How To Choose Economy Staunton Chess Sets

Having derived their name from Howard Staunton, who was possibly the world's first chess master, Staunton chess sets were created by Nathaniel Cook and have been the popular choice of players due to the clearly recognizable nature of chess pieces. In the early 19th century, when chess enthusiasts from across the world played in competitions, they had a hard time recognizing various chess pieces because of the difference in cultures. Hence, a chess set which was user friendly and easily identifiable was needed. At this time, Nathaniel Cook, who was supposedly inspired by the Neoclassical architectural style, created chess pieces which were based on the symbols of Victorian society.







The individuality of Staunton chess sets can be observed in the etching of the queen's coronet and the knight which looks like the head of a horse. The pawns were created using the 'Squares and Compasses' of Freemasons. The complete chess board has a classical appeal and can look decorative in a classical Victorian style mansion. However, with the changing times and new developments in the game, this design too had to be changed several times. With the arrival of Descriptive Chess notation which was created to document chess games, the pieces were now referred to as the queen's castle, the king's knight etc. Thanks to this description, designers started to stamp a crown on the castles and the knights so that their positioning was easily understood.

When the fame of Staunton chess sets started to enter the next layers of the society, economy Staunton chess sets were designed in order to allow everyone to enjoy the game. In economy Staunton chess sets, the look remains similar but the raw material used in designing the chess set differed and so did the size of the board. Earlier, these chess boards were created using ebony, boxwood or rose wood. A few were also created using ivory. These chess sets were filled with lead in order to increase the balance and felt was used at base of every chess piece creating an impression that the pieces were floating in the air. Presently, chess pieces built with glass and plastic too are available.







Economy Staunton chess sets do not always imply cheap replacements. On the other hand, there are economy Staunton chess sets that follow a minimalist theme with articulate and unbending lines replacing the characteristic bends and arches of the Victorian design. Additionally, there are magnetic chess sets that can be easily carried, portable and easy on the pocket. These chess sets can help you play the game while traveling in a car or a train without disturbing the pieces.







Economy Staunton chess sets also come in different themes like the ones with Russian, Polish and American classic pieces, concave pieces and handmade chess pieces. Unaffected by the invention of other types such as the English, Washington, Selenus, St. George, Barleycorn and Regency chess sets, Staunton chess sets have remained popular for a long time and continue to be the first choice of chess clubs and players.