If chess has recently piqued your interest and you are on the hunt of buying the best chess sets, then there are some factors that must be borne in mind. Whether you want to play chess at home with your friends or you want to buy it for playing it in tournaments, a good chess board is a must-have.
Let us take a look at the five most important factors to consider when you purchase a chess board.
Contents
Purpose of buying a chess board
If you are eyeing on buying a chess board like a piece of home decoration, then aesthetics become more important than practicality. Chess boards kept at home are believed to cast an intellectual impression upon the visitors that person has the acumen to play a brainy game like chess. If that is your consideration, then you can select a chess board that compliments your interior, for instance, you choose something that goes along the colour of the curtains.
There are different esoteric and antique designs for the board which is said to enhance the home decor. Also, chess boards do not come in the same commonplace black and white squares. You will find dark brown and light brown, dark blue and light blue, red and pink, or any other combination of chess boards.
However, if you want durable chess for playing in tournaments, then portability and quality are the foremost considerations. Choose a strong double or triple weighted chess board that truly furnishes what you need.
Size of the chess board
The size of the board will depend on a number of factors including whether you want to buy to use it for home or want to carry in on the go. The size will obviously determine the cost as bigger chess sets will be more costly as compared to smaller ones.
Usually, bigger chess boards come handy for visually challenged players as it becomes difficult to play the game on smaller boards. Large boards make it easy for visually impaired to make correct moves across the board. If you buy the chess board and pieces separately, then matching sizes for the squares becomes imperative. Generally, the king’s base should fill 75% of a square on the chess board.
The material of the board
The material of the chess board is another important factor that must be looked into before you jump to buy a chess set. Explore different materials and decide which one works the best for you. The wooden and marble chess boards are usually found be very attractive but the downside is that they are not very durable the wooden chess board can get scratched, and marble chips can come off.
On the other hand, there are plastic chess boards as well which are very cheap and durable but less authentic.
Chess board for home or for travel
People who are avid chess players and keep moving from place to place will want to have a chess board which does not eat much space and leaves room for other traveling essentials. If you are always traveling, then a folding chess board will make the best choice.
You can also consider buying a magnetic chess board which keeps the pieces in place and you can play chess while traveling in a bus or car and the pieces will not fall hither thither. You can also consider buying a magnetic chess board from Kaoori Chess which keeps the pieces in place and you can play chess while traveling in a bus or car and the pieces will not fall hither thither.
Your budget for the chess board
As we have already discussed that the size and material of the chess board will have a say in the price of it. As compared to other sports where buying the playing paraphernalia costs you a fortune, chess is a game where even the most expensive chess boards will not be more than a few hundred dollars.
If you are just figuring out your interest in the game, then you should begin with cheap chess sets to understand whether you really hold an inclination and knack for the game. Once you have decided to learn more about the game, you can upgrade your chess sets to more expensive ones.
Conclusion
Keep all these factors in mind if you wish to buy a chess board that caters to your needs in across all the dimensions. There are a number of budget options available in the market that will dole out every aspect in great quality.