They were discovered by a man named Malcolm Macleod, who, according to one story, was searching for a lost cow at the time. The Staunton pieces quickly became wildly popular and have been the standard designĪlso known as Lewis Chessmen or Uig Chessmen, this style of chess set is based on a collection of 12th century pieces found in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides off the Players familiar with different styles of piecesĬould find themselves at a disadvantage when playing with an opponent's set. There was increased ethusiasm for international play and competition, but there was no standard set at the time. Chess had been growing more popular over the preceding decades, and The most recognisable Staunton piece is the king, whose crown is invariablyĪt the time they were introduced, a number of piece styles were in use around the world. Upwards from a wide base, and topped with a stylised motif representing each piece. Staunton pieces resemble smooth columns, tapering Of London in 1849 - but lent his name to promote them in one of the earliest examples of sports sponsorship. Staunton himself did not design the pieces - they were designed by Nathaniel Cook and first produced by Jaques Sets, this hole may be present but no weight has been added, and you will have to weight them yourself.Įasily the most recognisable of all chess sets, the Staunton pieces are named after the 19th century English master, Howard Staunton, who is considered to haveīeen the world's strongest player in the 1840s. Hole cut into the bottom of the piece where the weight has been inserted, which is usually covered over by felt, so that the pieces do not scratch the board. Since the mid 19th century, high quality chess pieces have been weighted with lead, and on many sets you can see there is a Playing on an uneven surface or a roll-up board. When buying a set, it is important to make sure the pieces are satisfactorily weighted, as unweighted pieces can feel too light and prone to tipping, especially if In the carving of the knight, as this piece usually requires more craftsmanship than the other pieces, which are mostly symmetrical and can be turned on a lathe. Quite often, you can gauge the expense of a chess set by the detail Larger the pieces, obviously the greater the expense, as larger pieces tend to be more ornately carved. Sets with 4" or larger kings tend to be very impressive as display pieces, although the Their own equipment, including chess clocks), this is the size you should aim for. This is the height of the king, and in a standard tournamentĬhess set, the height of the king is 3.75", so if you are buying a set for use in a tournament (as some tournaments in countries such as the USA require players to bring all When searching for a chess set to buy, you may see descriptions of sets including a size, usually in inches.
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