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Chess July 14, 2016

Chess Sets — Everything you need to know!

Chess pieces or chessmen are made in different materials, styles, and sizes. The difference in the designs of the chess pieces do not have any impact on the game, it is just that the different shapes, sizes, and materials are made to meet the different tastes of the players or chess collectors. In a standard game, each of the chess players starts a game with 16 chess pieces – 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights and 8 pawns. Different techniques and materials are used to make chess sets that give these chess pieces a unique look.

Materials used for making chess sets – Chess pieces are made from a wide variety of materials like plastic, stone, glass, metal, ivory, bone and wood. These materials greatly decide the price of the chess pieces. Plastic chess sets are available at very low prices in the market, whereas a hand carved wooden chess set will be costlier.

Wood has been the most important material for making chess pieces for generations. Sheesham wood, rose wood, bud rosewood. ebony wood and box wood are the most famous woods used for making chess sets. Bud rosewood and ebony wood are the luxury woods and are used to carve high-end chess pieces. Wooden chess pieces are also recommended by FIDE. The quality of our wooden chess pieces is being appreciated by great chess players and chess collectors in the whole world.

A technique used in making chess sets – Chess pieces are either hand carved or machine made and the technique depends very much on the material used. Metal and plastic chess pieces are made by melting them and then putting them in moulds of the desired designs. Chess pieces made from bone and stone are hand carved by skilled artisans.

Handcrafted wooden chess pieces are turned on a lathe. The craftsmanship on the wooden chess pieces is done by experienced artisans. The knight being the most beautiful piece in the set carries enormous importance. The beauty of the chess set lies in the knight of the chess set. Our well-crafted knights represent the highest grade of knight carving skills.

Design of the chess pieces – Chess is a very old game and infinite designs have been originated till now. But the most famous one is Staunton. Staunton is also the officially recommended design by FIDE. Staunton chess pieces appear to be same but the designs have many variations. Chessbazaar offers a wide range of Staunton chess pieces, you will be amazed to see the variations in the designs of the chess sets. There are many other historical designs which are collected by chess collectors but they are very expensive and not everyone can afford those chess pieces. Chessbazaar has reproduced many of such historical and classical designs like 1849 chess set, 1935 Botvinnik Flohr, 1851 chess set, Dublin chess set, Piatigorsky chess set, Grand cigar chess set, and Dubrovnik chess set at very affordable prices so that every chess enthusiast can buy and admire the beauty of these chess sets.

Chessbazaar offers the most meticulously handcrafted wooden chess pieces by our skilled artisans. The expertly carved chess pieces are appropriately weighted and the thick green felt on the bases make your chess pieces walk smoother on a chess board. Explore our full range of chess pieces here >>

Chess March 7, 2016

Monthly Round-up – Feb 2016

The month of “love” dedicated to the mighty chess collectors as we came up with the launches of much awaited and anticipated 1935 Botvinnik Flohr Reproduced Soviet chess set and 4” Dubrovnik chess set. Botvinnik set is an arresting chess set, mainly for its excellent value and legendary design. Dedicated to the Mikhail Botvinnik and Flohr , this venerable chess set’s dark pieces are made of Ebony wood and the light pieces are made of Boxwood, bringing back the memories of 1935 famous Botvinnik–Flohr chess match. The King proudly stands at 4 inches and its base is a robust 1.7 inches. The chess set comes with 34 pieces including 2 extra queens. Durbvonik Chess Set V2.0 in 4” chess set has also had a major presence in the best seller section throughout the month. We have also announced two more chess sets last month, so if you think you might have missed the launches or are simply looking for an orderly recap, the table below should be for you. It also comes complete with links to our respective product page.

1935 Botvinnik Flohr Reproduced Soviet chess set

Durbvonik Chess Set V2.0 in 4”

Reproduced Antique Series Dublin Pattern Chess Pieces

1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set

Sergio with his Dubrovnik Chess Set

We again, tie up with World’s famous chess restorer Mr. Alan Dewey for the true reproduction of 1935 Botvinnik Flohr Reproduced Soviet chess set. Each chessmen is carefully crafted with dainty details that add a dash of opulence and visual appeal. Outstanding design features include the bishop without its mitre cut and the details applied to the knight’s mane. The other chess pieces are also uniquely stylized to allow the set to truly stand out. This venerable chess set’s dark pieces are made of Ebony wood and the light pieces are made of Boxwood. Ebony wood is an alluring wood and probably the most admired wood for reproduced chess sets. The King proudly stands at 4 inches and its base is a robust 1.7 inches. The chess set comes with 34 pieces including 2 extra queens. Each piece is generously weighted and features green felt bases to protect the chess board.

Bigger has always been better: As long as we are on the subject of reproduced chess sets, stained crimson Durbvonik Chess Set V2.0 in 4” is one that deserves some attention. Reproduced Dubrovnik chess set v2.0 has an eye-catching design, weighted chess pieces with a 4″ King and base diameter of 1.7″ This version is also double weighted and the chess pieces have thick green felt on their bases. The dark chess pieces are made in Stained Crimson and the lighter chess pieces are made in box wood.

Reproduced Dubrovnik chess set v2.0 has an eye-catching design, weighted chess pieces with a 4" King and base diameter of 1.7" This version is also double weighted and the chess pieces have thick green felt on their bases. The dark chess pieces are made in Stained Crimson and the lighter chess pieces are made in box wood.

Reproduced Antique Series Dublin Pattern new chess pieces made the headlines as well, with a king height of 4.1″ and a base diameter of 1.6″ these pieces are rugged and have thick green felt on their bases. The dark side of chess pieces is made in ebony wood and the lighter side is made in box wood.

Reproduced Antique Series Dublin Pattern Chess Pieces

We are already selling one of our bestseller, the 1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set in Sheesham & box wood and now we have introduced the same in stained box wood version. Each of the chess pieces has thick green felt on their bases. The dark chess pieces are made of stained dyed box wood and the lighter chess pieces are made of box wood.

1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set Revised in Stained Dyed & Box Wood - 4.4" King

It comes as no surprise that the Botvinnik & Dubrovnik chess set is still on everybody’s mind but the best is yet to come. We, in association with Mr. Alan Dewey are coming up with the Replica of BCC chess set. Further announcements regarding the launch will be update accordingly on our website/Facebook page.

Chess Woods Guide October 27, 2015

Understanding Types of Chess Woods

Sheesham wood

Sheesham wood is the most popular Indian wood across the globe known for its durability, natural rich grains, and longevity. The heartwood of sheesham ranges from golden brown to a darker reddish brown .Being hard wood, it copes with the stresses and strains of everyday use. Sheesham has a straight grain though it can be interlocked and wood has a good natural luster.The solid wood has natural grains which varies from piece to piece, thus making each and every chess piece unique. Wood comes directly from the source, treated for termite-resistance, seasoned and put to use to make awesome chess sets which lasts and just lasts with all its grace and lusture.

Boxwood

Boxwood has a fine, even texture with a natural luster. Color of the boxwood tends to be a light cream to yellow, which tends to darken slightly with prolonged exposure to light. The grain tends to be straight or slightly irregular. It is superbly suited for turning. Boxwood is also easily available and hence the chess pieces made from boxwood are cheaper than other woods. But the beautifully carved chess pieces look as attractive as the expensive woods.

Ebonized boxwood

Boxwood is sometimes substituted for Ebony because it is much easier to find and is available at reasonable prices. Regular boxwood is light in color and usually used for the white pieces and it is ebonized for use as black pieces because it’s cheaper than real ebony. At www.chessbazaar.com you can find number of reasonable chess sets made from ebonized boxwood, that are very much like the real ebony chess pieces.

Ebony wood

Ebony is a dense black wood. Black Ebony is one of the most valuable and expensive types of wood in the world. Black Ebony is prized for the black color of its wood that grows denser and blacker the older the tree. Heartwood is usually jet-black, with little to no variation or visible grain. It has fine even texture with very high natural luster. It is finely-textured and has a very smooth finish when polished, making ebony a valuable beautiful chess wood.

Rosewood

Rosewood is a classic wood, also known as Indian Rosewood. The wood of these trees is prized and in high demand throughout the world due to its excellent qualities of having a long straight bore, its strength, remarkable coloration and its high density, which makes it another luxury chess wood with ebony. Very hard and has a dark reddish brown color. Rosewoods also exhibit very dark streaks along their growth rings, creating striking patterns. The wood is also extremely resistant to rot and water damage. It is hard to work with rosewood and takes high polish, but after all the difficulties, chess sets and chess boards made from rosewood are grand feast for the eyes.

Bud rosewood

Bud rosewood is again a type of rosewood. Its source is rosewood but the quality of the bud rosewood is much higher than the ordinary rosewood. Rosewood is reddish brown in color but bud rosewood is more on reddish tone. The very superior quality wood makes it an expensive and luxury chess wood.

Palisander wood

Palisander wood is a part of rosewood family. Palisander wood has a great beauty and high value. The wood has dense close grains and the tone is slightly lighter than the Indian Rosewood. The wood comes in various tones and the rate of the chess sets and board depend upon the quality of these tones.

Walnut

Walnut is strong, hard and durable, without being excessively heavy. It has excellent woodworking qualities, and takes finishes well. The wood is light to dark chocolate brown in color and is straight-grained. Wavy grain is present toward the roots, and walnut stumps are often dug out and widely used as a source of highly figured veneer chess boards.

Ash Burl

Burl ash wood is generally darker than regular ash and is noted for its rich pattern of swirls, twists and turns. The abnormality of burl, combined with the availability of ash, make this wood especially popular among chess board manufacturers. The wayward grains of burl ash wood give it a unique beauty that is fitting for the world’s most exquisite decor. Ash burl is widely used for structural frames and highly durable and even veneer chess boards are made out of it.

Maple

Maple is a pale cream color when first cut, but will darken to light yellow or pale reddish brown with exposure to sunlight. Maple is easy to cut and shape, and sands to a smooth, even surface. Maple may be common, but it can look uncommonly beautiful when treated correctly. Maple is hard and resistant. Its diffused evenly sized pores give the wood a fine texture and even grain. With these qualities Maple is extensively used for making very durable and quality veneer chess boards.

Chessbazaar.com offers a largest variety of chess sets and chess boards at the most reasonable prices made from these high quality and exclusive woods available in the world.

Chess January 9, 2015

Journey of 2014 – A glimpse of glory

We know, we are bit late on this one..but we wish you a very Happy and Joyful New Year with lots of blessings 🙂

Well, here we are again, folks – the start of a new year. The time when we’re usually bursting with motivation and promises not to repeat the mistakes of the past. We’ve learned a lot in the 2014 (especially our flaws & drawbacks), which we’ve vowed to ditch in 2015!), We, the whole chessbazaar team are working on our flaws & trying to use our time more wisely. Please send us your valuable feedback’s & queries at sales@chessbazaar.com. We listen carefully to the needs of our customers and had their feedback in mind to make our customers experience more rich in near future. We’d also love to hear how you’re starting your 2015 with a bang.

Here’s the brief infographics of our journey. Have a look!

Our team at chessbazaar wishes you a very Happy New Year to you and your loved ones and we wish you true happiness, joy and success in the months to come. Cheers!

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