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)
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.
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.
The last piece to discuss on the chess board is the King piece. This piece is the game winner. Once you lose your King, the game is over, and your opponent wins, regardless of the score. The King chess piece is the piece you must protect the most and you cannot live without. Many experienced players, though may find themselves utilizing their king in an attempt to gain an advantage over an opponent, something weaker chess players are very leery of doing. No matter how you choose to use your King piece, he must stay alive at all costs.
How A King Chess Piece Moves
King chess pieces are somewhat limited in their movement. They cannot go riding across the chess board as quickly as most other pieces and they are easier to contain than most chess pieces from an opponent’s perspective. Here are a few rules to note:
The king piece can move one single square in any direction.
The king cannot move onto a square the is currently occupied by a piece from it’s own team.
The king piece cannot move to any square that puts them into a “check” position.
The king piece can participate in a move known as “castling”, where the piece can move up to three squares while exchanging places with a rook chess piece.
Basic Tactics
Safety first, is the motto most chess players abide by when moving and using their king piece. Experienced players can use their king piece to help set traps and capture opposing pieces, though the King is rarely the aggressive piece in this situation. Most players try to keep their king piece in one of their two corners where there are fewer directions from which an attack can come. Often, castling with a rook piece early in the game gets the King piece to the corner faster, keeping the piece safer from attacks.
Favorite Chess Sets
Here are some chess sets that feature unique or interesting King piece designs:
Considered the most dangerous and versatile piece on the board, the Queen chess piece is also one of the most important. Unless you are an expert chess player, losing your queen piece can easily be the final blow before falling to your opponent. Most players are willing to sacrifice just about any other piece on the board in order to save their queen. So why is the queen so important?
How A Queen Chess Piece Moves
The queen chess piece is like a combination of the Rook and Bishop chess pieces. Each player starts out with one queen piece (although any pawn that makes it to the other side of the board can be traded in for another queen, which is why some chess sets come with extra queens). The queen can move forward or diagonal in any direction. Here are a few notes:
The queen can move in any direction on a straight or diagonal path.
The queen cannot “jump” over any piece on the board, so it’s movements are restricted to any direction of unoccupied squares.
The queen can be used to capture any of your opponent’s pieces on the board.
Basic Tactics
Most players try to keep their queen defended because of it’s ability to move. It is a very useful piece in any chess game and is often involved in endgame strategy. Experts try to get the queen piece toward the center of the board as soon as possible in order to help defend that space and gain an advantage over their opponent. The queen can be used in a variety of defensive strategies and works well to defend the King no matter where the King is on the board, so long as the queen is nearby. The most dangerous piece to a queen is the opponent’s knight pieces. The queen may not be able to attack a knight piece directly that is attacking the queen, so players try to be wary of their opponent’s knight pieces. Advanced players may be more likely to sacrifice their queen in an attempt to win a game, though this is quite rare.
Favorite Chess Sets
The queen piece is often a very beautiful chess piece and in more expensive sets, it may feature a very beautiful crown and piece shape.
The Bishop chess piece is easily the most forgotten piece of all the chess pieces. From the beginners’ perspective, the piece cannot do a whole lot to help out your game, considering each piece can only cover half of the board at a time and is quite vulnerable to attacks from straight on. But the bishop does have his place in the game of chess. In most chess sets, the piece is very traditional. It is a tall, slender piece with a pointed tip that has a strange cut made into it. Usually, the design doesn’t change much, unlike the Knight piece, which has a lot of flair in it’s design.
How A Bishop Chess Piece Moves
The bishop chess piece is stuck moving in diagonals. Each player starts out with two bishop pieces, each one residing on it’s own color of square. Between both pieces, you can cover the entire board, but one piece can only cover one half of the board, only the colors of squares it started the game on.
The bishop can move in any direction diagonally, so long as it is not obstructed by another piece.
The bishop piece cannot move past any piece that is obstructing it’s path.
The bishop can take any other piece on the board that is within it’s bounds of movement.
Basic Tactics
Bishops are usually considered stronger pieces toward the end of the game. Often, though, the pawns make it difficult to use the bishop piece during the early parts of the game. The bishop is considered excellent in defending a castled King, though and can be used to help pin pieces into areas of the board. Most experts would agree, though, that giving up a Bishop is better than giving up a Rook.
Favorite Chess Sets
Here are a few of our favorite chess sets with good bishop pieces:
When it comes to your chess set, the Knight chess piece is often the defining piece in the set. This piece offers the most chance for variety and uniqueness in a chess set and it is often the piece with the most detail. When it comes to the game of chess, the Knight chess piece is often the favorite piece and most unpredictable piece in the game. Many a game has been ended because of the make-or-break tactics with the Knight.
How A Knight Chess Piece Moves
The Knight chess piece moves in a very mysterious way. Unlike Rooks, Bishops or Queens, the Knight is limited in the number of squares it can move across. In fact, it’s movement is a very specific movement. The piece moves in a shape similar to the uppercase “L”. Here are the specifics:
The Knight piece can move forward, backward, left or right two squares and must then move one square in either perpendicular direction.
The Knight piece can only move to one of up to eight positions on the board.
The Knight piece can move to any position not already inhabited by another piece of the same color.
The Knight piece can skip over any other pieces to reach it’s destination position.
Basic Tactics
Most experts prefer their Knight pieces to be “close to the action”. Because of their strange movement, the can often cover weaknesses that other pieces leave. Knight pieces are also best employed near the center of the board and they are often one of the first pieces to reach the center area of the board. The Knight also has a unique ability to attack another piece without risking being attacked by the same piece (aside from other Knights, of course).
Favorite Chess Pieces Sets
Here are some of our staff favorite chess sets with beautiful and unique Knight pieces:
The pawn chess piece is often the most overlooked of all of the chess pieces. The piece itself is very simple. On most chess sets, the pawn chess piece is the smallest piece on the board. Each player begins a chess game with eight pawns, standing in front of their other eight chess pieces.
How A Pawn Chess Piece Moves
Pawns are both simple and complex in their movements. The pawn piece has the fewest options of any chess piece on the board in where it can move and it can only move forward until it reaches the other side of the board. Here are a few things to know about how a pawn chess piece moves:
Pawn chess pieces can only directly forward one square, with two exceptions.
Pawns can move directly forward two squares on their first move only.
Pawns can move diagonally forward when capturing an opponent’s chess piece.
Once a pawn chess piece reaches the other side of the chess board, the player may “trade” the pawn in for any other chess piece if they choose.
Pawn Names & Terms
Not all pawns are created equal. Each pawn is named after piece behind it. For example, the two outer pawns are called “Rook Pawns”, while the pawns in from of the King and Queen at the start of a game are called “King Pawn” and “Queen Pawn” respectively. In addition, pawns on each side of the board are named. This is to help clarify which pawn is which, when referring to a Bishop Pawn, Knight Pawn or Rook Pawn. The pawns on the Queen’s side of the board are called Queen side and the pawns on the King’s side of the board are called King side. For example, at the start of the game, the pawn on the far left side would be called the QR-pawn (Queen Rook Pawn). The pawn second from the right at the start of the game would be called the KN-pawn (King Knight Pawn).
Often, pawns are referenced as opposition. Your opponent’s pawn directly across the board from your own pawn is called the “Counterpawn”. Each pawn on your board begins the game with it’s own counterpawn. At the start of the game, all pawns are considered “unfree”, or not able to reach the opposite side of the board because of it’s counterpawn. Once it’s counterpawn has been captured, the pawn is then considered “half-free”.
Each pawn on the board also has opposing pawns called “sentries”. Sentries are the opponent’s pawn chess pieces that sit directly across from it, but are to the left and right by one square. These pawns are the pieces your opponent could use to capture your pawn. While sentries can make it difficult for your pawn to cross the board, their obstruction of your piece is not absolute.
Each of your own pawn chess pieces has “helpers”. These are it’s neighboring pawn pieces that can be used to help the pawn chess piece cross the board. When trying to reach the other side of a board, a pawn piece is known as a “candidate”. In most cases, your candidate piece would advance first, followed by its helper pieces, trying to ensure it’s safety.
Once the sentries of a pawn piece have been captured, the pawn is now considered “free”. This means it no longer has any opposing pawns in it’s path to reaching the other side of the board.
The Pawn Ram
When two pawns meet at squares directly in front of each other, they are considered part of a “ram”. In basic terms, a ram occurs when two pawn pieces are blocking each other’s movements across the board. When helper pawns get involved, a ram can be broken, allowing the pawn chess piece to move forward. Avoiding rams is important when attacking an opponent as it eliminates your ability to use the pawn in the attack.
Pawns can be very useful tools as you play the game of chess. Gaining a more in-depth understanding of how to use pawns in chess is crucial to becoming a better chess player. Here are some great books we recommend for studying pawn play in chess:
