Favorite Chess Set or Sets

I did a search for favorite chess sets and only found one from 7 years ago or so.  I decided to start another to get people's opinions.

So, do have a favorite Chess set or a few favorite sets?

As I have said before, I am not a collector and play with the sets I buy and own.  So, my favorites are ones that I and my friends like the best to play with.

My favorite overall set is my Noj Dubrovnik II in Walnut and Maple, but I somehow expect it to take a step back when I receive the red stained one I have on order.

My 2 favorite sets to play with include:

1. The House of Staunton Players Series Rosewood set,

I think this set is a real sleeper.  It is the one Frank Camaratta suggested I buy to play in tournaments.  It is also one of his earlier creations of manufacture.  I remember it being $180 back in 1998 and now it is priced at $159 plus there is always a minimum 10% discount from them.  The set plays wonderfully with wide bases and great balance and feel.  Of course Rosewood is my favorite wood for dark pieces.

2. My other favorite playing set is The Best Chessmen Ever, Stage 2, Natural, Eastern with Stainless Steel bases designed by Jonas, Izmet on these forums, and manufactured by Noj in Slovenia.

Here's a picture of the Stage 2, Natural without the stainless bases

Here's a picture of a set with the stainless bases, but it is a Stage 1

I like the stage 1 of the BCE more than the stage 2. Those collars are just a sore on the design to please people with northen wrip. Horse is better on stage 2. Good enougth you can actually buy the stage 1 and upgrade the horse to stage 2, I think this is the best thing to do. You already post a picture of it.

The German Knight: This is the kind of set my grandfather had and the one I learned my first moves in, so there is some nostalgic feelings about this design:

The Parker Staunton: This design is just perfect, on my eyes.

The Lardy: To be honest I like it because I think the Horse looks really elegant with that long base. HOS have a really fancy one that looks like a modernized version of this horse, Just imagine a Best ChessMen Ever version of the Lardy, It is call the Empire, really pretty set and running for something like 1k, this on the picture is less fancy:

I hope you notice that I don't like stained wood. I like to see the grain of it.

I haven't seen one of these posted on this site yet, but they are (or at least have been) very common in Sweden and maybe in Finland as well.  Sorry about the poor quality, took this with my phone.

All the sets posted are great looking IMO. It proves that there is life after a Dubrovnik set. I have a Liberty clone bought back in the 70's I like pretty much. Sorry, I can't do pics of it.

This would be mine if I won the lottery-Ivory Jaques...

I haven't seen sets like that used in Finland (but of course I cannot speak for the whole country). All the Finnish sets I have seen have been variations similar to this:

Although I've never encountered black kings with white finials like in this photo, also sometimes the rooks have been completely flat on top with no notches in the turrets. All the old sets that I have seen have been unweighted.

The ones in the picture are manufactured by this company: http://www.shakkitarvike.fi/

Nice, I've never seen Finnish sets before. I really like those pawns!

I've seen Swedish sets in pictures from the Helsinki Chess club (for example here). I was a bit surprised since I had assumed that they were only used in Sweden (after all, on the box it says "Svenska schackpjäser tävlingsmodell).

Eye,

Love the look of those BCE sets, just gorgeous!

I too collect only playable sets. Here are a few of my favs. The first is a mashup of the Dubrovnik and Zagreb styles I call the "Marshall Tito," since Tito, who was a big supporter of Chess in the old Yugoslavia, was the Big Kahuna there at the time both sets were designed.

The Monarch

The Fantasy Knight

And my ornate Encore set

Thanks for the picture!

Since there is only one manufacturer of chessmen left in Finland (and they seem to have supply problems, all the chessmen are sold out and have been for some time) it stands to reason that that the traditional type of chessmen will become rarer. I'm sure many clubs use plastic pieces now.

Lou, I really like the looks of that mashup set.  Where is it from?

It's from House of Chess:

http://www.houseofchess.com/search.php?find=zagreb&x=27&y=7

They have two different design sets with the same name; Yugo (Zagreb).

Eye, I didn't see your post until just now. The "Marshall Tito" is sold by the House of Chess on eBay under the name "Zagreb," which is a misnomer as 28 of the 32 pieces are dead-ringers for the Dubrovnik set. Comes in rosewood, bud rosewood, shesham, or wenge.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bud-Rose-Wood-Zagreb-Staunton-Wooden-Chess-Set-Pieces-King-size-4-with-Box-/121346812568?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c40d56a98

I also have their Monarch in bud rosewood (also comes in rosewood or bud rosewood).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bud-Rose-Wood-Monarch-Staunton-Wooden-Chess-Set-Pieces-King-size-4-with-Box-/121365259288?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c41eee418

And their Rio (which I call the "Biggie Knight") in golden rosewood.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wooden-Chess-Set-Pieces-Golden-Rose-Wood-Rio-Staunton-4-2-Extra-Queens-/121497416070?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c49cf7186

Hello guys,

I don't make the chess pieces but I do make custom boards and chess piece storage boxes.  I do a lot of custom work and if anyone has an idea for a board or chess board box that they can't find anywhere else, let me know and I will gladly work with you. 

I also do custom engravings so if you want a storage box with your chess club logo or anything engraved I can get that done for you.  Here is some of my work and my website:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BnVShop?ref=hdr_shop_menu