CPSC Warns Consumers of Hazardous Magnetic Chess Games Sold by Auncley

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning to consumers regarding Magnetic Chess Games sold by Auncley, a seller based in China. The CPSC testing revealed that the magnets in the game do not meet federal safety regulations for magnet toys, posing a serious risk of injury or even death if ingested by children.

According to CPSC, when high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can attract to each other or to another metal object in the digestive system, leading to potentially fatal complications such as perforations, twisting, blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning, and death. The agency estimates that there have been 2,400 magnet ingestions treated in hospital emergency departments annually from 2017 through 2021, with eight reported deaths since 2005.

The Magnetic Chess Games were sold in a blue box labeled with the words “Magnetic”, “Magnetic Effect Chess”, and “Intelligence Strategy Game”. The box may also have a white sticker label with Amazon’s FN SKU: X00422USLT. The game includes loose black magnets, a yellow string, a plastic drawstring storage bag, and instructions for play. Despite being marketed as a chess game, it does not contain chess pieces and was sold online on Amazon for around $10.

CPSC is urging consumers to immediately stop using the magnetic chess games, keep them away from children, and either dispose of them properly or take them to a local recycling facility. It is important not to sell or give away these hazardous games to prevent any potential harm.

If you have experienced any incidents involving injury or defects related to this product, CPSC encourages you to report them on their website at www.SaferProducts.gov. For more information or statements from individual Commissioners on this issue, you can visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners. Stay safe and informed to protect yourself and your loved ones from potential dangers.