When an all-purpose chess set is needed and you’re starting out, here are some things to consider while searching for an affordable and durable chessboard set.
You’ll have to forgive me for now looking at things from a parent’s perspective now that I’m married with two boys. 🙂 This article is applicable to nearly everyone needing an all-purpose chess set.
In school, I enjoyed this exact model in the photo. Now we play the same chess set today at home with my family.
If you know what to look for you’ll enjoy the benefits of this particular one.
As with nearly all inexpensive, easy to produce products on the market, there are similar choices you have to dig through to find your gem, and how do you choose? I suppose it helps to be armed with a few facts.
I finally discovered there is only one manufacturer that makes these solid plastic, impact resistant chess pieces. In fact, the same ones they have been making 20 years ago when I was a teen. They were recognized as the chess federation standard, a comfortable 3.75″ tall (usually paired with a 20″ square chessboard that has 64 green and white 2.25″ squares).
I’ve also found many nearly identical looking chess sets, some close to the sandy-yellow color. They are adequate sets for the most part, but not exceptional like the original. Many pieces will break and many more are rushed out of the molds so fast they sit askew forever. Some of these sets will actually break when dropped on concrete. I’ve found that I had to try quite hard to actually break one of the authentic sets.
Despite the flaws, cheaper sets are ok and I recommend them for schools and classrooms on a budget. But for personal use, you can spend a few dollars more and enjoy them much longer.
6 reasons this chessboard calls home, home
- lightweight – but solid plastic and heavy enough to play well.
- break-resistant and molded straight – not a bio-hazard import
- kids are familiar with the standard set if they ever enter a competition
- if a piece is lost – easy to get replacement pieces that match.
- the pieces are large enough not to be a choking hazard
- kids can concentrate longer with the green board, a color that’s calming for the brain.
That chessboard in the set 
photograph is produced in the USA from premium cloth-backed vinyl. The thickness creates more durability and the color stays strong over the years. If you want it to last for years and year, make sure you own this chessboard.
It’s a roll-up chess board so your chess set will be portable. For best results, roll it with the green squares outwards, and get a chess bag to go with it. For $20-30 you can have the one chess board set used by competitors as well as perfect for home.
And best of all, it will last a long, long time. You’ll know you made a good choice.
As far as I am aware, Chess House is the only company still offering this matching quality regulation chessboard set as shown.
