How to Pick the Best Chess Set
The appeal of a chess set is just as much cultural and aesthetic as it is functional. A $30 set of plastic pieces and a vinyl roll-up mat allows you to play the exact same game as an ornate marble board with sterling silver chessmen that sells for around $1,000. It’s just that one looks much better set up on a coffee table or in a study.
While you can find chess sets made from all sorts of materials — including marble, pewter, and even precious metals — a high-end wooden set provides a good balance of quality and (relative) affordability. The pieces in these fancier sets can come in a few styles, but most are some variation of the Staunton design, which is the most widely used and recognizable style of chess piece. Within this style you’ll find a number of sub-styles, which can be most easily differentiated by looking at the knight. That’s because it’s the only piece on a board that can’t be shaped with a lathe, and instead has to be hand-carved.
Each variation has its own claim to fame. For example, American chess superstar Bobby Fischer was a fan of Dubrovnik-style sets (a precursor to the Zagreb seen above), while the German-style knight has been used in many world championship matches and is one of the most common variants.
Any choices based on aesthetics are ultimately going to come down to personal preference and taste, but these are good examples of chess sets that are wonderful to play with and can also serve as stately, permanent pieces of decor.
FIDE Official World Championship of Chess Series Pieces
This set of pieces is used at the highest level of professional chess, including FIDE’s highest levels of competition. It’s an aspirational choice for fans of elite-level chess.
Designed in 2012 with input from chess world champions (including Magnus Carlsen) and used in FIDE’s Candidate Tournament and every World Championship match since 2013, the FIDE Official World Championship set is the most modern-looking chess set that has an official pedigree.
The more abstract design of the knight, which lacks distinct facial features that other sets include, provides a distinctive look without straying too far from the established Staunton aesthetics. Bear in mind that this set does not include a board, but the site offers a number of nice boards you can add on starting at $80.
The Championship Series Chess Set, Box, & Board Combination
This set has a longstanding connection to chess history and an enduring, classic design. It simply looks great in a study or drawing room.
This House of Staunton set uses a more classic design than the FIDE Official World Championship set. The pieces are made from rosewood and boxwood, with several color options, and the set includes a maple and mahogany board. Even with the board thrown in, the set costs significantly less than the FIDE set and still feels great to play with.
