# What does your chess set look like?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [February 10, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463 "2005-02-10T21:19:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/21 "2005-02-11T17:20:32Z")
I analyse on a travelling magnetic set (A4 size board).
I have a large wooden set + board (standard Staunton pattern), but it’s too ‘stylish’ to play with!
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### Author:  [@Emony\_Dax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emony_Dax)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/22 "2005-02-11T17:52:15Z")
> [@](#):
>
> What does your chess set look like?
Dusty 🙂 I never have time to play anymore.
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### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/23 "2005-02-11T18:04:13Z")
I’ve got a drinking game chess set - each piece is a half size shot glass with a graphic of the type of piece. You play with a dark liquor and a light liquor. Whenever a piece is captured, drink the shot.
It doesn’t lend itself to earth shattering matches of skill and intrigue, but you can get pretty drunk and have a lot of fun.
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### Author:  [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/24 "2005-02-11T18:16:29Z")
I have a metal board wrapped with heavy vinyl and classic wooden pieces with magnets on their bases…very nice for playing on the road/train/plane, around kids/animals/etc.
I know **Chronos** has been making his own chess set based on Lord of the Rings theme…don’t know if he’s done or how far. You can go to his webpage from his user name and look for it. Eventually, he will probably come in this thread and give us a progress update.
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### Author:  [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/25 "2005-02-11T18:25:34Z")
Mine has 2" wooden disks, identical except for the red or green character on top. The board is made out of paper, printed with red ink, with writing in the river.
What?
My other chess set was a cheapie plastic/fiberboard one that was thrown out when I was putting everything in storage. No need to buy a new one just yet; my housemate has a Shrek2 set.
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### Author:  [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/26 "2005-02-11T18:45:06Z")
I made my own chess set out of Babylon 5 and ST: Deep Space 9 6-inch action figures (with little ship models from the respective shows for the pawns).
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/27 "2005-02-11T20:13:09Z")
2 plastic sets. Both kind of heavy. 2 “roll up” boards with the numbers and letters.
2 travel sets, one a small dreuke good for airplanes and analysis but tough to really play on. The other is wooden.
2 wooden sets. Standard looking. One is light and old, and the pieces are squat. It’s over 20 years old. The other is my baby. . .thinner more elegant pieces, but not too thin. Ebony and boxwood, and HEAVY.
I have a maple/walnut board that is 18x18 that I got for like $15 at an antique store.
I have a maple/walnut Dreuke board that is beautiful
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### Author:  [@klaus\_vonBarrenbeiser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klaus_vonBarrenbeiser)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/28 "2005-02-11T20:58:24Z")
I have a set that my grandfather made. It’s an in-laid wood box with a drawer for the pieces. He made one small mistake - because of how he put in the black and white squares on top the drawer has to face one of the players instead of being on the side. He also carved the pieces.
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### Author:  [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/29 "2005-02-11T21:46:19Z")
I actually collect small chess sets and have a preference for the Staunton-style pieces. When I replay games or do chess puzzles, I usually use one of my vintage Lowe miniature peg chess sets.
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### Author:  [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/30 "2005-02-12T02:33:01Z")
Let’s see…
My primary board for taking someplace else is one of those [vinyl roll-up boards](http://www.chessusa.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?page=6/60-117.jpg&item=60-117). They’re handy to just roll up and toss in a bag, don’t take up much space and are very durable.
My primary board for home use is one my grandpa and I made together a few summers ago. It’s nothing elaborate or fancy, just 64 wood squares stained and sealed, glued together and molding around the sides.
With both of those, I use a set of regular [tournament plastic pieces](http://www.chessusa.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?page=6/61-200.jpg&item=61-225). They’re weighted and they have felted bottoms, so they work well on either board.
I have a wooden set purportedly from Germany or Austria which my parents got me for Christmas one year (they bought it locally, so I don’t know where it really came from). It looks something like [this](http://www.chessset.com/chtrchset43k.html), but not exactly. It’s got the folding box, all wooden pieces in a glossy finish.
I also have the frosted/clear crystal set. Doesn’t make it out of my closet too often, unfortunately.
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### Author:  [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2005, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-chess-set-look-like/289463/31 "2005-02-12T09:46:18Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#):
>
> Mine looks liks the Invisible Woman. IOW, I don’t have one. However, I would _love_ to have a tri-dimensional Star Trek chess set. Partly because I’m a fan of the show, and partly because I bet it would be interesting to play.
I’ve got one of those, and it _is_ interesting to play.
I just wish I hadn’t had to buy it from the Franklin Mint. It was way overpriced and too small. Nevertheless, it’s the only one I’ve ever seen for sale.
(Why is that, by the way? Everything from those shows has been marketed: phasers, comm badges, uniforms, Spock ears…WHERE’S MY CHESS SET??? :mad: )
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