What wood and color board to pair with NOJ dark brown stained maple

i have a NOJ DB2 in dark brown stained maple

currently on a maple and walnut board .

I was thinking maybe a darker color like black stained squares, or a redder colored wood like mahogany.

interested in other’s opinions AND pictures

My pieces have the same stain, depending on the lighting they could be a very dark brown or a deep reddish brown. 

 

both boards look great

where’d you get the borderless, and has it remained flat?

I think your pieces (and your combinations with your boards) look wonderful. I have some Paduak and red stained pieces and they absolutely pop off a board with black squares. These photos don’t really do it justice but you’ll get a sense … I like how the brown border frames the playing surface while the black squares make the pieces stand out. I imagine you’d not like this board because of misaligned squares and perhaps the gloss but nonetheless, it might give you a sense of what black squares may look like with your pieces.

i have the hungarian set in black but that picture makes me jealous.

My drueke board does have a couple misaligned squares but I can accept it.

 

Ive had the worst luck with board makers on Etsy, usually problems with the finish. Nothing compared to the finish on the drueke, the others have been rough with the wood grain very apparent to sight and touch. One even sent me a board with packing material indentations on the finish as if it were wet or heat during shipping melted it

@maplepieces  Do you mind sharing which Etsy woodworkers you've had issues with? Not as a slam on them, but as reference for potential buyers. 

I recently had a good experience with JimAndsonWoods on Etsy. The below board is Maple and Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry).

Smooth satin finish. His wood finishing skills are top notch. Especially in his price range. He is knowledgeable and unrushed. When he made a small imperfection, he is completely transparent and upfront about it. He contacted me immediately, apologetic. Offered me a substantial discount, or he could make me a new one with extra time. He didn't just ship the board out with the small imperfection and wait for me to notice and complain about it. 

That looks fantastic

I think black squares would look good on the brown stain as well.

I was eyeballing this board by Rechapados.

https://www.chesshouse.com/products/19-queens-gambit-style-chess-board

but would prefer solid wood if possible as Im not sure about the durability of printed veneers

can anyone make a recommendation for a board maker or manufacturer

I’m not a wood worker nor chess expert so take my thoughts with a grain of salt but both boards have their benefits. I think that Rechapados looks beautiful and would be a great match for your pieces. The manufacturer has a good reputation too.

I love solid wood boards but I have seen (on this forum) some new boards warp …. they don’t seem easy to make and high-quality solid wood boards are usually more expensive than vaneers.

I have numerous boards (of several sizes now) - and my preference is solid wood vintage boards. They are fun to refurbish. If I had the funds, I would love to commission a beautiful solid wood board from a quality craftsman but alas - that’s a dream for another day.

I reckon grab that board you’re looking at and the scan the market for some nice old boards too.

I'm with @Powderdigit on this one. If you have a healthy budget then a vintage 2 ¼ Drueke either in great original shape or most likely one that has to be restored a little would IMHO be amazing. They aren't cheap but they aren't bank breakers either and vintage Druekes have been proven to last decades.

Pending on your funds , As other have pointed out , a vintage 2 ¼ Drueke , or a bespoked hand made board , with the risks of being prone to the ills of the seasons , These days I really like vinyl chess boards as it easy to look after & cheap ,

all good suggestions.

I have a 2” maple walnut drueke board, and 2.25”maple walnut Sweet Hill Wood board.

Both are excellent.

I’m not a big fan of the veneer boards unless they’re done with thick veneer wood, not paper thin bc it wears poorly. I’m a klutz and it will get dings

Maybe a different brown wood like Mahogany or Peruvian Walnut

Here’s an old reconditioned board - I had to be careful with this one as it is veneer and I really didn’t want to lose the patina but I reckon, if you could find an old board like this - it would be an amazing match for your pieces.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/953472433/green-and-tan-leather-chess-board?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=leather+chess+board&ref=sr_gallery-1-14&organic_search_click=1

What about a Green & Tan Leather chess board 2.25 Sq

Powderdigit's board would look great. A vintage Drueke board would be terrific too and absolute classics!

I have my brown stain Noj Tal pieces coupled with a JLP Players Choice 21 inch board.

I was going to go for a minty Drueke board,but the JLP board showed up on the net for half of the original price,in as new shape.....That's something I couldn't resist. Just an immaculately made chess board,that has to be seen and touched to appreciate.

Powerdigit’s board is a work of art. I’m attracted to old jaques style boards with the borders. They look like old violins.

The more lumpy and beat up the better.