Buying a chess set is not as simple as you might think. There are many things to consider such as material, size & colour to name a few. The guide, which follows, is a brief insight to what you need to look for and hopefully it will help you with your decision.

If your purchase is for yourself and you are thinking you would like a wooden one the choice will seem endless and this can become complicated and confusing.

Choosing your Wood

There are several types of wood to consider for the dark side of your set, usually the light side is made from Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) this is a hardwood with a straight to very irregular grain and a uniform light yellow colour. It is usually stained in a clear varnish to preserve its natural colour.

 Sheesham

Sheesham (shisham,) wood is among the finest timbers for making cabinets and furniture etc… It is native to India, Pakistan and Nepal. The heartwood is golden to dark brown and sapwood white to pale brownish white. The heartwood is extremely durable and it’s this what is used to make chess pieces. When finished and varnished the colour is almost a walnut tint.

 Rosewood

Rosewood is a very common material for making chessmen with. The rosewood used in our pieces is Indian Rosewood. It grows in Southern India and the heartwood is purple brown with attractive dark streaks. It is heavy and dense and extremely durable. It is hard to manage due to its hardness but master craftsmen respect its qualities and work with it instead of against it. Without a doubt Rosewood is very attractive for producing high quality chess pieces.

 Ebony

Ebony (Indian Ebony) grows in Sri Lanka and Southern India. Even though you would expect Ebony to be jet black the heartwood can vary between this and medium brown, it has straight to irregular grain with a fine texture and metallic lustre. It’s heartwood is very brittle and it can cause difficulties for carving but the craftsmen are familiar with this and are masters at working with it with their hand tools. Before it is polished Ebony can be quite dull but once polished the finish is absolutely stunning providing luxury at its best.

 Bud Rosewood

Bud Rosewood is taken from the same Rosewood tree as Indian Rosewood but what makes this so special is that it comes only from the roots making the colour of the pieces deep burgundy. 

Number of Pieces -Do you need spare queens?

There are thirty-two pieces in a chess set. In some sets mainly the professional higher quality sets you will get two extra queens.

King             x 2

Queen          x 2 (some sets have two spare Queens)

Bishop          x 4

Knight          x 4

Rook           x 4

Pawns          x 16

Chess Pieces - Does Size really matter?

Now you have read through the type of wood to look for, you need to consider size.  

The size of the pieces will determine what size board you require.

If you choose a set with a king height of 4” you will typically need a board with a square size of 2” or more. It all depends on the base width of your pieces and when buying a set separate to a board you should check the base measurement of the pieces as well as the height so you don’t get the wrong size board, also many boards come with at least a 1” border around them so once again allow for this in your measurement. This means the total width of the board with a 2" square will be 20" and upwards allowing for a 1" border on each side.

 Detail and Carving

The detail to carving is a must when you are purchasing a chess set. The piece to really examine is the knight, look at the intricacy of the carving some have teeth and fine manes others have bridals. This is the piece craftsmen tend to be flamboyant with and why not it is the most beautiful piece of the set (in my opinion) and if carved correctly it can make your set really stand out.

Chess Piece Weight

Chess pieces generally have weights in the bases, this is to add to the density and give the feeling of quality.

They’re three weights: standard, double and triple. Economy sets generally have standard weights but this doesn’t take anything away from the look of the set. It may have the same quality carving as a Triple Weighted piece. The weight is merely to add a more luxurious feel. Double weighted and Triple weighted do give the feeling of quality and value, when you hold a piece in your hand and it feels solid and smooth you know you have made a sound purchase. Remember weights are just to add density and if your budget only allows you to purchase the single weighted varieties, then we still have some excellent sets to choose from.

A name you can trust

At Chess sets uk we thrive on quality and value for money. Our chess sets are all manufactured by master craftsmen many with over twenty years of experience. Most of our sets come with a high quality wooden or leather storage box and a seven-day satisfaction guarantee. Our sales team are educated on the products we provide and will endeavour to answer any of your queries if you have any.