Surf Chess Set by Dave Reynolds

Huntington Beach surfer and artist Dave Reynolds designed and meticulously handcrafts these extraordinary chess sets to exact scale in woods like Hawaiian koa, teak, walnut and California redwood.

A local surf historian with 40 years experience on the board and Exhibits Director at the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach, Dave knows his surfboards.

Dave has been a professional artist and trophy designer since the late 80's. To date he has made more amateur and professional surf trophies than anyone in history, 30,000-40,000. A lot of the trophies he creates use his unique Minimal Surf art style. A recognizable art style Reynolds started working on the early 90's.

Reynolds grew up in OC and started surfing the shores of HB in the mid 70s. He is still going strong and can be seen long-boarding or SUP surfing HB. His usual surf spots are the HB cliffs and Bolsa Chica. Even after surfing many world class breaks Reynolds still calls HB home.

Reynolds also operates the Wavesliders Surf Art Gallery from his Huntington Beach shop/studio. Helping out fellow artists and friends is how Dave rolls. Dave says "my new purpose in life is to help, encourage and inspire as many people as I can. If I can stoke someone on surfing that's even more awesome!". Another way Reynolds stokes people on surfing is him being the exhibits director of the International Surfing Museum. "I get to stoke thousands of people on surfing every month! How cool is that?"

Since 1988, Dave has acquired a very specialized skill set. His current range of works include graphic design, illustration, relief sculpture, scale model dioramas, trophies/awards and chess sets.

Dave reached out to Chess House to feature his amazing chess set and that's what your are viewing now.

The Surf Chess Set

The surfboard outlines and rail contours are made using templates and drawings from the last 100 years of surfboard design. The sculpted portions of the chess pieces are made from cold cast bronze with antique brass and pewter tone finishes. Each piece is carefully weighted has its underside lined with black velvet.

The chess set comes with Dave's custom designed 20" x 20" bamboo chess board in maple and mahogany bordered with matching raised trim

A surfer storage chest accompanies each set to store the pieces.

And here are the competitors.

The King is the Big Kahuna in Dave's chess set. It's a 7" tall 1940's redwood and pine Hawaiian plank. Just like the board Duke Kahanamoku rode. The Queen is a 6" triple stringer 60's style longboard made in basswood with California redwood stringers. Each queen has a cute hand painted lei draped around her board. Bishops are a sleek 5" Hawaiian koa wood big wave gun.
No horses here. The Knight is 3" Chevy Fleetmaster Woody with 2 surfboards strapped on top. The Rook is what we call the "shabby surf shack", 2" ramshackle little building with surfboards and bodyboards. Pawns are fun little skim boards on a rock pile.

Isn't that the most amazing surf chess set.

Antique bronze and pewter custom resin bases are combined with both domestic and exotic woods for a remarkable showpiece on beautiful 17" x 17" playing surface crafted from birch and walnut inlays. The unique bamboo board base is a breaking wave, forming a table 30" in height.

Buying a Surf Chess Set

Dave offers these surf chess options and they are available for sale right here through Chess House. Click on the links below to see prices and photos.