Product Details

World Chess is well on its way to return chess to 1970s fame. With a bold, fresh vision, entrepreneur Andrew Paulson ushers in a new identity and re-engineered playing environments, complete with a new chess set design debuted at the 2013 World Chess Championships Daniel Weil was tasked with creating this design based on the Staunton Chess Set first patented in 1849 by Nathaniel Cook. While variations on the original Staunton design have become common place, commissioning of a new design for the World Chess scene is rather extraordinary.

The 'human' pieces; King, Queen, Bishop and Pawn have hierarchical collars as indicators of nobility and piece value and have both a sculptural dimension and functional one, allowing players to hold the piece with 'South hold.' The heads are figurative and functional. A new crown for the King, a refined jewel for the top of the Queen's crown and a vizier's head dress or bishop's miter for the Bishop. These heads allow players to hold the piece with 'North hold' for the simple classic move. The rooks have a pure architectural form.

The felt beneath the pieces has been changed too. Green baize, the most common material beneath chess pieces, signified how chess had become a parlor game in the Victorian era along with cards, billiards and dice. This has been replaced with black and white felt to give chess its own construct and consistency.

Specifications

• King height: 3 3/4"
• Base size: 1 1/2"
• King weight: 2.1oz
• Set weight: 40 oz.