best 4.5” chess pieces for under $100
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Hi - I just built a custom board and want to get your thoughts on the best 4.5” king chess pieces I can buy for under $100 - preferably in the $75 range...thoughts? Would consider 4.25” if the set is a lot better for the money. Thanks!
How about Nexus Gadgets? They have 4.25" for $79 made of plastic that looks like wood.
https://www.nexusgadgets.com/nena-chess-pieces-with-extra-queens-and-4-25-inch-king-pieces-only/
There's an old review on this forum: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/review-abigail-21quot-chess-set
Thanks! Both great recommendations
Thanks MCH818 - after your comment on the size I needed I started looking and realized 5” pieces were way out of my price range. Thankfully we didn’t start the glue up..I only cut and planed the pieces for the board. I sucked it up and wasted some of the wood and reduced my size to 2.5 inches. Thanks for the info - it saved me!
I didn’t finish it yet, I’m still debating if I want to put a border and if I should go semigloss or more matte finish.
Matte for practical gaming and study. Gloss for display and conversation starter.
Correct - I’m new to chess and thought it would be kinda neat to have a huge homemade board. I originally cut my strips to 3” and when MCH818 let me know I’d likely need 5-6” king and then is saw the price difference of the chessmen ...I cut each strip to 2 1/2 inches
use 2.25" board squares. and a 3.75" king height. will work perfectly. I learned this from examining many chess boards in the orphanage I grew up in. Mr. Shaibel taught me well.
MCH818 wrote:
GambitHawk wrote:
I generally love wooden pieces, but these plastic pieces were one of the best purchases for the buck.
The squares on this board were advertised as 2.5" but they're actually 2.4375". The king is 4.25". It looks great on any wooden board and cost about $30 (at the time).
https://www.bestchesssetever.com/products/quadruple-weighted-pieces-black-board
Looking good!
Second that. Thought it was an ivory & ebony set.
@sound67, As much as I like the Legend Alegria set, the actual cost is $120, not $50, if you factor in $78 they charge for international shipping. At such price range, I'd rather buy a wooden set from other reputable sellers like CB and RCM.
zagryan wrote:
MCH818 wrote:
GambitHawk wrote:
I generally love wooden pieces, but these plastic pieces were one of the best purchases for the buck.
The squares on this board were advertised as 2.5" but they're actually 2.4375". The king is 4.25". It looks great on any wooden board and cost about $30 (at the time).
https://www.bestchesssetever.com/products/quadruple-weighted-pieces-black-board
Looking good!
Second that. Thought it was an ivory & ebony set.
Yeah. Best Chess Set Ever (aka ChessGeeks) has some very nice plastic pieces. The "4X set" (4lbs) set has a very nice natural color and satiny finish.
It's a small US business that basically sells 2 chess sets. 3.75" king, 2lbs. And 4.25" king, 4lbs. His marketing is a bit wacky and over the top which may rub some people the wrong way. He's just having fun with it. He sells on Amazon and needs to stand out.
It's a Staunton set, so there are similar sets out there. But are they the "same"? No. Is it worth the extra price? The consumer can decide. The silicone board may be a throwaway for some, but for me it's good to have. When going out I do not want to carry a 20" tube or risk staining/damaging my mousepad boards. And as with most every popular chess set, it's currently sold out.
