Yes - this is in the trivia category but might be fun to know about.
My chess set just celebrated its 40th anniversary. I was 25, the company I worked for just went bankrupt. Little money, no job, and no prospects. A gloomy situation. After securing a minimum wage job that I hated, I spent $27.50 (a lot back in 1983) on a beautiful wooden set with traditional boxwood and ebony pieces, 3 1/2 (8.9 cm) kings and started playing ICCF chess. It looked like a silly and wasteful idea at the time, but made a positive impact when I needed it most. It's not quite big enough for OTB tournament play, but perfect for study and correspondence chess. 40 years later and it still brings me joy whenever I solve a difficult tactics exercise or get a resignation notice. OK - enough about me.
How long have you owned your set?
@mchill saidI have a few sets, including an old Kasparov chess computer,one ceramic set made for me by my son in law,and a box of chessmen with the name on the box that my dad had.Don't know what happened to the board.I rarely use them although the ceramic set is on display.I only really play on here.The wooden set I had as a child is lost I'm afraid.
Yes - this is in the trivia category but might be fun to know about.
My chess set just celebrated its 40th anniversary. I was 25, the company I worked for just went bankrupt. Little money, no job, and no prospects. A gloomy situation. After securing a minimum wage job that I hated, I spent $27.50 (a lot back in 1983) on a beautiful wooden set with traditional boxwood and e ...[text shortened]... ics exercise or get a resignation notice. OK - enough about me.
How long have you owned your set?
After expressing an interest in chess I was given a wooden set and a solid wooden chip
board (green and white squares) for Christmas 1962. I still have them and occasionally
use the set and board when going over games. They went with me all over Europe
in my 9 years in the army and even on my honeymoon in 1977!
I have re-felted the set about 5 times. The board has worn well (the f7 square has
become a bit faded with all the sacs taking place on there. 🙂 )
At one time I had over 32 chess sets, all roughly Staunton design in wood and plastic.
I have since given a load away, I left a set behind the bar in all the pubs I often frequented.
Now down to 10-12 chess sets and various boards. But I'll always keep my 1962 set.
- Joined
- 10 Jan 08
- Moves
- 16951
The oldest one I have is the one in the picture, it was bought in India in 2010 for 250 ruppes. I was later told that I should have paid around 100, the truth is I would have paid 500 and been happy.
Edit: it has since traveled to The UK, Ireland, Peru, Colombia, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Not bad for a little chess set.
- Joined
- 30 Jan 04
- Moves
- 1000783
I have a wooden set my grandfather hand made after the Second World War, the rooks are different sizes, the knights ears don’t match, the bishops are different widths, none of the pawns match, one king is taller than the other. I don't laugh because the set has been used for billions of games over the years. It’s the set I was taught with.
