Looking for a quality chess board
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charliematar
Jun 10, 2023
0
#1
What is a decent chess board that won’t break the bank but isn’t going to fall apart after a several play sessions?
The wooden veneer boards from Rechapados Ferrer are excellent and won't break the bank. A myriad of different woods and styles is available.
Check out Colorado WoodWorker on ETSY (Chess.com @BradBorkowski) for hand-made, solid wood chessboards at a reasonable price....I purchased the Brazilian Cherry and Maple Drueke Style Chess Board from him and love it...
check out my posts of March 10, 2017 here for photos...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/cb-gm-blitz-set?page=4
You'll never regret owning a good solid wood board......
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ColoradoWoodWorker?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=546361380
By the way, Rechapados Ferrer boards are good but they are laminated, not solid wood.
Laminated wood doesn't have the risk of deformation and cracks though. There have been reports earlier on this board about deformations of some boards by CWW.
chessmaster_diamond wrote:
Laminated wood doesn't have the risk of deformation and cracks though. There have been reports earlier on this board about deformations of some boards by CWW.
My Colorado WoodWorker board has no such issues. I am not aware of any cracking or deformation problems with CWW boards being reported on these forums. Can you please provide links to any such reports regarding CWW boards.
I am confident that if a customer were to experience any such problems with one of his boards that Brad Borkowski (CWW) would gladly replace or refund it.
check the following forum threads relating to CWW boards...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/colorado-woodworker-custom-chess-board
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/coloradowoodworker-solid-wood-chessboard?page=1
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/my-new-board-from-colorado-woodworker
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/colorado-woodworker-tower-series-magnetic-board
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/colorado-woodworker-boards
Quality solid wood boards from reputable makers do not generally experience cracks or deformation. For example boards by Drueke and JLP (Chess House). See the photo of my Drueke solid wood board which I purchased in 1989, on page 2 of the link in my initial post above - it's still perfect.
For the sake of completeness and fair play...
Rechapados Ferrer boards...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/confused-about-rechapados-ferrer-boards?page=1
note the thin sheet-verneer playing surface during manufacture....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsetEMVJ0c4&ab_channel=euronews
https://thechessstore.com/brands/Rechapados-Ferrer.html
@MCH818 -
Can you elaborate more on your issues with the CWW boards? That is, were there any quality problems? If so, did you contact Brad Borkowski about the issues and what was his response? Thank you.
Probably the best boards out there for the price are the borderless ones from JK Creative Wood:
https://jkcreativewood.com/product/chess-board/
@MCH818 -
Thanks for the detailed explanation. I expect that Brad will resolve that kind of error going forward.
Jun 13, 2023
0
#10
These days it is not very difficult for companies to make quality boards. Even the cheap ones are pretty good as long as they
have inlaid squares rather than painted on squares. If you like the relatively loud sound when you pick up and put down pieces then the folding board would make louder noise. A one piece board is usually quieter.
One thing I recommend from experience is perhaps getting more expensive pieces but getting a less expensive board. Boards are more likely to get scratched and if you get an expensive one you’ll worry more about it’s condition than about playing on it.
In 2016 I bought two Wegiel branded boards on Amazon. One was 18 by 18 and another 21 by 21, also a folding wooden board. In my experience they are very good even if they are made from pressed wood. Not sure about the actual squares
have inlaid squares rather than painted on squares. If you like the relatively loud sound when you pick up and put down pieces then the folding board would make louder noise. A one piece board is usually quieter.
One thing I recommend from experience is perhaps getting more expensive pieces but getting a less expensive board. Boards are more likely to get scratched and if you get an expensive one you’ll worry more about it’s condition than about playing on it.
In 2016 I bought two Wegiel branded boards on Amazon. One was 18 by 18 and another 21 by 21, also a folding wooden board. In my experience they are very good even if they are made from pressed wood. Not sure about the actual squares
Drawgood wrote:
One thing I recommend from experience is perhaps getting more expensive pieces but getting a less expensive board. Boards are more likely to get scratched and if you get an expensive one you’ll worry more about it’s condition than about playing on it.
I just checked my Drueke and my CWW solid wood boards. Not a scratch on them. But then, I don't abuse them.
@charliematar -
I just noticed that you are apparently located in Lebanon.
You might check out another solid wood board maker (in Greece) "SakisTsiogkasWood" on ETSY. I have seen positive reviews of his boards on chess.com. I was able to find this forum post regarding one of his boards (with photos)...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/walnut-maple-2-board-chesshouse-3-75-set-for-sale
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SakisTsiogkasWood?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=949004808
Jun 14, 2023
0
#13
Bought this in Mexico. It wasn't too expensive. If you like it, I can go to the store where I bought it and find out where they got it.
