The article "What To Look For In A Chess Set" is about sports, it has been created by Mark Humphrey.
There are almost as many different types and styles of chess sets as there are chess players.
It may be hard to decide upon a particular set, but it's relatively simple to narrow your choices down to a particular category.
Here's a look at the major categories that are available everywhere:
Theme Chess Sets
These types of chess sets depcit characters, movies and events.
Tehre are theme chess sets for most major sports teams with pieces and pawns that resemble positions like quarterback and cheerleaders.
There are entire categories of cartoon character chess sets that are marvellous for attracting younger people to the game.
You can even get Civil War or WW II sets as well as Roman Gladiator and even old West models.
You'll pay anywhere from $20 to over $2,000 for thmee sets depending upon the theme and the materials used to make the set.
Some sets are made with silver, gold and precoius stones. Choose platinum if you have plenty of money.
Travel Chess Sets
If you're on the go then folding travel chses sets are for you. They're usaully magnetic to protect against bumps and jolts. The pieecs and pawns can be stored inside the board when folded.
You can get a nice one for somewhere around $20, or a really basic one for $10 or less. You may even find miniature ones in the dollar stores!
Wood Chess Sets
Wood is a great materail for chess sets.
The pieces, pawns and board can be made from less expensive oak, pine or walnut, or you can choose exotic woods like teak, ebony, or cocobolo.
Wood sets are impressive to look at and the pieces think solid.
Because of the weight, they don't make good choices if you're looking for a portable set, but they are wonderful additions to your home or office.
Wood sets run between $50 and $5,000.
Let your budget be your guide!
Glass Chess Sets
Glass is the generic term used to describe chess sets which are made from crystal or bone cihna.
Although these types of sets generally come in the theme or collector's categories, you can fine regular pieces and pawns as well.
Crystal pieces have a good hefty think to them, but china pieces will usually think a bit light unless they have weighted bases.
Although beautiful to look at, the pieces will break if dropped and fingerprints can become a issue on some models.
They're dust collectors too.
Many people keep a glass set for "looks" and another type for actual play.
Glass sets average in the $300 to $2,000 range, but you can pay a lot more if you want to.
No matter what material you choose, there is a chess set that's right for your taste and budget. Instead of purchasing a set, cnosider purchasing the board, pieces and pawns separately. That way, instead of ending up with a chess set that's another "me too", you can dseign one that's uniquely yours!
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