Tournament Chess Piece Styles

Calling all you chess equipment enthusiasts and historians…

I thought of an odd question and hope this might be an appropriate place to ask. There might even be amusing stories to be heard. I’m wondering if, with all the varying styles of boards and pieces, there are stories, anecdotes, and humorous tales about contestants having hissy fits about playing with certain sets. 

Standard Staunton set and board with 2" squares (must be contrasting colour)  is required for tournament play which has been the standard for at least 100 years, maybe before that there was.

It appears my question was asked from ignorance of the tournament rules. I appreciate the correction. Other than tournaments, perhaps exhibitions or other events, are there interesting historical tales?   

Hot Pink squares and bubble gum like colors for the pieces. It might be okay with kids and clubs but tournament play would be asked not to be used. Even though there might be a set that fits tournament regulations. It can still be rejected by a player. Though rare in practice it can happen. The Czech club set is accepted by FIDE to use in tournaments. Here in the US it would get rejected because it is not a traditional Staunton design.

Thank you! I appreciate your post.

I remember in Sevilla 1987 Karpov-Kasparov match they played with an Indajesa set (Spanish made) and, specially for the match, a special rook was made with the shape of a famous tower in Sevilla called "la torre del oro". Both players accepted this "diferent" rook but there was one piece that they didn't want to play with, and that was the knight. So the knight was replaced by the Staunton Europa of the same manufacturer that did look a little better for both players.

This is the rejected knight.

I guess I’d reject that knight too. Looks like a bell-hop cap. I really like the rook, tower replica. Thank you for the history lesson! 

I put black king on wrong square I'm sorry.

It’s an epic battle of the Pastels vs. Non-Pastels!

I actually like those colorful pieces 😍 

Do NOT let my grand daughter see these, as she will beg me to find a set.

https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/silicone-chess-pieces

Too late, you know you’ll buy this for your granddaughter.

You just HAD to post a link so I would have to look at it. The question then becomes which color combination. Decisions, decisions, decisions.......

Do I select one of the ones with pink and another color because her favorite color is pink; or do I select the blue and red because we are die-hard University of Arizona Wildcats fans with colors of Cardinal Red and Navy Blue. Then her younger brother, who also loves to play chess with me, he likes green and/or blue.....

Or I could just go find a Pacific Games Co. Cavalier 1491 set and settle the argument with just black and white.

The great thing about these mouse things is you can click in multiple places!

There is no reason why you have to choose! But them all their own set. After all “it’s for the children”. You’re kind of stuck now @F1Lightning.

One time in a tournament my opponent (an 8 year old girl) refused to play with my Dubrovnik pieces because she claimed the king and queen looked too much alike (by which I assume she meant the king didn't have a cross on top).

Thank you all for the posts, it’s been good to smile for a time. 

Yes, this is a problem with Dubrovnik chess sets.

Dubrovnik getting rejected is why I like the hybrid design of sets. Like the dragon head knight Bohemia and Romanian/Hungarian sets. You get the traditional cross finial on the King and get the eastern Bishops. I also had a custom set made using the hybrid design.