Chess Boards

Our collections feature a marvelous array of the wooden chess board with unsurpassed quality. We are the only retailer offering wooden chess boards from the prestigious renown artisans of Sorrento Italy, Giglio Asla. Our director Carmelo Miceli travels every year to the beautiful Sorrento to meet with the owner of Giglio Asla. For the past 8 years, Official Staunton has held the exclusive distributorship to retail these masterpieces of wooden craft.  We have many variations of the highest quality chessboards to match many styles of chess pieces. Rest assured buying an Italian made chess board from us is the right move!  We have also employed the services of another supreme Italian manufacturer of luxury chessboards, Italfama is one of the oldest artisans and exponents of incredible quality wooden chessboards and pieces. 

Large Selection of Chessboards 

A Fine selection of  Chess Boards in various styles and sizes. Our Luxury Chessboards are manufactured in Italy by Master Craftsmen of Sorrento, Italy. We are the exclusive UK distributor for the renown Italian chess boards manufacturer Giglio Asla. We are proud to offer these superbly crafted chessboards that are simply beautifully made and make a fantastic centerpiece and the perfect platform to display your chess pieces. 

The reputation of a company depends very much on the quality of its products. That said, the Staunton Chess Company has earned reputation over the years for producing first-class luxury chess sets and chess boards. The quality chess boards have been their emblem right throughout.  

Matching Chess Board Sizes With Chess Pieces Anyone on the hunt for chess pieces will understand just how difficult it is to find the perfect size since chess board square sizes fluctuate considerably. There is nothing worse than buying a beautiful chess board and elegant chess pieces only to find that they are later unmatched. Yet, finding the perfect size pieces is not rocket science. The general rule of thumb is that the players remain smaller than the squares of the chess board so that the pieces never overlap over the squares of the board. Of course, it gets more precise than that and this article will point out simple ways to make sure you get it right every time. Note: when we mention a square that is 1 ½ inch large, what we mean is that each individual side of the square is precisely 1 ½ inch on chess boards in the UK. Also, if that beautiful glass chess set or luxury marble chess set you bought has a total length of 20 inches, then the square sizes generally come out to 2 ¼ inches per square.

Finding the Perfect Chess Board

Aesthetics are as important when choosing the right chess board as they are when finding the right chess pieces to match the quality, design and overall look and feel of the game. It plays a large part in the whole appeal and the strategic influence it can have over the opponent during a game. The right size and colour in chess pieces and chessboards, in essence to the quality of wood, speak volumes of the chess player’s impeccable taste and precision. Even though it is indeed a game of high intellect, it encapsulates the player’s attention through the tools he or she uses.

An average quality chessboard or chess piece or a chess set as a whole give a sense of adequacy but not regality or sophistication. The purpose, however, does add significance, as to whether it is for use at home, for travel, or for a tournament or an antique collection. It is therefore paramount, to determine what size or style to choose that best fit a player’s need. Some chessboards are adaptable to certain needs such as for play at home and collectables, regardless of their weight and size. Though tournament and travel boards are usually lighter for the purpose of play only, thus, the overall look and feel are second and play little advantage during a winning streak.

What Kinds of Chess Boards Are There?

There are various kinds of chess boards which can also vary according to various cultures such as chess boards that are already engraved in tables at parks or community centres, or folding wooden chess boards, magnetic chess boards, decorative glass chess boards, DGT electronic chess boards, vinyl roll up chess boards, traditional circular and cylindrical chess boards, hexagonal chess boards and chess boards for the visually impaired. These can be made of various materials such as ebony, ivory, marble, glass, plastic and metal and can be placed at either homes or clubs for various purposes. In addition, there are also storage chessboards, for chess pieces that players already have. This gives an added layer of protection in terms of safekeeping and cleanliness. These storage boards may or may not come with compartments, so players must ensure that the proportions of the pieces fit the need.

For international or continental championships, often-folding wooden chessboards or magnetic chessboards are recommended to be used, though plastic boards can also be used. Marble can only be used as long as the dark and light variances in the squares are clearly apparent. If players decide to use high-quality chess sets during a match, it often earns the respect of an opponent and elevates the entire playing experience. Though, it is important that the player keep track of his or her pieces as they often suffer huge wear and tear during the game.

How to Choose the Perfect Chess Board?

When finding the right chess set, it is essential that chess players first know the purpose of it. Is it for travel, decorative, thematic, or practical use or is it for exclusive events at the club? This helps narrow down the quality and cost of the chessboard that a chess player wants to invest in. Decorative chess sets are often antique or modern collectibles and can vary in size and be for outdoor décor as well. Practical chess sets are for everyday use and are usually of better quality

so that they can endure usage on a daily basis. Club or travel chess sets are often low quality as they are used harshly during tournaments, and are replaceable. Thematic sets are often more for fun and are a collector’s item displaying various themes such as war, history, etc.

After determining the quality and cost of the chess set, the chess pieces must match the choice of the chessboard, so that the overall aesthetics are complementary of each other. If a player wants to choose a darker wooden chess board, then the colouring is of high essence. If the player wants to choose a lighter chessboard usually made of maple, aspen, sycamore, walnut, and birch, then the lighter chess pieces, should not be light or dull in colour. Moreover, if the player chooses a darker chess board either ebony, dark brown rose wood, mahogany, palisander, elm root, or maple (stained black), then the colour and size of darker chess pieces should not overpower the dark squares and balance it accordingly.

The colour of the table should also be taken into consideration in terms of size and colour; the chessboard should not be too small or too large for the table. Also, if the player is using, for example, a lighter chessboard, then he or she can use a rosewood table or a deeper colour such as ebony or elm root to enhance its elegance. So overall, the chess players should look at the purpose, aesthetics and practicality, size, material, design and price when choosing the right chess boards with their chess pieces.

Matching Chess Board Sizes with Chess Pieces

It is important that the chess piece cover 75 percent of a square on the chessboard to make the board and the chess piece appealing, and not have the chess pieces overlap the squares on the board. Also, the board colours must complement the chess pieces so that they are in synchronize and don’t look distasteful. For instance, at the Official Staunton Chess Company, the square is 1 ½ inch large, which means each side is the same size in the UK. However, luxury chessboards can be of 20 inches or more, and a square can come up to 2 ¼ inches which aren’t very rare. The chess pieces should be chosen according to the size of the square on the board.

How to Find a Variety of Chess Boards?

The Official Staunton Chess Company, features a vast collection of high-quality chessboards. As a Company with class and an eye for detail and unique styles, it has an exclusive distributorship of remarkable wooden chessboards, from the prestigious renowned artisans of Sorrento Italy, Gigilio Asla. These Italian chessboards are carefully crafted to indulge the players in the spirit of the game with every move and every touch. These Italian luxury chessboards as a perfect match of elegance, for any chess piece. Moreover, there are luxury chessboards, which have been imported from an Italian manufacturer and artisan Italfama, which include a collection of exquisitely crafted Italian chessboards, for art collectors and players worldwide.

These boards are crafted to be the perfect centerpiece for any home, due to their various styles, wood, colour, and size. They are first-class chessboards and an emblem for Staunton Chess Company, due to their reputation in selling high-quality chess sets throughout the UK and globally. These are heirloom luxury chess boards and chess pieces and will be a valuable addition to the family’s valuables for generations to come.

Subsequently, chess players who are looking for the best chess board to match their collection of chess pieces or chess sets must get a piece from the Official Staunton Chess Company, in the UK. This is especially in terms of luxury Italian chessboards and beautifully crafted wooden chessboards for homes and high-end tournaments.