Getting the Right Chess Supplies for Your Team, Part 1

July 26, 2010
Tags: Product Reviews, New, Etc, Teaching Chess Articles

Part 1: Chess Boards & Chess Pieces

Written by guest author Erik Czerwin for Wholesale Chess.

When beginning a chess team, every coach needs to make purchases of equipment. The redeeming feature of chess is, once you have the right chess supplies, you won’t need to replace them. The key is getting the best quality you can afford. I made the mistake of buying cheaply up front. Two years after having a team, many of my sets needed repair or replacement. The upside is that when I bought, I bought a lot. Therefore, as pieces broke, we kind of combined sets and now we’ve lost a couple of complete chess sets, but I’ve got a giant bag of miscellaneous chess pieces to choose from when the inevitable broken piece occurs. And it does happen. No matter how much you tell the kids to be careful with the chess pieces, they aren’t. After all, they’re kids. At first I got heated about it, but I soon realized there was nothing to do about it. Hopefully, the following guide will help you select just the right set for your team.

Chess Boards

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Getting the right chess boards isn’t terribly important, but a new coach could use some basic guidance. You should be looking for portability, flexibility, and durability. Wholesale Chess carries several varieties that should suit any team’s needs. As a competitive team, don’t get wood. Professionals use wood, but the vast majority of scholastic competitions rely on a 20” vinyl board as the standard. Analysis boards are only 12” and not meant for competitive play.

The Basic Vinyl Chess Board is the true standard, and it will withstand much abuse. It’s what everybody uses and should be your first choice. The only real drawback is that it’s a bit stiff and may acquire some bends and folds over time. The Quality Vinyl Chess Board is exactly the same as the Basic Vinyl Chess Board, but the material is more supple and won’t hold a bend as easily. Whichever you decide on, store them rolled up or flat. I store ours flat on a cabinet shelf, then roll up the ones I need for a competition.

Next, many players may prefer the Soft Mousepad Chess Boards. They give a nice cushion for fast and hard chess, but for me, they’re not ideal because they occupy more space. And have you ever seen an old, grungy mousepad? Over time, these boards may get grungy and dirty. Finally, I definitely recommend sticking with 20” boards.  22” boards may be a bit big depending where you’re playing. Sometimes, we have to play desk to desk, and a 22” board doesn’t leave room to put captured chess pieces, chess clocks, and all the rest. However, some of my players like the 22” chess boards they’ve purchased because they enjoy the dominating size.

One more option is the Folding PVC chess board. These are fantastic. They store flat, clean easily, and will never have a problem with folds. Overall, they’re pretty good; the only major drawback is the significantly higher up-front cost. All of these chess boards are great; it’s a matter of choosing the best quality to match your funds. Personally, I recommend the Quality Vinyl Chess Board.

Chess Pieces

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Next, getting the right chess pieces can be complex. Basically, you’re looking for durability. The more solid and less brittle the plastic, the longer your chess pieces will last. Solid plastic tends to be better than hollow. Look for chess pieces that can be dropped from a tabletop often without breaking. Other than that, it’s a matter of taste. Again, the Analysis size chess pieces are meant for a smaller board, not for competitive play. The Basic Club Chess Pieces get the job done at a very economical cost. These are the real standard in scholastic play. Take care of them, and they’ll last forever. Let kids play with them, and they’ll still last several years. The only drawback to the basic chess pieces is their brittle plastic that chips and breaks easily. However, they don’t shatter, which means fixing them is easy. A smidge of two-part epoxy from your local hardware store fixes them perfectly.

The next step up is Quality Club Chess Pieces. These are a bit more solid and a touch less brittle. For just a buck more, you get chess pieces that will withstand several more years of abuse. They’re slightly heavier, which most players prefer.

This brings us to the Heavy Tournament Chess Pieces. These are exactly the same as the Basic chess pieces, but they have metal weights glued inside. Though they have a nice weight to them, they actually break a little easier because every fall is intensified by those weights. Often, the weights slip or aren’t placed properly, so the pieces don’t sit flat. These are perfect if you’re looking for a personal set that you know will be cared for, but they don’t really suit the abuse of a scholastic team. Any plastic chess sets beyond that are simply matters of taste. There’s really no need to spend more on chess pieces for a team. I love the House of Staunton chess pieces; I have one of each set. It’s an obsession; I can’t help it. Apologies to my wife. Though these are too expensive for a team, your students may wish to purchase these better sets. They are larger, heavier, and prettier. In fact, parents often buy these chess sets for their kids, and it’s a great way to earn money for your team’s affiliate page or Wholesale Chess Member credit. In the end, I recommend the Quality Club Chess Pieces for their sturdiness and affordability.

This is Part One of Getting the Right Chess Supplies for Your Team. Part 2: Chess Bags & Chess Clocks will be published on Wednesday.

Erik Czerwin is a self-taught chess player and also a self-taught chess coach. He founded the current Marengo Community High School Chess team, founded the Marengo Chess Club, plays at the Rockford Chess Club, and occasionally volunteers as a chess teacher at the Rockford Public Library, all in Northern Illinois. In his spare time, he’s also a full-time high school language arts teacher, part-time graduate student, part-time tutor, and full-time father of two and husband to a very understanding wife.