Chess 101: Choosing Your Chess Pieces
April 25, 2011
Tags: Wholesale Chess News
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.
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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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