Need help in buying chess sets

I have been playing online chess for quite sometime and now planning to buy a chess set along with the time clock. Can anyone please suggest which boards are used in USCF tournaments? If possible share the link of websites from where I can purchase.

Chess Sets for Club & Tournament Play...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/chess-sets-for-club-tournament-play

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

I have never played in a tournament, but I would assume most people use roll up boards. Here is a silicone https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/club-style-chess-boards/products/chess-house-flex-pad-club-chess-board. Here is a vinyl https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/club-style-chess-boards/products/20-vinyl-roll-up-chess-board.

[Edit] I just saw Russel's post. His suggestions are better than mine.

Here are the official requirements for tournament play
https://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/Standards_of_Chess_Equipment_and_tournament_venue.pdf 
Roll up boards are easy to transport, but they tend to warp, which is unpleasant to play.

Rollup boards will not warp if you roll them up with the playing squares outward and store them rolled up inside a mailing tube, or a similar tube (as mentioned in my article above).   I've owned many rollup boards (vinyl, flexpad, etc.) over the years all of which I have stored this way.  None of them have warped, and they all lay perfectly flat for playing.

Note that the canvas "tubes" sold by many chess retailers will not work as well as stiff cardboard or plastic tubes which are structurally rigid and so constrain the board from flexing and warping.

{comment and picture deleted by owner of the board]

Edit: ah we're talking about vinyl that warps...then nvm my post.

Silicone boards tend to attract dust, dirt and lint.  Vinyl and flexpad boards are better in that respect.....easier to keep clean.  Plus the pieces don't "slide" across the surface of a silicone board as easily, smoothly as on the others.

Thanks for the mention, MCH818!

I've never had a problem with vinyl boards curling. As mentioned previously, just roll the up with the squares on the outside. Problem solved.

If you are looking for tournament chess sets that are used in USCF play, I can help you out.  As someone who has supplied sets for USCF tournaments, I might know a thing or 2. 

Every USCF tournament for the last 2 decades have used unweighted 3.75" plastic tournament sets with vinyl chess boards.  About 95% of the time, the USCF National tournaments use green boards.  I would say about 3% blue and the remaining 2% between all the other colors.

Most people who go to these tournaments usually bring a higher quality pieces and board with them.  I know in my chess bag I have one of our triple weighted sets and a wood grain mousepad chess board.  This is what I would use for a CCA or a local tournament where they do not supply the sets and boards.  As long as the board is a non-distracting color and the set is a traditional style Staunton set (between 3.5" and 4"), you can bring and use your stuff.

Remember here in the USA most tournaments do not supply chess clock, so bring your own.  Make sure you bring one that can handle the tournament time control.  This is really important.  Many tournament directors will have extra clocks to use, but always check the TLA announcements on time controls, what is provided, and other relevant info.

thanks

Shelby Lohrman

American Chess Equipment

I had a brain lapse last night. I mentioned silicone but was really referring to the Chesshouse flexpad which I prefer for the reasons you mentioned. I still like my silicone because it is so thin but it attracts dusts like you said. I don't use mine that often for that reason.

Any board that has 2.25" squares and has notations along the border. You have your choice of vinyl, mouse pad, or silicone. These tend to be the main materials used in boards for clubs and tournaments. Out of the 3 different materials. Mouse Pad material are my favorite. You can do wooden but that's pricier and bulkier. 

As far as sets go. You can go to uscfsales.com and go to their plastic chess pieces portion of the website. There you will find a good selection of plastic sets to choose from. Whatever set floats your boat and within your price range. Then by all means get that set.

chesshouse.com is where you can get their Flex Pad mouse pad style of chessboard. In my opinion has the best selection and quality of mouse pad chessboard.

Now if you want to step it up a notch or two. Go wooden for chess pieces. I highly recommend houseofchess.com Their prices have been consistent through The Queen's Gambit boom and they have great quality. Their Popular Staunton sets are a great entry level wooden set that will not break the bank and has very minimal points of snapping and chipping off.   

thank you all for the amazing recommendations. I am thinking of going with a mousepad, weighted plastic pieces, and a digital steel clock. 

I see few options for the websites: USCF, chesshouse, houseofchess, house of staunton. Are any of them better than the other in terms of quality and customer service (if I receive a broken piece)?

In my experience all of the retailers you list here provide excellent customer service along with their consistently quality products...

Note also that Shelby Lohrman's site is AmChessEq.com...he provides very good service as well.  I think his Ultimate Chess Pieces are among the very best plastic sets - heavily weighted and virtually indestructible.  Be sure to check the customer reviews of this set on his site...

https://amchesseq.com/collections/tournament-style-chess-pieces/products/bobby-fischer-ultimate-chess-pieces-with-new-and-improved-weighting-system?variant=32118482993210#shopify-product-reviews

(Coincidently, as I was typing this, he posted immediately below.  I also do agree with him about Raphael Neff's Chess House).

I do happen to sell all of that to on my site, American Chess Equipment (www.amchesseq.com).

Have to be careful, I was warned by the moderators not to push my site here.  Raphael from the Chess house is a very good guy too.  If you don't buy from me, he is very good too!.

We all have our plusses and negatives.  The bad thing on my site is we don't have books, DVD's, or any other chess information.  Raphael has everything and almost as good of customer service that I do.  If you need books and info I always recommend Greg Yanez over at Chess4less.com.

But ask around and treat it like a chess problem.  Figure out what you are looking for, who has the best products, and what your final cost after shipping and taxes will be.  Let me break out one of my favorite "Searching for Bobby Fischer" quotes... "Don't move until you see it!"

Shelby Lohrman

Thank you, Russ and Shelby. I'll take a look at it. Btw that's one of my favorite quotes too "Don't move until you see it!"