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The chess pieces are the most important part of your chess set. Without the pieces, there is no game. There are also a wide variety, look, weight and textures available in your chess pieces. When selecting your own set of chess pieces, there are a lot of factors to consider.
House of Staunton Marshall Chess Pieces
Selecting The Right Size of Chess Pieces
Your chess pieces need to match your chess board. You can first select your chess board and then find pieces to match, or you can select your chess pieces and then find a matching board. Either way works, but make sure you match them up by size. To match by size, you need to use the size of your King piece only. You king piece should take up roughly 75% of your width of a single square to fit comfortably. Select pieces that fit this description. For example, if you have a board with 2 inch squares, you would want to choose pieces that have a King base of 1 1/2″.
The 75% rule doesn’t always apply. Some sets, especially sets that have non-traditional pieces, may not use the 75% rule. If you are choosing themed chess pieces, you may want to consider the right board more carefully. Luckily, many themed chess sets come with boards that fit the pieces and theme already, saving you the trouble.
Plastic Chess Pieces
Plastic Chess Pieces are the most popular and common pieces to buy. Because they are made of plastic, the are usually much more durable than other pieces. Plastic pieces come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and themes. Plastic chess pieces work well for children, tournaments and students because of their durability, weight and portability. They are also usually the least expensive pieces to purchase and can be replaced quite easily if they are damaged.
Buy Basic Plastic Chess Pieces at Wholesale Chess
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Wood Chess Pieces
Wood chess pieces are very popular because of their beauty. Many wood pieces, especially high-end pieces, are hand carved and in some cases available in rare or expensive woods. Pieces can come in many sizes, shapes and styles. When browsing through wood chess pieces, pay special attention to the Knight pieces, because those pieces are where most chess pieces have their unique looks. Wood chess pieces should also be carefully selected to match the board on which they are used. Make sure you select a color of chess piece that looks good on the board you have selected. This is especially important if your chess set is more for display than it is for playing.
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Themed Chess Pieces
Once you are comfortable with the game of chess, you can spice up your play at home or with friends by purchasing themed chess pieces or themed chess sets. Themed pieces come in hundreds of varieties. Some sets are themed from movies, eras in time, or even video games. Pieces may be incredibly detailed and feature beautiful pieces. Most theme sets do not use the standard look for each piece. Pieces may be selected from characters from a movie or people from an era of time. Themed chess sets and themed chess pieces can be a beautiful, fun addition to your home collection or coffee table.
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The official way to set up a chess board.
While there are many different ways you can set up your chess board, there is only one “official” way to set up your board. It can also be difficult to undertand and even remember how to set up your chess board.
White At The Bottom
First, remember that white always starts out at the “bottom” of the chess board. To start, the bottom left square should be a dark-colored square. Rotate your chess board until a dark-colored square is found at the bottom left corner of the board (left for the person playing as white). This square is also known as “a1″ in chess notation.
Set Up Your White Chess Pieces
Now you can begin to set up your white pieces. Place a white Rook on a1. The Rook is the piece that looks like the top to a castle. The next square to the right (from the white player’s position) is “b1″. Place a white Knight (looks like a horse) on b1. Going right, the next square (which should be dark) is c1. Place a white Bishop (the piece that has a strange chip taken out of the top) here. On d1, place your white Queen (the piece with the crown), then on e1, place your white King (the piece with the cross on top of the crown). Next, place a white Bishop, then a white Knight and finally your last white Rook on f1, g1 and h1 respectively.
Once you’ve placed your major pieces, you need to place your 8 white pawns (they should all look the same and are the smallest pieces in the set). They should all be placed on the squares between a2 and h2, just in front of your other white pieces.
Set Up Your Black Chess Pieces
Now you can set up your black chess pieces. It is easiest to set it up from the white side. Start at the top left corner. This square should be a light square and it is known as “a8″. Place a black Rook. Your next square to the right is “b8″. Place a black Knight here. Next on c8, place a black Bishop. At this point, it may seem a little backwards, but you should put your black Queen on d8, the next square to the right. On e8, place your black King, followed by your second black Bishop on f8. Next put your last black Knight on g8 and your last black Rook on h8. The pawns for black are all placed on the row in front of your current pieces, between a7 and h7.
Now is your chance to save! This Friday through Sunday only, you can save on our Premier Tournament Bags. Bags are excellent for tournament play and allow you storage for your board, pieces, clock, score pad and other chess items. Chess tournament bags are available for just $11.99 for this weekend. Buy Premier Tournament Chess Bags at Wholesale Chess.
If you visited our site this morning, you probably noticed that the Thursday Deal section wasn’t working properly and no deal was showing. We’ve fixed the error and the Thursday Deal can now be ordered! Visit our site to save on Wooden Chess Pieces or save on our Analysis board. If you’re really adventurous, you could save on both! They make a great set!
You Can Visit Our Thursday Chess Deals Section Here
April 11, 2011
Tags: Chess 101
Are you new to chess? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Follow our blog to stay up-to-date in our series of the basics of chess and chess play. We’ll guide you through everything you need to know about chess from the board & pieces all the way to secret tactics and quick checkmates.
The Board
Every standard chess board features 64 squares, 32 in one color (usually white or light) and 32 in another (usually black or dark). In chess, each square is assigned a letter and number value (such as E5). The board is also divided into horizontal rows (called “rank”) and vertical columns (called “files”). Each “rank” is assigned a number 1-8, starting with 1 at the bottom. Each “file” is assigned a letter A-H, starting with A on the left side of the board. A correct game of chess begins with a dark square in the lower left corner and a light square in the lower right corner.
Buying a Chess Board
There are thousands upon thousands of different chess boards available and it can be hard to choose the correct one to buy. Boards come in every material from plastic, vinyl, wood, marble or other materials. Here at Wholesale Chess, we carry a few dozen different boards that all work in a variety of settings.
Ready to buy your first board? Make sure you get the right board! For beginners, we recommend a good vinyl or basic wood board. A Basic Vinyl Chess Board can be an excellent purchase. They are very inexpensive, come in a variety of colors, and are very durable. If you have small children, they are also great because they can handle the rigors and abuse from children. Not only are they durable, but because of their low price, they are easy to replace.
View Vinyl and Roll-Up Chess Boards
Do you need a great board that travels well? We recommend a vinyl or mouse pad chess board. These boards are specifically designed for tournament play. They roll up and are very easy to carry and transport. They also handle a lot of use very well and are inexpensive to replace. These boards are also quite standard among tournament play. The mouse pad board is different from the vinyl both in texture and finish. The mouse pad board is made from a material similar to what you’d see in a traditional computer mouse pad. The board is thicker, softer and doesn’t wrinkle or warp like the vinyl boards can.
View Vinyl and Roll-Up Chess Boards
Can’t get enough of chess at home? Get yourself a proper studying board! Many chess enthusiasts will read chess boards or watch videos with a chess board out to help them visualize concepts better. A larger tournament board can make it difficult to study because of it’s size. We recommend an analysis chess board for studying. The board is just 12″ square, making it one of the smallest boards on the market. Our analysis board is made of the basic vinyl material, is quite portable, and stores easily.
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High-End Chess Boards
Are you ready to buy a high-end chess board? At the upper end, chess boards come in a variety of materials and can range in price from $40 to over $1,000. First, select the type of board you would like. Wood boards are the most common to purchase, but boards can also be available in metal, marble or other stone. High-end chess boards can also come as folding sets with storage, large flat chess boards with storage compartments underneath, or simply large, flat chess boards. Most importantly, purchase a board you really like and one that looks good in your home or office setting.
Folding Chess Boards are excellent high-end boards because they save space and store well. If you’re not looking for a board to display, but still want quality, this is the way to go. Folding chess boards come in a variety of sizes, though usually between 10″ and 20″. Many sets come with chess pieces already, but some sets do require you find and purchase chess pieces on your own. Some folding chess boards also feature compartments inside for holding and storing pieces or other supplies, which some simply fold into themselves.
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Storage Chess Boards (sometimes called Cabinet Chess Boards) are excellent for display. They are beautiful boards that feature a compartment inside for storing pieces and supplies. The boards are all quite beautiful and will look great on a corner table or as the center piece on a coffee table. Because these boards are frequently used as displays, it’s best to be careful on wood and finish selections. Make sure you find a finish you love and will look good.
View Storage Chess Boards
Many of the most beautiful chess boards available are simple, flat boards without storage or folding. Many of these boards are hand-crafted and feature exquisite detail. There are dozens of these boards available in a wide variety of price ranges. As with storage chess boards, be careful which color and finish you choose. It’s all about personal taste and budget.
View Flat Wood Chess Boards
Large Mousepad Roll Up Chess Board
You can get your hands on a premier, large mousepad board this weekend at the lowest price around! This board is the best tournament board available, rolls up for easy travel, and doesn’t warp or fold. Available only at Wholesale Chess, you can get your hands on one for $7.99 or five for $6.99 each. You can view our Large Mousepad Chess Board here.
Now is your chance to save! Friday, April 1st through Sunday, April 3rd, save on three DGT clocks. View the DGT Clocks at Wholesale Chess.
DGT’s basic chess clock and game clock. This clock works well for chess, checkers, scrabble and other games needing a timer. Features basic clock functions and a few select pre-programmed modes. Available for just $24.99 at Wholesale Chess.
DGT’s mid-level clock, the North American is perfect for chess competitions and chess clubs. Clock is very durable and has some great chess features built in. The North American also has 13 different pre-programmed modes. Available for just $39.99 at Wholesale Chess.
From the top of DGT’s chess clock line, the DGT 2010 Chess Clock is your swiss army knife. The 2010 features a great selection of preprogrammed modes and a large display for easy viewing. The clock is available in a beautiful crimson color. Available for just $59.99 at Wholesale Chess.
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