equipment

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Equipment

NEW! Chess Odyssey now offers Starter Chess Kits
through our local clubs
(scroll down for details)

Tournament regulation-sized chess pieces have a king that is generally at least 3-5/8" in height, with a 1-1/2" diameter base, in order to fit a full-sized chess board comprised of 2-1/4" squares. Pieces should be Staunton in style (the international standard) and made of wood or plastic. It is best if they are at least "single-weighted" and balanced for stability (this is particularly important for Blitz, when pieces get knocked over more easily because of the speed of play). Preferred colors for pieces are ivory and black, or light wood tone and dark wood tone. Board colors should be fairly high contrast, though white/black is generally considered too hard on the eyes. Good color combinations for chess boards include ivory/green, ivory/maroon, ivory/navy and ivory/brown. Either a roll-up vinyl board or a floppy board are good for easy storage and portability.

If you can afford it, it's nice to acquire a "good" set at some point--one that you really enjoy using at home. However, for everyday practice, tournament play and travel, it's best to use an economical chess set, which you wouldn't be too upset about if a piece got chipped or soiled, or even went missing (owning a duplicate set in order to have replacement pieces is also a good idea).

Other priority purchases include: a bag or some type of tote (to transport your tournament pieces & board), a chess clock (see our Clock Rules page for our recommendation), and a scorebook to record games. See our Books page, as well our Software page, for tips on purchasing these items.

New!

Chess Odyssey now offers a Starter Chess Kit (click here for photo) which contains tournament standard pieces (equivalent to those we use in clubs and tournaments), a rollup chessboard, carrying bag with handles, an introductory book of chess rules, a custom-designed Chess Odyssey scorebook (also available individually for $6.50), a Chess Odyssey pencil, and a laminated sheet containing 15 Tips From Coach Pete. We are offering our kit at the incredibly low price of $25, not including shipping. This is the best bargain you will find locally! Simply email us your contact info and the number of kits you are ordering, and we will get it to you pronto.

If you're in the market for something fancier, we list various other resources for chess equipment and encourage you to comparison shop:

Chess Equipment Retailers--USA:
Chess Cafe
Chess Central
Chessco/Thinkers' Press
Chess for Students--Oregon (John Bain)
Chess Forum
The Chess House
The Chess Piece
The Chess Store--Internet retailer based in Hillsboro, OR
House of Jacques
House of Staunton
Hyde Park Chess
Legend Products--Oregon manufacturer
Rochester Chess Center
USCF--discounts for members and/or more than #6 of one item
(order a USCF print catalog at 1-800-388-5464)
Your Move Chess & Games

Chess Equipment Retailers--International:
Decorative chess boards (UK)
Italian sets/boards/tables
London Chess Centre carries Studio Anne Carlton (SAC) collectible sets

Chess Auctions:
Yahoo
Ebay
Grandmaster Square

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