot of books, or feel you need the extra padding.

William from Wellington, FL Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewNice bag with room for everything a chess players needs- the soft board, pieces, clock, note pads- etc. The compartment zippers are very small however and are not beefy. They zip around the corners and already my children have had problems opening them. The solution is to not zip them completely closed. Overall nice bag for the price.

Gerry from Dartmouth, MA Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThe bag is pretty nice although I did have a problem with one of the zippers after only a few times zipping it. After having someone look at it, it was a faulty zipper and easily fixed. The thumb piece for the zipper fell off after only 2 zips and i was able to clamp it back on. Other than that the outside of the bag is solid canvas and the inside is made of a lighter more flimsy material that seems like it's not the best if your constantly taking the set in and out of the bag. Only time will tell for sure. For the price it's a nice bag!

Cathy from Jacksonville Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewNice size and seems to be good quality. It is a beautiful thing to have a place for the chess pieces to go, and to have it be a portable bag. Definitely recommended!

Bob from Tucson, AZ Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewI just received the Premier Tournament Chess Bag which is replacing a hand-me-down chess bag of unknown origin. Comparing both bags there are similarities and differences. Both bags probably were made in China, and both bags are made with a heavy duty canvas material; but where they differ is in quality. While they both seem to use the same exterior zippers, the Premier bags zippers have two lines of stitching -vs- one; both have the same interior lining material but the joints where they come together are far better on the Premier bag.; the pocket material used on the Premier bag for the pieces and clock is different and softer; and finally one of the big problem areas is the interior pocket which is divided in two on the Premier bag. By far this is the best bag on the market. The clock pocket is HUGE: Not only will it hold a full size Chronos in its original box, it will hold the full size Chronos in a padded Chronos Clock Bag, and zip close!!! This bag when coupled with a quality heavy weight plastic set, such as HOS Marshall set, along with a Heavy Duty Vinyl board such as the 20" Quality Vinyl Chess Board, which is the *thickest* cloth backed vinyl board on the market I have been able to find, and then add a Chronos clock constitutes the "Ultimate Road Warrior"outfit. O.K. so much for the praise. One thing where future editions of the Premier Chess Bag can be improved is to have an exterior zippered pocket where dockets etc can be stashed. This is the ONLY place where the old bag had a plus over the Premier bag. Like other reviewers I found the interior pockets for the pieces and clock to be strangely oriented. Finally while dividing the interior pocket into two and holding it closed with Velcro to be an improvement, why not simply run a zipper across it so things don't fall out?? As good as this bag appears, there are places where upon it can be improved so 4 stars for that (most people would give it 5 stars); 5 stars however for Wholesale Chess' Service which is prompt and efficient.

Jason from Tulsa Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewGreat bag! Seems well put together, plenty of room, even if you are using a 22" board. Very pleased with this one.

Jon from Aurora Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewSeems fine and reasonably durable. Zippers are just OK. Not bad, but I was hoping for sturdier ones.

john from l.a. Premier Tournament Chess Bag Reviewgood bag

pnr from austin Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThe Customer service at wholesale chess is outstanding !!!!We purchased a chess set, mousepad board, timer, and a tournament bag. One of the zippers on the bag did not work. and wholesale chess sent a new one right away. I highly recommend them to everyone.

Dave from Marietta, GA Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewI got this on sale, so it was a great value. I particularly like the internal zippered pockets for pieces and a clock. I use it once a week for lunch time chess at work.

Ed! from Columbus Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewIt's a great design that could be executed a little better. The zippered piece pockets are kind of a nuisance to use and there is a bit of fraying on the edges with only a couple of months' use. The clock pocket doesn't seem large enough for the DGT clocks.

Marc from Palo Alto Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewThis bag is really the right size. I can fit my set (4" w/ extra queens) with no trouble at all. I just dump them in the pockets and I can close the zippers without specially arranging the pieces. Fits my Chronos clock no trouble, even though it is quite wide. Only 4 stars because the stitching is quite poor in some areas. I had to trim loose threads with a scissor. The fabric is somewhat low quality. Quality issues are adequately compensated by the carrying capacity and the low price.

Garry from Richmond Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewPerfect size. It will fit nicely those very large chess clocks. I like that it is padded and keeps my wooden pieces protected. I think how the zippers for the inside compartments is odd. They zip open to the inside of the bag instead of toward the outside. It would be more convenient to have zippers open toward the top of the bag. So -1 star for that.

Steve from Tallahassee, Florida Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewI love this new bag. Much larger than my old one! Good construction. Easily holds my pieces, clock, scorebook and several books. I like the holder for my membership cards. Also the shoulder strap is convenient -- it connects on either side of the bag (NOT just one side). Also, the velcro wrap on the shorter straps holds it all together. Only drawback is the zippered piece/clock enclosure face the inisde of the bag -- it would be nicer if it face the outside so that it would be easier to get your pieces out without having to unzip the whole bag.

WARD from GLEN ELLYN Premier Tournament Chess Bag ReviewNICE PRODUCT, FIT TWO NORMAL TOURNAMENT SIZE MOUSEPAD BOARDS AND TWO HEAVY CHESS SETS INSIDE SUITABLE FOR BUGHOUSE.