1961 Soviet Baku Championship Chess Pieces Ebonized Boxwood 4.05"- King

Name: 1961 Soviet Baku Championship Chess Pieces Ebonized Boxwood 4.05"- King
Brand: Chessbazaar
SKU: R0360
Price: 260.00 USD
Availability: InStock

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SKU: SKU: R0360

$260.00 USD

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11 in stock

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Up-to 3-Years Warranty*

Product Details

Material: Ebonized (Gardenia Latifolia) / Boxwood (Gardenia Latifolia)

Dimensions:

King Height - 4.05" (103 mm)

King Base - 1.53" (39 mm)

Pawn Height - 2.36" (60 mm)

Pawn Base - 1.37" (35 mm)

You're getting: 34 pieces(2 extra queens included); Board and Storage Box is not included.

Weight: 1100 grams approx (38.80 oz). Please note that the weight in the set is added manually so the final weight of the set can vary by plus or minus (±) 10%.

Recommended Board Size: (2.2") / (55 mm) square size.

Detailed Description

Chess Pieces Details	Height	Base
King	4.05" (103 mm)	1.53" (39 mm)
Queen	3.42" (87 mm)	1.49" (38 mm)
Bishop	3.26" (83 mm)	1.49" (38 mm)
Knight	3.11" (79 mm)	1.45" (37 mm)
Rook	2.67" (68 mm)	1.49" (38 mm)
Pawn	2.36" (60 mm)	1.37" (35 mm)
Total Weight Of Chess Pieces	1100 grams approx (38.80 oz)
Dark Pieces	Ebonized Boxwood (Gardenia latifolia)
Light Pieces	Natural Boxwood (Gardenia latifolia)
Recommended Board Size	(2.2") / (55 mm) square size

Reproduced 1961 Soviet Championship Baku Chess Set's dark pieces are made of genuine Ebonized boxwood and the light pieces are made of Boxwood. The King proudly stands at 4" tall with a base diameter of 1.53". The dark chess pieces are made of ebonized boxwood. The opposing pieces are made of boxwood which is traditionally used for white side. It is one of the fairly easy woods to work with and shows off aesthetic detail. The set comes with free extra queens for effortless pawn promotion. All chess pieces are expertly carved and weighted for fantastic hand-feel and a very nice thud on the wooden chess board. Pieces have unique rings and thick green felts, which precisely envelops the base of each chessmen for smooth movement on the chess board. The Knights are well-reproduced and represent the highest grade of knight carving skills that our Indian artisans have to offer.

Weight: 1100 grams approx (38.80 oz). Please note that the weight in the set is added manually so the final weight of the set can vary by plus or minus (±) 10%.

History: There were two USSR Championship held in 1961. The first in Moscow and the second in Baku. Boris Spassky was the winner of the Baku Championship. Many of vintage "Baku" sets were not weighted with the lead but instead, filled with sawdust which suggests that these sets originated in the 1940's when all precious metal was used for the wartime effort. There are photos of World Champions Mikhail Tal, Boris Spassky, and Anatoly Karpov along with Paul Keres shown with the "Baku" set. The most famous is Mikhail Tal playing Buthuti Gurgenidze at the 1961 USSR Baku Championship. "Many thanks to vintage chess set aficionado Chuck Grau for the "Baku" moniker" - Mike Ladzinski

Craftsmanship: The carving and turning the quality of the knight is quite spectacular. Knights have a divergent style of carving on each side making even more captivating pieces from different angle views. The lathe work on each chess piece is noteworthy, especially the unique collar rings and elegant curves. There are no cuts in the turrets of the rook. The pawns have a wide base which adds another interesting dimension to the set. The design of the other pieces is also highly commended, that allows the set to truly stand out. They are meticulously handcrafted from the finest grade wood and polished by hand to give it a rich and long-lasting shine. Each chessmen is carefully handcrafted in India with dainty details and the design, quality, and craftsmanship of these chess pieces is comparable to the original chess sets that are sold for $1000+ by other retailers.

Chess and its Russian/Soviet connection: Chess is one of the most popular games in the Soviet Union and there is one interesting fact that most of the world chess champions were citizens of the Soviet Union. The period from 1993 to 2000 the world chess champions were almost Russians. From the early days, chess has been a central feature of Soviet history and culture from the middle ages onwards, resulting in a great range of chess sets from various times and zones. Click here to see our full range of Russian/Soviet chess sets. Chess is considered one of the most interesting, exciting and educational games in Soviet. Now a day's Russians also use chess as a training concentration.

Uniformity of pieces: The shapes of turned pieces are guided by metal profiles and so all turned pieces are identical, especially the pawns. You can expect some variation where hand carving or cutting comes i.e. knights.

Felts: Thick green felt precisely envelops the base of each chessmen.

Weights: The set is heavily weighted and so they are a pleasure to hold and will last for years if maintained properly in a dry and clean place.

Package Includes: 34 Chessmen(2 extra queens included), Chessboard NOT included in this sale.

Disclaimer: This chess set is reproduced in collaboration with "Michael Ladzinski", one of the greatest chess collectors in the chess world. Product color may slightly vary due to photographic lighting sources or your monitor settings.

Caution: These chess pieces are neither waterproof nor UV-resistant.

We're trying to be cleaner and greener. Find out more about our values and best practices at chessbazaar.com/environment

Shipping Details

We offer free worldwide shipping on all orders. Delivery times are as follows:

FedEx/DHL 4-6 days delivery for North America, UK, AU, EU, IN

IndiaPost 15-25 days delivery for rest of the world -

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Warranty Information

Chess Pieces: We offer a 3-year free replacement warranty for chess pieces, covering manufacturing defects, cracking, and issues related to craftsmanship or materials.

Chess Boards, Wooden Storage Boxes, and Travel Chess Sets: We provide a 6-month warranty against manufacturing defects such as cracking or warping for chess boards, wooden storage boxes, and travel chess sets.

Important Note: To ensure a smooth warranty claim process, please make a video of the unboxing when you receive your product. This will be required for any claims related to damage or defects

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5 stars: 4 (57%)
4 stars: 3 (43%)
3 stars: 0 (0%)
2 stars: 0 (0%)
1 star: 0 (0%)

Lovely set, great customer experience

This was my first purchase from ChessBazaar and I'm very happy with the set and with everything about the purchase. Well done CB!

Smooth and sleek styling

A very unique Soviet design of historical significance which is an attractive set to play with. It has very smooth lines and was perfectly carved. Highly recommended.

A thrill

This reproduced Baku 1961 is a triumph of modern Soviet design, faithfully reproduced here by ChessBazaar. As seen in the famous photo of Mikhail Tal v. Bukhuti Gurgenidze at the 29th USSR CHampionship, this set is perfect for serious and casual player, or enthusiasts of Mod-Century Moden design. The simplified forms express the ideals of the “new era;” from pawn all the way to queen the pieces share wide, striking bases, and the bold absence of crenellations emphasizes the essence of the pieces without sacrificing recognizability. I can’t say enough about the idiosyncratic knights, reflecting a Russian folk style perfectly translated to sleek minimalism. Especially lovely are the spindly bishops, reminiscent of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square. This set will be perfect for the chess and chess history fan, or as a sophisticated conversation center piece in the well-appointed and considers, modern living room.

Beautiful to look at, pleasurable to touch, practical for play.

The set arrived in perfect condition within a week of my order and is the first set I have ever owned that is not to some extent a ""low-end"" or ""budget"" set, and I am very impressed with it. The quality of woodworking, its weight, and butter-soft finish make it a pleasure to handle, and the design of the pieces is both elegant and practical, suited equally for display, gameplay, or analysis. And the reduced price brought this set within even my limited means. I anticipate getting much enjoyment out of my new set. Thanks to all for their hard work in making it happen.

Beautiful to look at, pleasurable to touch, practical for play.

An Amazing Historical Soviet Reproduction makes quite an Inpression

ChessBazaar's 1961 Soviet Championship ""Baku"" Set in Lacquered Boxwood & Ebonized Boxwood is amazing! As a collector of Soviet vintage and reproduction sets this ""Baku"" set has made quite an impression. Its a gorgeous historic reproduction of the Soviet set used in the 1961 Soviet Championship held in Baku. The pieces are charming in so many ways. The unique sleek style pieces with their wide bases exude a wonderful board presence. The finely turned pieces are a joy to handle. The Bishop turning is especially pleasing. And those lovely and somewhat peculiar hand carved knights add to the beauty of this set. And not to mention those gorgeous wide base pieces! I am sure that Mikhail Tal and others who played in the 1961 Soviet Baku Championship enjoyed using this set. Kings measure 4"" in height. A wonderful playing and historic collectible set. . Many thanks to Gurpreet Singh Khokhar and the ChessBazaar team for making this fabulous Soviet reproduction. (Posted on 6/8/2018)\n

A nice historic set of good proportions.

I may be one of the first collectors to have obtained this set. I like the fact that it is a 4 inch size rather than the 4.4 inch, so easier to play and analyse with. The filial on the king which broke in transit was replaced without problem. The discount on offer makes this set even better value than When I purchased it. \nI enjoy using this set.\nThanks Chess Bazaar

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Seller Error: If we made a mistake, such as sending the wrong or incomplete item, please let us know right away and we will gladly send the correct item in exchange whenever possible at no additional cost to you.(Wrong or incomplete items claim must be made within 48 hours of delivery of the item.)
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Plastic Box Damage: We offer plastic box complementary with some of the chess pieces so we won't be able to send you the replacement for the plastic box if it breaks in transit.
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Update: 06/06/2026

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1961 Soviet Baku Championship Chess Pieces Ebonized Boxwood 4.05"- King