Chess Pieces

1. Once you've purchased a board, it's time put the pieces together. Chess pieces come in a variety of materials, including marble, wood, metal, and plastic. Chess pieces are also built to reflect your interests - shop around for historical, animal, or novelty chess sets that show what you love.

2. Wooden chess pieces are a versatile option that works on a wide variety of chessboards. Most wooden pieces are hand-carved and coated in a high-gloss lacquer and can be used from one game to the next.

3. If you're an avid chess player or will be playing in an official chess competition, you'll need to invest in a set of Staunton chess pieces, which must be used in competition. It's also a good idea to invest in a chess storage box to store your pieces.

4. Metal chess pieces are another solid option. Often made of solid brass, they're finished with a variety of polishes, and often gold and silver. Some metal chess pieces are painted to give a more detailed look.

5. Not all chess pieces are ornate. It's a good idea to invest in an affordable set of plastic chess pieces for everyday use and casual playing.

6. Know what size chessboard you'll be playing on, and choose chess pieces proportional to your board. Chess piece size is measured by both king height and base diameter. Pieces come in a wide range, and can be as small as 2 inches or as large as 4 inches.

7. High-quality chess pieces are weighted to help with stability and guard against accidental knocking over. If you're looking for the best feel, check out our selection of double- and triple-weighted chess pieces.

8. If you don't want to splurge on marble chess pieces, marble resin is a great, affordable alternative. Marble resin chess pieces are made from a poly-resin and marble compound that mimics carved stone and is extremely durable.

9. When looking for quality chess pieces, look no further than the knight. The knight in a set of chess pieces is a good gauge of the quality of the set. Hand-carved knights can represent as much as 50 percent of the total cost of the entire set.

10. When you're getting ready to purchase a set of chess pieces, there are several factors to consider. Look at the quality of the turnings, the level of detail on the chess pieces, the finish, and overall uniformity from one piece to the next.