So you want to buy a chess set? That is a smart decision for three reasons:
There have been several studies that show that playing chess helps improve cognitive thinking, problem solving skills and memory.
Even if you don’t get any smarter, your friends and family will think you are smarter because you have a nice set in your home or office.
Chess is a lot of fun! However, be forewarned that it can be a somewhat addictive.
You have probably started some basic research on the internet or even talked to that smart looking friend who has a chess set but you might be feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choices and options. Maybe the set is not for you but a gift for your favorite grandchild or niece. (Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone you have a favorite) Either way, we hope this guide will be of help to you. If you don’t find what you are looking for, give us a call or email us and we will be happy to answer any questions you have. We love chess and live chess, so we can probably help with any questions you might have. Our phone number and email are listed at the bottom of this article as well as the “Contact Us” page on our website.
There are thousands of chess sets in the world today and we try to carry several hundred of the most popular. To help narrow down the selection, let’s start with three questions:
Is this set for display and the occasional game or do you want a chess set that is intended for regular use and may even be travel around with you to the park, club or on your next airplane ride?
What is the age and skill level of the individual who will use the set?
What is your budget?
Let’s dig a little deeper into these questions.
Is this set for display and the occasional game or do you want a chess set that is intended for regular use?
I have a nice Italian Alabaster table at home and wanted some nice wooden pieces to compliment the table. This was an expensive set and I knew it would primarily be used as a piece of furniture so I selected the Florentine Series – Bud Rosewood pieces to compliment the table. The set looks beautiful and I do play games with my kids on occasion with this set, however, when we are going to play some serious chess I pull out my Heavy Tournament Chess Set Combo.
If you want a set that is primarily for display purposes, a stone or metal set is probably the way to go. We sell a variety of stone themed chess sets and a few metal pieces as well. There are a lot of cheaply made stone and metal sets but we don’t carry them as they are difficult to repair or get replacement pieces.
If you want a set that looks great but can be played as well, I would recommend a nice wood chess set. We have a wide selection of wood sets that include the board and pieces. Prices vary based on size, wood type, etc.
If you prefer to buy your pieces and board separately, start with the pieces and then go from there. There are several types of wood used in the production of chess pieces and the cost and quality can differ significantly from wood to wood. Here is a brief explanation of the more popular wood types.
Bud Rosewood – A dark, rich grain with lots of mahogany or red in the piece. I think these pieces are have the best color but also are generally the most expensive. You will also see the terms Blood Rosewood and Red Sandal wood used to describe these pieces.
Rosewood – Like Bud Rosewood, these pieces are dark and have a rich grain, but are more brown in color. The color of these pieces is very versatile and easy to match with a board.
Golden Rosewood – As the name suggests, these pieces are in the same Rosewood family but are golden or honey in color.
Ebony (not to be confused with Ebonized) – Ebony is a very dark or black hard wood. These pieces are beautiful pieces on the right board. The downside to ebony is they tend to crack easier than the other wood types. Keeping these pieces at the right humidity level will help. Ebony is an expensive wood as well.
Ebonized – Because Ebony is so expensive, many sets are also sold as “Ebonized” sets, which really means they are boxwood pieces that have been stained black to look like Ebony pieces. When done properly a good ebonized set is difficult to distinguish from a true Ebony set and is a fraction of the cost.
Sheesham – Sheesham wood is an expensive medium brown wood. In some Sheesham pieces you can see the grain to it but not like the Rosewood sets. Most entry level wood sets will have Sheesham for the dark pieces.
Boxwood or Whitewood – The light pieces on most sets are made from Boxwood or Whitewood. It is a very light colored wood, generally with no visible grain.
After you have picked your pieces you will want to pair those pieces with a board. Use the following guidelines:
3.75” is the standard king height in tournament play. A 20” board is the standard board size. Depending on where you want to play and store your set, you might want to go up or down from there. Most of the higher end wood pieces have a 3.75” to 4.5” king height but we sell wooden pieces as small as 2.5” king height. More important than king height, is the width of the base of the king. The king is traditionally the tallest and widest piece on the board and the rest of the pieces are proportional to the king. When you buy a board you want to fit it to your king to the square size and then you know the rest of the pieces will fit well. The total dimensions of the chess board are good to know but the square size is even more important. As a general rule you want the base of the king to be about 75% of the square size. So if your king has a base that is 1.75” wide, you would want a board with squares that are about 2.3”. Of course you can go up or down from that number a little but don’t go too far or the pieces either get too crowded on the board or look too small. If you will be using the set in a USCF tournament, be sure to check with your tournament director or the USCF rule book to make sure your board and pieces meet all regulations. You can see more sizing suggestions at the bottom of this guide.* It can be a little confusing so give us a call if you have any questions. We can help you make sure your pieces and board fit well together.
If you like the look of wood but want to be able to travel or easily store the set, you might consider a folding wood set. They come in sizes from 7” to 20” in a variety of wood types.
If you decide that you want a set intended for the rigors of regular play, I would suggest a good plastic tournament set. There is a wide range of pieces, boards and bags in these sets to fit all budgets.
What is the age and skill level of the individual who will use the set?
Do you remember the nice set I have at home that I mentioned above? What I did not tell you is that it is not as nice as it used to be. When my youngest child was starting to toddle around the house he often found himself at the chess table. While I daydreamed about raising the next chess prodigy, he was actually putting the tips of the pawns in his mouth and sucking off all of the lacquer. As best as I can tell there was no adverse health effects to him but it was not good for the set. Since then I have lost an ear or bridal on each of the knights. This was not a good set for the kids to pay with.
For a young player I would suggest you start with an un-weighted or lightly weighted club or starter chess set. These things are almost indestructible and easy to carry and store. Also, on most of these sets we offer a lifetime missing pieces replacement which comes in handy if your young one misplaces things like mine does. These sets come in a lot of fun colors, are inexpensive and you can always upgrade to a nicer set down the road.
For the brand new player, we do have a Chess Teacher Set that includes pieces with the moves written on the back of the piece. However, I am not a big fan of the pieces and would recommend getting a basic club set along with a Buddy Board. You will still be saving money and the buddy board is made from the same material as our vinyl chess boards with makes it easy to roll and store. In addition, the pieces are standard pieces which will allow you to use them in regulation play.
Lastly, if you have no friends to play with or want something to help you learn the game an electronic chess set is a great alternative. You can study openings, play a game, study tactics, work on your endgames, etc. Most chess computers play at beginner and master levels, and everything in between.
What is your budget?
This is the million dollar question. Well, maybe not literally, but it is an important question. Like most everything else in life, generally, the more you pay, the nicer the set. However, there is no reason to pay a lot for a set you don’t need. We want you to buy the best set for you…..not the best set for us. We carry thousands of chess sets and supplies and you will receive our same great service when you buy a $10 set as you would if you bought a $1,000 set.
Most of our club and tournament sets average between $10 and $40. Generally, the heavier and larger the piece, the higher the price. Also, the bag makes a big difference. Our tournament bags have many extras including separate pockets for each color of pieces, a padded clock pocket, room for the board inside the bag, etc.
Our wood sets range in price from $20 to several thousand dollars. To get a nice entry level wood set (board and pieces) you should plan to pay $80 to $200. Of course you can find some for less than that and you can quickly get much higher as well.
Since we are discussing price, let me let you in on an insider secret about wood chess sets. Almost all of the nice wood pieces you find available for sale on any site are made in the same city in India. There are several companies there that all they do is make chess pieces to ship to the rest of the world. The same companies that make the $29 wood sets make the $1,000 wood sets as well. So why the difference in retail price? There are three primary reasons:
The type of wood. As discussed above, some wood types are much more expensive than others.
The knight. The biggest cost of producing chess pieces is the knight. Each knight is carved by hand and the more ornate knights can take two or more days per knight to carve.
Branding. Two identical pieces might leave the factory at the same cost but by the time you see them available on a retail site one might be 2x or 3x the cost because a brand name has been attached. That is the case with most industries and there is nothing wrong with that. We sell both branded sets as well as non branded sets. You can decide how important the brand is to you.
Well, if you have stuck with me thus far I am impressed. There is a lot that goes into selecting the right chess set and we have only begun to scratch the surface. We could go on but I think both of us would rather be playing chess than reading or writing about it. If we didn’t answer your question, give us a call at 1-888-582-4377 or send us an email to info@wholesalechess.com and we will help make the selection process as easy as possible.
* Additional Sizing Information
The USCF ruling is the king’s base diameter should fall into this range:
0.78 x [SS – 0.125] <= KBD <= 0.78 x [SS]
Where: SS = square size
KBD = king base diameter
Units are in inches
Wow….I’ll bet you wish you had paid more attention to your high school algebra teacher now. Here is a little cheat sheet for some of the more common sizes.
2” chessboards, the king’s base diameter should fall into the range of 1.46” to 1.56” (3.71-3.96cm)
2.25” chessboards, the king’s base diameter should fall into the range of 1.66” to 1.75” (4.22-4.46cm)
2.50” chessboards, the king’s base diameter should fall into the range of 1.85” to 1.95” (4.70-4.95cm)
Last week we took a minute and had some questions answered by Laura Sherman. Laura is the author for the popular chess book, Chess is Child’s Play. You can purchase a copy of this book by CLICKING HERE.
WSC: What is your chess background? Sherman: My father taught me to play chess when I was nine years old. When I could beat him he took me to a large city about an hour away for lessons with a Russian chess master. It was very exciting. Soon after that I began playing in tournaments.
I took several breaks from active play growing up and rediscovered chess in high school, when I joined the chess club. At that time my rating put me ahead of the teachers who played, which was a confidence booster.
I left for college and got a degree in Civil Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona. I was engrossed in study and didn’t find time for chess, but when I graduated I joined a small club in Upland, CA and started studying again.
I took off some time from work to play in tournaments and study. I would play in various Open tournaments around the country. The New York Open was always my favorite. It was fun to watch the grandmasters from around the world sing at the karaoke bar at the hotel where we all stayed at the end of the day, too.
My rating reached 2000 at one point, which put me at Expert. That’s when I met my husband. He had the exact same rating as I, which I found to be romantic.
Chess has always been a part of my life, but now I focus on teaching the next generation. My goal is to get all children learning to play chess before they enter the school system, because I firmly believe that chess helps make children smarter.
WSC: What long-term benefits will kids get from playing chess?
Sherman: I’ve written many articles on this subject, because I feel very strongly that children get a lot from learning to play chess. The list of benefits goes on and on.
When asked, most parents would say children become strong problem solvers when they learn chess. Others will tell you that they become more logical in their thinking.
As a chess instructor I can tell you that I have seen a child’s ability to concentrate improve remarkably, sometimes even after a few lessons. Even children with attention problems will sometimes learn to focus and can study better in school as a result of learning chess.
I have also witnessed a remarkable boost in self-confidence amongst many children who learn to play the game early on. There is nothing better than beating a grown-up at chess when you’re a kid.
WSC: What prompted you to write this book?
Sherman: When I was a teenager I had a dream of teaching the world to play chess. I could see gang members sitting down across a board to “fight” rather than resorting to violence.
This basic goal never diminished over the years, but the purpose changed slightly. When my son turned four I started teaching him to play chess on the beach. I wasn’t sure how it would go or how successful I would be, but when he learned the game quickly and easily I realized I was on to something.
I then worked on my techniques, improving them with his classmates and friends. I even went into the preschool to teach the two- and three-year-olds. I fine-tuned my methods, working with Bill Kilpatrick, my co-author, to create a workable strategy that anyone could follow.
It was important to Bill and me to make the book accessible to everyone, even parents who didn’t know how to play chess (or who were intimidated to learn). However we also wanted to appeal to the experienced player. In the end I believe we accomplished these goals.
WSC: Why did you choose this particular format/style?
Sherman: I’m glad you asked that question, because we spent a lot of time with formatting and style. The layout is very “user friendly,” incorporating the use of large diagrams. We also feature “Coffee Talk,” which highlights fun and humorous stories told to us by parents and “Coach’s Corner,” which shares important tips on how to conduct a lesson.
We make sure to define all the terms that might be new to a parent unfamiliar with the game, giving them guidance in how to explain the words to a young child.
Chess Is Child’s Play also has a troubleshooting section at the end of each chapter, giving the parents additional tools to use if they run into trouble.
We were careful to format the book so that someone new to chess would feel comfortable with the text and diagrams. Most chess books have very small diagrams that are hard for beginners to read and understand. We wanted to avoid that.
WSC: How did you choose the photographs and why?
Sherman: Kristy Mann, a Los Angeles based photographer, conducted several photo shoots, capturing fun, artistic shots of children playing chess. These are featured at the start of each chapter.
WSC: Will this book help coaches and/or parents and how? Sherman: Chess Is Child’s Play is very different from other chess instruction books. Anyone can apply these techniques, whether they are an experienced player or completely new to the game.
We have broken down the basics into very easy, step by step techniques. To give you an idea, the chapter “The Rook,” which simply goes over how the rook moves, is 11 pages long.
The Rook has seven steps, with four “mini-games” (exercises designed to teach a certain skill to the child). At the end of the chapter there is a detailed Trouble Shooting guide which answers questions such as, “When I ask my child to move the rook, he only moves it one square at a time. What should I do?”
Chess Is Child’s Play will teach a coach or parent to teach a young child the basics of chess, in a way where the child will win with each exercise, mastering an important skill.
WSC: The trailer is really cute. How did you come upon that idea to market the book and how was it made?
Sherman: Our publisher, Mongoose Press, suggested that we create an animated trailer. They asked me to write the script, which was incredibly fun! They found an amazing animator who breathed life into my words.
I would invite people to embed the trailer in their blog or on their sites, if they like it. We’re hoping to spread the message that anyone can learn to play chess, regardless of their age!
Choosing the right color of mousepad board or any other chess board for that matter seems a little tricky. We have just finished up a video that we think will help make that decision a little easier. You can find our Mousepad Chess Boards Here.
Wholesale Chess has an entirely brand new section of chess set! We now feature a line of chess sets called Straight Up Chess Sets. These awesome chess sets are wall-mounted sets that made to look like picture frames. You can browse our entire selection BY CLICKING HERE. You can also watch this great product video below!
Dean Ippolito, one of the foremost and well known chess players and coaches in the United States, is heading up a fundraiser for a young friend with a rare and fatal disease.
Dean is known as “the Dean of Chess.” At the age of 11, he was featured in Sports Illustrated and Boys Life after winning several National Titles. Both articles labeled him as “One of the Nation’s Top Rising Chess Stars.” Dean has been a 10-time All-American Team Member and has 11 National Championships to his name.
By the age of 25, Dean had coached three of the youngest National Champions in U.S. history. To date, Dean has taught over 150 nationally ranked players and has 20 National Championships as a coach. In 2006, The New Jersey Chess Federation recognized Dean as the Chess Teacher of the Year due to his ability to help all students from complete beginners to national champions.
In 2011 the Executive Board United States Chess Federation unanimously voted to award Dean the Frank J. Marshall-Ambassador of Chess Award for his contributions to the chess world.
Dean’s love of chess is apparent in all of his lectures. His wish is for each of his students to develop a life-long passion for the game.
He also has a love for Zoey Penny—and because of that is raising money to help her.
Following is a note from Dean which explains his endeavors. “Recently, my friend, Zoey Penny, celebrated her 2nd Birthday. While this is a major milestone for all babies, it’s an even bigger event for Zoey. You see, without the help of you and others, Zoey may not have many more birthdays to celebrate. Zoey, from Verona, NJ, was born with Progeria, a very rare and fatal, “rapid aging” genetic condition. Occurring in only 1 out of 8 million births, there are fewer than 90 known cases world wide, about 17 of them in the US. Zoey will face a life challenged by age related problems, including growth failure, loss of body fat and hair, aged skin, hip dislocation, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. At this time, the average life expectancy for Zoey is only 13 years. So, you may ask: HOW CAN I HELP?
Easy, You can sign up to play chess against me, Dean Ippolito, International Chess Master, as I compete against 10 chess teams at one time. This is the 1st TeamZoey Checkmate Progeria Challenge, to be held on Sunday April 22, here at the Dean of Chess Academy. For only $35.00 you can try all your best moves against me, and let the best man, or woman win.
In addition, you can raise more by finding others to sponsor your match, and it would be great if you could raise another $100.00 in sponsorships. So, sign up for an hour time slot, beginning at 9 and ending noon to 1pm, by logging on to www.TeamZoey.com. In addition there will be door prizes, raffles and other gifts for the contestants.
In 2010 Zoey’s family and friends formed Team Zoey, which is now the New Jersey Chapter of The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF). All of the proceeds from the Checkmate Progeria Challenge will go to help PRF achieve its mission: discover treatments and the cure for Progeria and all its aging related disorders; so Zoey and other children with Progeria can live long and healthy lives! $100.00 in sponsorships. So, sign up for an hour time slot, beginning at 9 and ending noon to 1pm, by logging on to www.TeamZoey.com. In addition there will be door prizes, raffles and other gifts for the contestants.”
In 2010 Zoey’s family and friends formed Team Zoey, which is now the New Jersey Chapter of The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF). All of the proceeds from the Checkmate Progeria Challenge will go to help PRF achieve its mission: to discover treatments and the cure for Progeria and all its aging related disorders; so Zoey and other children with Progeria can live long and healthy lives!
One Novice Chess-Player’s Quest to Become an Instructor at the Game of Chess
Studying chess each and every day for the past two years is quite an accomplishment. During this time, I’ve used my primary source for competition and learning materials to be chess.com.
I’ve grown very fond of working with beginners and developing their knowledge of the game. I have several friends who are where I was two years ago; they know how the pieces move but have never really given much thought into improving their skills.
In doing so, word has reached several people that I may be able to foster their children’s love of chess even if they’ve never played before. I took on my first “official” student about a month ago & things are going well.
Here are some great reasons why YOU should become a chess coach:
You have the opportunity to change someones life through CHESS!
You don’t have to be an expert to teach a beginner.
Your chess motivation will never be higher.
The “AHA!” moments are measurable & very rewarding.
If they are a younger person, you will help them in developing patience & attention to detail, among other valuable skills.
You will look at positions from another very unbiased perspective.
You will improve right along with your student.
You have the opportunity to make a little bit of extra money.
It’s cheaper than getting a pet.
The best coach is not always someone ranked several levels above yours. An experienced novice will make a great coach because you know what it takes to learn the game & improve from the beginner’s perspective. If you have a passion for the game & have a firm grasp of the rules of chess, you are ready to start teaching.
I decided to give my first month of lessons for free so my student was able to order his “starter equipment” from wholesalechess right away. Here are my gear recommendations for a beginner:
I like these chess pieces because they are heavy & tournament-approved. They are very basic/standard & fit the board I recommended. *Note: I have noticed the durability is not top quality, but with the Wholesale Chess piece replacement plan, getting the economical set is the right choice.
This chess board is nice because unlike the vinyl roll-up boards, it folds once to close & stays flat. I’ve had mine for about 2 years & it is as good as new. Durable, washable, and has all of the proper annotations used to reference the squares.
This chess bag is high-quality & is an appropriate size to carry everything except the board, which I carry separately. Again, very durable & room for supplies like pencil/pen/paper/book etc.
This chess clock is easy to use & appropriate for all tournaments I’ve entered. The clock is an essential piece in order to train for tournament games.
Today is a great day to become a chess instructor! For ideas on how to teach your first student, contact me, Coach Ben, at: d2@chess.com Good luck & keep it fun!
This article was contributed by Tessman. Interesting in writing for Wholesale Chess? Contact us today at (801)544-4242.
We wanted to welcome the new year in with a bang, so we are introducing our new Traditional Staunton Chess Sets! These beautiful sets feature a standard Staunton-style piece and come in a variety of colors. The king height stands at just under 4″ on these babies and every piece is weighted.
Along with the beautiful pieces, our sets come with regulation-size mousepad chess boards, giving you a portable chess board that is a step above vinyl boards. Each board comes in your choice of color (green, blue or black) and features notation on the sides. The sets also come with a carry-all tournament-sized bag to match.
These beautiful sets are available in six different color combinations. Oh, and right now, you can save big! Now through January 21, 2011, use the promo code 12COMBO and you can get $5 off your order when you order any of our Traditional Staunton Chess Sets.
We are happy to introduce our Tournament Staunton Chess Pieces, the newest addition to the Wholesale Chess family. These pieces are a beautiful, full-sized chess piece that are great for a variety of chess games!
Here are some of the great features you’ll find with our new chess pieces:
High-End Look at an affordable price!
Tournament-weighted plastic chess pieces
Currently available in ivory and natural finishes, but available soon in other colors
3 3/4″ King
1 3/4″ King Base
Each set comes with extra queens
Drawstring bag included
These pieces are a great deal! Be sure to get your set today, and don’t forget a matching chess board!
