Would it have worked better with the white knight surrounded by the black pieces? You also needed to do something about the background because it gives the impression this is just a snapshot, rather than a considered composition which you were obviously aiming for.
I like this idea. The out of focus areas creates nice converging lines to the middle objects. Could be my monitor but the black piece appears a bit OOF.
Wondeful use of shallow DOF. I loike this shot, the only thing that really distracts my eyes is the background. Perhaps simply proping up a white or black cloth would help eliminate the background and really pull focus to the subject. Good job.
you should have given a bit more space around your knight also the lighting is a bit harsh. Also if you lookyour camera has actually focused on the piece behind the knight. 6