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Date: 31 Dec 2005 22:08:29
From: Munir
Subject: Re: Purchasing a Quality Chess Set
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GameKeeper used to carry a nice line of sets, but Hasbro closed those
stores. Here in Los Angeles, specialty toy and game stores still carry
quality sets. But if you're not near a major city I'd go with something
on-line. I enjoy this one that I purchased from GameKeeper. It's by
Berliner-Schach:
https://www.schachversand.de/e/detail/Material/933.html
The pieces are modern, easy to recognize, made of wood, and have some
weight to them. Anything by this manufacturer should be high quality.
Note that, if you're patient, you can usually find sets on sale. Also
note that chess clubs and publications can point you to vendors with
lots of choices.
There are so many sets that some things to consider are:
a) Size (do you want something small enough to set on your desk next to
the computer, medium sized for use on a side table, or big enough to
form a large table-top game against a visitor) If you're buying a small
set, get two. They'll be useful for studying openings as the second one
will let you explore branches.
b) Style vs. Functionality (are you decorating and want something with
roman soldiers, samurai warriors or whatever, or do you want pieces
that are easily recognized as knight, bishop, etc. for focus on actual
gameplay)
c) Portability (do you need to be able to travel with it or put it away
easily). Some large table boards are a job to take down and set-up.
Some sets can be large but still come with a roll-up mat that's
convenient.
d) Price (if your kids can destroy it, maybe it's better to get a
cheaper set. If you're decorating, then maybe the looks are important.)
In any case, do pay more for quality.
I love looking at chess sets. I have four. One is a nice travel set by
Drueke ( http://www.drueke.com/product.asp?dept_id=10&product_id=54 )
that my brother has taken as his own. The second is an antique set with
hand-milled pieces that I bought for $8 at little shop that wanted to
move them. The third is the Berliner set that I mention above. (It's my
favorite, but it's so nice and space consuming that it's often packed
up and put in the closet.) The fourth was a gift and is a hand-carved,
folding set from Indonesia.
In practice, I use the antique set the most. It's already banged up so
it doesn't matter if son treats it roughly or drops a piece. And it's
small enough that so I can place it on a chair next to the computer and
work through games. Now that I've found the Drueke site, though, maybe
I'll replace the one my brother appropriated!
Ideally, one needs a travel set, a small set to place next to the
computer, and a large, permanent board at home. If you practice
variations of openings, go for two small sets. To kill the birds with a
single stone, go for a high-quality board about 1' square. Many of the
high-quality brass sets fall in this category. Enjoy shopping! ;)
-Munir
P.S. For an on-line store, start with the US Chess Federation's store (
http://uscfsales.com ). It's fairly complete and serve as a
price/quality comparison to others. -M
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