How to Find Quality in a Chess Set

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 chessboard with a square size of at least 2-3/8".

Cheaper chess sets have no weighting and fall over easily when nudged by a finger accidentally. Weighted pieces make the game more enjoyable, are more valuable and have a quality feel about them when held in the hand. Chess piece weights are classified as Natural, Single, Double, and Triple.

Weighted Pieces - Approximate Weights:

• Single Weighted 15-25 grams
• Double weighted 30-50 grams
• Triple Weighted 50-115 grams

Natural weighted pieces may include Wood, Marble Resin, Metal, Stone and Plastic. These pieces are the natural weight of the material in which they are made.

Natural weight of each material are as follows:

• Plastic- Very light, easy to knock over. Weighs approximately 15 grams or one-half of an ounce.
• Wood- Made out of a very light wood and are easy to knock over. Lighter than a single weighted piece. Weighs approximately 20 grams or ﾽ an ounce.
• Marble Resin-Natural weight is somewhere in between a single and double weighted piece. Heavier than wood, but lighter than stone. Weighs approximately 40 grams or 1.5 ounces.
• Metal - Natural weight is close to a double weighted piece and weighs approximately 30-50 grams or 1.5 ounces.
• Stone- Natural weight is on the heavy side weighing the same as a triple weighted piece. Approximate weight is 75 grams or 2.6 ounces.

A further option is to buy a chess set that is designed for traveling, of which we also have a wide selection. Due to the magnetism, the pieces of travel chess sets have some weight and don't fall easily.

Analyze the detail of the Knight
All pieces of chess sets should be finely crafted, but the flagship is usually the knight because of the capacity for flair and intricacy of design. The finer knights show detail even in the teeth, eyes and mane. If the set is judged worthy by it's manufacturer of giving the knight great detail, other pieces will also reflect high quality workmanship.

Analyze the Detail of the Rook
After the knight, the rook carries subtle detail that adds to the value and quality of the chess set. Pay attention to the sloping of the trunk. Some of the best chess sets have rooks with a curved slope to the trunk, others have precise detail of the piece turrets. It's weighting matters more than any of pieces in chess sets.