What To Look For In A Chess Set
Mark Humphrey
There are almost as many different types and styles of chess
sets as there are chess players. It may be hard to decide upon
a particular set, but it's relatively easy to narrow your
choices down to a particular category. Here's a look at the
major categories that are available everywhere:
Theme Chess Sets
These types of chess sets depict characters, movies and events.
There are theme chess sets for most major sports teams with
pieces and pawns that resemble positions like quarterback and
cheerleaders.
There are entire categories of cartoon character chess sets
that are perfect for attracting younger people to the game. You
can even get Civil War or WW II sets as well as Roman Gladiator
and even old West models.
You'll pay anywhere from $20 to over $2,000 for theme sets
depending upon the theme and the materials used to make the
set. Some sets are made with silver, gold and precious stones.
Choose platinum if you have plenty of money.
Travel Chess Sets
If you're on the go then folding travel chess sets are for you.
They're usually magnetic to protect against bumps and jolts. The
pieces and pawns can be stored inside the board when folded. You
can get a nice one for somewhere around $20, or a very basic one
for $10 or less. You may even find miniature ones in the dollar
stores!
Wood Chess Sets
Wood is a great material for chess sets. The pieces, pawns and
board can be made from less expensive oak, pine or walnut, or
you can choose exotic woods like teak, ebony, or cocobolo.
Wood sets are impressive to look at and the pieces feel solid.
Because of the weight, they don't make good choices if you're
looking for a portable set, but they are wonderful additions to
your home or office. Wood sets run between $50 and $5,000. Let
your budget be your guide!
Glass Chess Sets
Glass is the generic term used to describe chess sets which are
made from crystal or bone china. Although these types of sets
generally come in the theme or collector's categories, you can
fine regular pieces and pawns as well.
Crystal pieces have a good hefty feel to them, but china pieces
will usually feel a bit light unless they have weighted bases.
Although beautiful to look at, the pieces will break if dropped
and fingerprints can become a problem on some models. They're
dust collectors too. Many people keep a glass set for "looks"
and another type for actual play. Glass sets average in the
$300 to $2,000 range, but you can pay a lot more if you want
to.
No matter what material you choose, there is a chess set that's
right for your taste and budget. Instead of buying a set,
consider buying the board, pieces and pawns separately. That
way, instead of ending up with a chess set that's another "me
too", you can design one that's uniquely yours!
About The Author: Mark runs one of the most successful online
chess stores which can be found at
http://www.chessinfoonline.com/store/shop.php
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