Chess Sets for Different Levels of Players

How to Shop for that Perfect Chess Set

With such a wide variety of styles and prices to choose from, how do you find that perfect chess set? Here are some questions you might ask:

What Type of Chess Player Am I Buying For? Beginner If you're shopping for a beginner, chances are that they'll be best suited with a straightforward, traditional wooden chess set. Many feature folding boards or drawers for storage to avoid losing the pieces. Some even have flexible boards that roll up and store safely in a handy carrying bag for the chess player on the go. These travel chess sets are perfect for students. A great teaching tool for the beginner is the World Champion Openings Chess Book. You should probably avoid theme chess sets with characters instead of the familiar knights and castles. These are often difficult for new players to get accustomed to.

Enthusiast
If you are shopping for an avid chess player, consider a good quality traditional set. Don't come up short and give them a basic set. You must look at the high quality chess sets that have a very detailed knight, high quality finish and are either double or triple weighted. A good chess set will last a lifetime and become a family heirloom that friends and family will have fond memories of.

Someone who spends a great deal of time playing the game deserves a chess set that will garner respect from their opponents when it is brought out. There's nothing like the weight and feel of a finely crafted Staunton chess set. It's sort of like driving a car - an economy car will get you there the same as a Porsche will, but the Porsche is a lot more fun to drive!

Collector
These are the toughest chess players to shop for. They've got it all, from the hand-carved Persian camel bone chess set to one with soldiers from the Civil War as the chessmen.

We've got a large assortment of interesting and unusual chess sets for even the most persnickety collectors. Check out our selection of theme chess sets where you can find everything from Medieval Camelot to Civil War to an Italian crafted chess set with exotic Wildlife Animals.

The short answer is materials and craftsmanship. Most good quality chess sets are crafted of exotic woods like Ebony, Rosewood, Boxwood, Bubinga, and the like. Mid-range chess sets are generally constructed of Maple or Walnut. If the wood type is not specified, this generally means that the chess set is made from a tropical hardwood. This is fine if you're looking for an economical chess set, but definitely not desirable for the aficionado.

When shopping for chess boards, determine if the material is solid wood or a wood veneer. Also, make sure that the squares are crafted of inlaid wood versus a chess board pattern that has been simply painted on.

The true quality of a chess set is no more evident than in the look and feel of the Chess Pieces, in particular, the Knights. A set of finely carved Knights can represent up to 50% of the total cost of the chessmen. In addition, the level of detail, quality of the turnings, the finish, and uniformity also add to the quality of the pieces. Many inexpensive imported pieces will have burn and tear marks, burrs, poor finishes, or worse.

The size of the pieces in relation to the board is mostly a matter of personal taste. Tournament play is the exception, since very clear specifications are given for piece sizes and boards. U.S. Chess Federation standards specify a King that measures 3-3/8" to 4-1/2" with a base diameter of 40-50% of the height.

A general rule for determining the proper square size for a set of good Staunton chess pieces is that the width of the base of the King should be 75% of the width of a square. So, divide the King's base diameter by 0.75 and you get the proper square size. For example, a Staunton King with a base diameter of 1.75" would require a square size of 1.75"/0.75 = 2.33". Hence, you should use a chess board with a square size of at least 2-3/8".