Choosing a chessboard and chess set is a combination of practicality and personal preference. Do you prefer a wooden chessboard to a vinyl chess board mat? If you know what you're looking for, everything will be a lot easier. You would never go to a car auction without knowing what you want to buy. While you may be able to find the "ideal" board, you will most likely have to make some compromises. Because there is such a large market for chess equipment, you are spoiled for choice and surrounded by dozens of options! We hope that by focusing on the following six criteria in this article, you will be able to make an excellent choice on the right types of chess board for your needs: • Traveling use vs. Home use • Practicality vs. Aesthetics • Size • Material • Design • Price To choose the best chess board, ask yourself the following questions: Is the chess board sets for use at home or on the road? A Step-by-Step Guide to Selecting a Chess Board Sets When it comes to selecting a chessboard, the first thing to consider is whether you want to play games on the go or at home. When you're on the road, you don't want to be carrying a bulky or ornate set because it will take up space that could be used for other vacation necessities. Nomadic chess players will want a board that will fit easily into their luggage and will not suffer from wear and tears while traveling. These portable sets are likely to be less attractive. The high-end boards, as explained later in this article, are better suited to stay in the home. If you want a portable board, consider a folding board or a small hollow wooden chessboard that allows you to keep the chess pieces inside. Speaking from personal experience, the hollow board is far more convenient because you don't have to carry the pieces in a separate bag. If the size is important to you, a folding wooden chessboard set can be much larger. You might also want to think about getting a magnetic board so you can play while traveling on buses or planes without worrying about the pieces scattering all over the place. Chess is a great way to pass the time on long car rides. Of course, you can have more than one chessboard – a larger, fancier one for the comfort of your own home and a smaller, more austere one for traveling. Which do you prefer: a large or a small board? The size of the board is determined by whether the chessboard will be used at home or on the road. It also has an impact on price, as larger sets are naturally more expensive. Playing with a larger chessboard is especially important for the visually impaired; playing games with small sets can be difficult if your eyesight isn't the best. If you buy the board separately from the pieces, make sure the pieces are the same size as the squares. The king's base should ideally take 75% of a square on the chessboard. If you buy the board and pieces together, you shouldn't have too many difficulties because they should be the right size for each other. What kinds of materials do you prefer? Examine other people's chess boards to determine your preferred material and how important this is to you in comparison to other factors when selecting a chessboard. The most appealing materials, such as wooden chessboards and marble chessboards, are usually more expensive and less durable – a wooden chessboard can be scratched, and marble can chip. Still, if you don't travel with your board, this shouldn't be an issue. Plastic chess sets are cost-effective and long-lasting, but they have a mass-produced feel which is less authentic. Should there be numbers and letters around the edges, or not? A Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing a Chess Board Some boards have letters and numbers that identify each square printed right on the board's edge. Such sets display the letters "a" through "h," as well as the numbers "1" through "8." This makes it easier, especially for beginners, to write down the moves on your score sheet. Having numbers and letters printed on the chess board is thought to be a little amateurish by some. They're similar to training wheels on a bicycle. A skilled chess player should not require help in determining which square is which. If you already know how to identify the squares, get a set without them. What is your budget? As explained previously, the price of the board will be influenced by factors such as the material and size. People spend thousands of dollars on other hobbies – consider how much golf clubs and sports cars can cost – but even the most expensive chessboards are rarely more than a few hundred dollars (unless you get a chessboard encrusted with gold, silver, and precious stones!) A wooden chessboard with wooden pieces can be worth the extra cost if it gave you a lot of pleasure and more enjoyable games. Quick Questions and Answers on Chess Boards 1.) What is the price of a good chessboard? A chessboard can range in price from under ten dollars to several hundred dollars. 2.) What come chessboard sets are so expensive? The price is determined by the material and method of manufacture. Chess sets are similar to clothing in that you can buy a suit in a store for a lot less than having one custom-made for you. 3.) Where can I get a good chess set? There are numerous factors to consider when determining what constitutes a good chess set. It's best if you consider things like size, whether you'll use it at home or travel with it, and your budget.
Topics
