Steampunk cats wearing goggles and hats playing chess

About this image

A whimsical steampunk-inspired scene features two cats in vintage attire, one adult and one kitten, wearing goggles and top hats as they play a tense game of chess. Warm, sepia-toned colors and old-world science apparatus in the background create a charming, timeless mood perfect for fantasy art and cat lovers.

A whimsical, steampunk-inspired scene shows two anthropomorphic cats in formal Victorian attire playing chess at a wooden table. The larger cat wears a vest, tie, and a monocle, while the smaller cat also sports goggles, creating a warm, imaginative mood with amber lighting and rich textures.

Comments (10)

• @DavidP · Jan 16, 2026

  Missed that on Rob's (unless very recent and I've not visited Rob's Page yet today). Your son and life sounds like my brother and my parents, though the tournaments were always in our hometown. He was good and if he'd lived even in Cape Town or Johannesburg, rather than Port Elizabeth, he'd have been better. Of course if he'd lived in the US, UK, etc even more so. Just fell short of achieving 2000+ and winning the national high school championship. Very proud of him. I don't play anywhere near as well, but have improved a lot in the last couple of years. I play Daily Games on Chess.com, essentially like correspondence chess), so I have time to think.

• @Sealine · Jan 16, 2026

  Replied on Rob's post, but my son is the chess player (I can play, but not well). Took him to tournaments for roughly 10 years. Been around it a lot!

• @DavidP · Jan 17, 2026

  This is perhaps a little shameless, but at least I am not promoting myself 🤣 Based on our conversations, maybe you (and your son) may enjoy this read: https://www.chess.com/blog/DreamLearnBe/start-with-why

• @DavidP · Jan 16, 2026

  Great style. The pieces look good. You another chess player?

• @Sealine · Jan 17, 2026

  I will check it out and forward it to him 🙂

• @DavidP · Jan 16, 2026

  Ah, OK, @Sealine will mention and reply in a new comment---I think 1900 OTB (Over the Board) is pretty darn good. To be titled is truly next level----As you say, to get up to that higher level requires so much study and playing, with I think the aid of a coach. Without the coach I think you can get stuck in a 'don't know what you don't know'----I am lucky, my brother is effectively my coach. Ratings on chess.com are not the most meaningful, I know. Guess I can say my daily is 1450-1500. Right now closer to 1550 because some people defaulted. My brother is around 2100. And fair to say, what he knows about chess is at a higher than that level, but putting into practice in games his his challenge. He needs a coach but can't aford it----I also remember how much time was spent at chess tournaments. It is a big commitment of time.----Chess world is fascinating but a microcosm of the rest of the world with politics, money, etc etc etc And the ceating on chess.com, quite unbelievable

• @Sealine · Jan 16, 2026

  @DavidP I think comments to comments can get lost. That is very impressive! My son has good natural talent, and enjoyed the thrill of the game but not so much the practice needed to really advance. He peaked a little shy of 1900. Chess tournaments took a big hit with Covid which slowed progress too. He’s in college now and plays for fun still. Good friend of his made it to IM. I don’t love playing the game but found the chess world fascinating. Local monthly Saturday tournaments until Covid, then bigger weekend tournaments a few times a year within our state. We couldn’t afford to travel out of state.

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