Post Your Chess Sets

@wildthingthing If you're going to start collecting chess sets, then I bet you'll be getting some interesting sets that most people don't regularly see, like that one. What can you tell us about that set? Also, you said it's a Chinese board...do you also have Chinese pieces? Thanks.

That’s just it. I cannot find ANY reference to this WW2 set anywhere. I know it is pewter and made in England-but none on EBay or anywhere’s else I could find. P51’s - infantry of the air? I have a wooden “History channel club member (Civil War)” board (budget board only) on the way for the WW2 set. Inexpensive and had storage in it. 
The dragon board is pretty cool. Seems carved out of a single rock- agate of some type. Someone spent a lot of time carving it…probably going to build a wooden chessboard that will fit into/onto the rock tray and cover the checkerboard that is there.

Richcolorado.......God Bless You Man!

I hope you go another 86 years! Maybe a 300 game is in your future.

@wildthingthing Are you saying that the dragons around that board (and maybe even the frame of the board) are actually something that's hand-carved out of stone? Not being able to see it in person, my first impression was that it might be some kind of plastic molded imitation. BUT...if that's the real deal, then I have to ask, have you had it professionally appraised? Maybe you should hold off on making any modifications before you find out more about it. That is a VERY impressive board.

Not to take away any attention from your pewter chess pieces, but that board is a piece of art!

@wildthingthing Might I recommend a rather simple solution for your board. Buy a pre-made border-less chess board and stick it onto the top with semi-permanent Bostik Blu-Tack (or a similar product). The Blu-Tack feels like a sticky rubbery putty that holds very well, yet can be removed without damage. It's great for 'not so flat' surfaces like you're talking about and fills into gaps. And it seems to last over 10 years (my stuff still feels new).

And you can get the boards in various sizes, materials (like stone), and colors to your liking. You may be lucky enough to find a board that fits exactly, but if not, a little overhang would work too. Just food for thought.

I try to argue that chess is a geometrical play catch. Maybe the 'four limbs' of the Indian army were standing by the cradle of chess, but there are other theories, if not for chess then for its predecessors. Moves from a racing game played on the ashtapada (the non-chequered 8x8 board older than chaturanga) are said to survive in the game of chess as the pawn move. Divining movements on round, gridded Babylonian charts of Heavens may still play a part today. The units of two given to elephantry, cavalry and chariotry are a very economic solution and bring beautiful symmetries while making sense as army divisions. But these pairs need not represent military. It is enough to say there are two groups of the same composition of complementary pieces intertwined in a geometrical play catch.

(edited!) I guess, the miniature war planes, cannons and tanks, in their concreteness, seem more symbolic and therefore 'war game', 'HQ' than some functionally abstract pieces made for board game play..

But really, the HQ scenario happens in your visualizations preceding your move, be it OTB in your mind, with words and gestures in a consultation game or right on the board in analysis. Battlefield is making real moves.

Think of kings sitting on hills overlooking a battlefield. They will see and intervene via signals or couriers, in that way move pieces (including themselves on the hill).

Just that in chess we are the guys on the hills, not the kings. And whenever we are not thinking but moving, we are not headquarters but battlefield, or simply call it field. Just like, whenever we are not moving but thinking, our pieces are not battlefield but headquarters, or, simply, heads!

Back to the WW design of your pieces, they feel like they are always analysis board, and make an actual game feel more like you are analyzing, even though that is not true.

I actually got a kasparov atlas from my grandad a while ago, he saw I got into chess a year ago and went "do u want this board it doesn't work". Sadly the computer in its broken but hey its a nice smol board for me to take to school and hustle other ppl in my year with

Just got my first real chess set and wanted to share because I definitely used these forums to figure out what I wanted and where I should get it.

Pieces: king height = 3.85" (98 mm), king base = 1.57" (40 mm) . Board: squares = 2 inch (50.8 mm) = 79% square coverage by the king. Board is 16 inches total and splits in half, held together by magnets imbedded in the wood.

The board was custom-made by JimAndsonWoods on Etsy who I couldn't recommend highly enough. He is a seriously talented woodworker and such a great guy. We face-timed and he showed me the various types of wood, example boards, and just a general tour of his workshop. We discussed different types of finishes, how to make sure the colors of the squares worked well with the color of my pieces, etc. Super friendly person and really reasonable prices for the extreme craftsmanship you get. The magnetic split works really well and is great for making a 16 inch board much more portable.

The pieces are Chess Bazaar's Romanian-Hungarian in Indian Rosewood & Natural Boxwood. Got them 50% off last December. This was my first time buying anything from one of the Indian companies, and I have no complaints. The pieces are stunning and I really love them. The felt is starting to fray on the edges a bit, but that's perhaps normal, and certainly not difficult to fix. I'd like to replace it with leather or something more durable eventually anyway.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for posting all the good info that helped me land on this beautiful setup.

Dang

Thanks . . . I've had a 300 and 1/2 a dozen 295 to 290 . . .

Better woulds have been a 800 series for three games. My highest has been 759 series.

Now I'm happy when I bowl a 200 . . .

Nice ... Please, make sure to let us know how it turns out, with pictures and all. After seeing desbutal's board I want to order very similar for myself.

Just ordered one of these beauties today. I'm excited for my first Staunton Set! I'm on a limited budget, but I was finally able to spoil myself a LITTLE bit. This is the Wild Knight Series set. I've gone with the Golden Rosewood and Natural Boxwood pieces as they seem to pair better with the aesthetic of the board, but that's just this man's humble opinion. I'm excited and I'm looking forward to sharing the pictures with all of you when it arrives. 
Best vibes to everyone as always.

@BigFoxy90 very nice set, you'll get tons of enjoyment out of it!

It took me 4 years to make my own set but I am very happy with it!

Here are a few action shots: