Chess Boards

How to Choose Your Chess Board: Intended Use

Choosing the right chess board can make a significant difference in the overall playing experience. With so many options available on the market, it can be overwhelming to decide which one to purchase.

One of the primary considerations is the intended use of the chess board. The designs vary significantly based on this:

• Club Style Boards for Frequent Play
• Classic Wooden Chess Boards
• JLP Luxury Wooden Chess Boards
• Boards with Convenient Storage
  
• Classroom and Instruction Chess Boards 
  

Club Style Chess Boards for Frequent Play

To be play-ready, your arsenal should include a club style roll-up chess board. They're low cost, easy to source, and portable. That's why the roll-up chess board is the foundation of chess play in the U.S.A. and in most cases, worldwide. Starting at 20 inches square it's a large, visible size even for young players. These boards are played in scholastic events nationwide.

The basic recommendation is vinyl. However if you're seeking a better experience, our customer favorite based on hundreds of reviews is the Flex Pad Chess Board that's uniquely designed by Chess House. This board is most versatile with vibrant color choices on a neoprene surface as well as a rolling or flexible fold storage design that fits most of our travel cases.

Classic Wooden Chess Boards

Wooden chess boards are popular for their durability and classic look. They also provide elegant and distinctive finishes that can complete a home setting décor as well as provide a richer playing experience. Our wooden chess boards page offers a variety of styles and if you're not sure, our friendly staff is available to suggest a board that will suit your taste.

An economical wooden board is a great place to start. Most of our wooden chess boards are made in Poland, Spain, India, and the USA.  With storage bags, a wood board is quite portable.

JLP Luxury Wooden Chess Boards

Chess House JLP line chess boards are high quality hardwood chess boards made in the USA. If you want a fine gift for someone, the JLP line is hand-crafted, heirloom level choice.

Boards with Convenient Storage 

Storage of chess pieces is an important factor to protect or keep them dust free. Considering a chess board with built-in storage is a good idea. Some storage boards have individual slots for pieces.

Classroom and Instruction Chess Boards

Teachers and coaches will find that a wall-hanging demonstration chess board provides that needed visibility to an entire class of students. These "demo" boards are vinyl and rollup in a similar way to club style boards. This makes the demo board conveniently portable should you need to take it to multiple classrooms.

Chess Boards integrated in Tables

An interesting chess board concept is the combination JLP Chess board and table. With the JLP table made from the same luxurious hardwoods, you can choose from a variety of JLP chess board surfaces to customize the look of the table. The dual function design enable you to play the chess board by itself or on the table.

• Space-saving Walnut Table USA with Chess Board
• Premium Walnut Table USA with Chess Board

Protecting a Chess Board with a Storage Bag

For protection of your chessboard, a selection of chess board bags are available.  The Storage Chess Bags for Chess Boards are readily available for boards up to 18, 20, and 22". 

Understanding Chess Board Materials

Chess boards are made in a variety of unique materials and styles, for example:

• Marble
• Glass
  
• Live Edge Wood

Each board material has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice ultimately depends on personal preference and budget.

Wooden Chess Boards

Wooden chess boards are a classic choice for many chess players. They come in a variety of woods, including maple, walnut, and mahogany among others. Wooden boards can have a natural or stained finish, and often have intricate designs and inlays.

Most of our economical wooden chess boards are made of Mahogany, Walnut, or Sapele for the dark squares in combination with Birchwood for the light squares.

Our premium boards are primarily made with Maple and Walnut in a solid wood block construction. See the JLP line.

Vinyl Chess Boards

Vinyl chess boards are a popular choice for beginners or any time low cost matters most. They are durable, lightweight, and easy to clean. They come in a variety of colors although green is the most common given it is a friendly color for the brain and therefore concentration. They are rolled for easy storage and placed inside a fully or partially enclosed case. 

Marble Chess Boards

Marble chess boards are a unique and elegant choice. They come it a variety of natural stone colors and textures and each one is unique in its own way. Marble boards and pieces are slightly more fragile and require careful handling. But they can be a stunning addition to any room.

Live Edge Chess Boards

Live or natural edge chess boards are made for Chess House customers by a very experienced craftsman. He carefully selects the wood for each board and creates an entirely unique look for each one with the natural edge contours surrounding a slightly raised playing field.