Denver Man Gives New Perspective To Chess

DENVER (CBS4) - It's a new look for an ancient game. Denver artist Steve Schrier is making chess wall art.

"I looked at the wall and thought 'Well, maybe I can use it as decoration on my wall in the office.' As soon as I thought that it was 'Well, if I put it on the wall maybe I can put it on the wall and still play chess,'" said Schrier.

That's just what he did. Steve builds each board from scratch in his Denver studio. He has to cut the slots for the shelves and hand stains each square. He works with three different kinds of wood for the boards including maple, cherry and walnut. Once you decide on the board you want, you can pick out a frame and you're good to go.

While business started slow, Steve told CBS4's Greg Moody he now has an international reputation.

"I ship them coast to coast, over to Europe and Canada. I sent one to Egypt last month," Schrier said.

Schrier said he considers the boards both art and a craft. No matter what, they're changing the way chess can be played.

Additional Resources

Straight Up Chess is available at stores in the Denver area. Visit straightupchess.com for more information.