Category: Blog

It’s your niece’s birthday, and you want to give her a gift you can bond over. Or you are looking for the perfect gift your father who is celebrating a well-deserved retirement. Or your colleague is moving to a different company, and you want to send him off with a thoughtful parting gift.

You know what will work in each scenario? A chess set! Yes, this classic gift idea can make the perfect present for your family, friends and acquaintances on various occasions.

But with a plethora of chess sets flooding the market, how does one select the right one to gift someone.

The Purpose

First of all, determine the kind of use you are expecting out of the set – purely ornamental, practical, heavy duty, travel or as a collectable.

Ornamental chess sets can occupy a place of pride in a study or den. You are talking about marble and alabaster boards with hand carved and engraved pieces. Some of them are heirloom sets noteworthy enough to be passed down over generations.

The practical ones are the kind you will keep at home for regular play with your family or visiting friends. Nicely crafted wooden boards and pieces would work just fine for this kind of use.

By saying heavy duty, we mean the chess sets that consist of lightweight mats and durable plastic pieces that can withstand rough treatment at schools and tournaments. They are less expensive and hence easier to replace. You can find them a-dime-a-dozen in any online gift store.

Travel chess sets are compact and come with storage for the board and pieces. Some of them are even magnetic to hold pieces in place while playing in transit.

Collectables and limited edition chess sets are for the real connoisseurs. They are expensive and often come in historically themed sets. But sorry, no wizard chess sets here!

The Price

Chess sets come in different price ranges. Many factors cause this significant variance, the most common being the material used, the craftsmanship and occasionally, the number of queens.

The kind of material used in a chess set makes a world of difference in the price. Among wooden chess sets, ebony is probably one of the more expensive ones followed by Rosewood and Boxwood. There are even centuries-old heritage ivory sets in circulation today that one can buy for a small fortune.

Check out the craftsmanship on the chess pieces themselves, especially the Knights and the Kings. The genuinely excellent ones have intricate details, high-end finishes and remarkable uniformity.

The cost can also vary depending on the number of queens included in the set. A lot of chess sets provide an extra pair of queens to glorify those brave little pawns that reach the opponent’s side without incident.

Fix the amount that you are planning to spend on the gift. Buy the best quality chess set you can find at that price. A good chess set can provide a lifetime of value and enjoyment and who knows, maybe it will even become an heirloom to bequeath to descendants in the future.

 

The love that people across the world have for the game of chess became evident when a wedding event management company chose to organise chess-themed weddings. Every student will benefit in tremendous ways if he plays chess, as per http://www.wapt.com/article/chess-more-than-a-game-for-wingfield-students/18237167. You might know that most chess players start playing the game at a very early age. Bobby Fischer who is one of the all-time greats began playing before he wore full pants. If you ever get to interact with renowned chess players, then you will be able to witness the passion that they have. It is true that if you do not have real love for the game, then you will never be able to succeed at it.

If you want to excel at a sport but hate physical effort, then chess is the game that you must choose. You will need to think a lot in order to defeat your opponents, but you will never have to become physically fitter or flexible in order to excel at chess. However, a healthy body is the ideal nesting place for a healthy mind. Hence, it is best that you are physically and physiologically healthy. But you will probably never need to attain the physical attributes and fitness which other sports require. It is fair to say that chess is a game for those want to exercise their mind along with the least possible workout of their body.

The other fabulous thing about chess is that you do not need a large playing area. You just need a couple of chairs, a timer clock and a chess board and you are good to go. You can get a lot of articles on the ways to improve your game. Many online sites are dedicated to providing budding players with information. You can also order journals and magazines to improve your game. So, if you are willing to work hard, then you can become a brilliant player because there is no shortage of resources. Any budding player can start learning the nuances of the game at a minimal investment.

Chess makes sure that you use your brain to think and analyse the various moves and their effects. So, it will improve your analytical skills along with making sure that you can plan a strategy in multiple situations. There is a remarkable enhancement in your logical reasoning abilities if you play chess on a daily basis. If you come out with ways to become better than before, then you will enjoy even more benefits. The adrenaline rush that you get from winning will always make you feel confident and powerful. In case you beat someone with a lot of experience, then your confidence regarding your abilities will go to another level altogether.

You can play chess at home with your friends and other enthusiasts. In some cities, there are a large number of chess clubs to encourage budding players. You can also try your hand at online chess when you do not have anyone to play with. So, all in all, there are many reasons to love the game.

If you want your kids to become professional chess players, then you must enlist them in a renowned chess academy. Chess players start learning the fundamentals as well as nuances of the game from a very early age. Many chess academies take help from a reputed website design company to make an attractive website for the wards at the academy. You can learn a lot about chess by reading articles on well-known sites such as https://en.chessbase.com/post/endgame-blog-karsten-mueller-940e. It is difficult to succeed in professional chess if you start playing after the age of 15-20. It is essential that you take the first steps in the game as early as possible. But if you want to play for fun or to attain other benefits, then age is never an issue.

One considerable advantage of playing chess is that the players learn the basics of thinking critically. In life, you can become successful in any field if you can think logically and analytically. You can also become a much better planner if you start playing chess seriously. It requires you to think 10-15 moves ahead if you want the ideal outcome in your favour. At the same time, you will have to know about your move for every probable step that your opponent can take. You will learn to become patient and analytical if you stick to the game of chess. If a child attains these skills early in life, then success will never be elusive to him.

Scientifically, a lot of research says that games like chess help in the growth of dendrites in a person’s brain. In layman’s terms, we can say that the power of your child’s brain becomes top notch if he plays chess. The extent of improvement will always depend upon the level of involvement and the hard that your child puts in. The game of chess can provide your child with excellent decision-making skills. Some of you might be familiar with the concept of decision fatigue.

Well, it happens because your brain becomes too tired after taking decisions. The reason for the brain getting tired is that it is not used to taking too many choices at a specific time. Well, playing chess equips your brain with taking decisions and hence, you make more competent to tackle various life situations. It is also true that your child will get to see the outcome of a wrong decision immediately. In such a case, he or she will also understand the importance of taking correct decisions and building efficient plans.

Discipline is also among the essential skills that chess can give a child. In order to anticipate and plan, a person must have control. It makes you real, even in the toughest of situations. In life, it is vital that you minimise the total guesswork. Chess does not have any room for wild guesses. But educated guesses and risk analysis are integral factors in chess as well as life. So, the mental strength and thinking ability of your child will be up to the mark if he plays the game seriously.

Chess is a game of strategies, unique methodologies,and unnerving game plans. Chess had been in prevalent in India since the seventh century. The 19th century marks the beginning of wooden chess sets in Great Britain. India is known for its hand sculptured arts wherein chess was a part of mythology too. Let me tell you all, I had been to an Online Diamond Jewellery site,and the beautiful chess set studded with diamonds blew me away! Chess helps improve the concentration levels and brilliance of a person and please click on the link https://www.parents.com/kids/development/intellectual/benefits-of-chess/to know the uses of playing chess regularly.

Here are the five rich collections of chess sets that are antiques and mesmerizing:

1849 antique reproduced set-
1) The setis made of boxwood with the aid of chemicals.
2) The whites of the set are made of antique boxwood and the blacks with ebony wood.
3) This set was the first Staunton design produced in 1849.
4) This set is known as J. Jaques chess antique set.
5) Allen Dewey has his role in designing this set. He is an antique collector of items related to chess and a renowned historian.

1950 Bobby Fischer chess set (Dubrovnik set)-
1) The Bobby Fischer range of U.S.A. is incomparable and the best.
2) There is a wide range of designs and varieties in Dubrovnik chess set.
3) Bobby Fischer played on this chess set in a match against Boris Spassky in U.S.S.R.
4) He, later in an interview said that the match has become so famous as the set evoked a keen interest in both the players.

Soviet-era Russian series chess set (1940-50 reproduced)-
1) In the early twentieth century, U.S.S.R. gave birth to many legendary chess players who made the nation proud. The chess sets manufactured in this country were also the finest.
2) The Russian design of 1940’s and 1950’s reigned the world of chess.
3) The 4.13’’ king was quite attractive,and the opposite crowns’ design made this set a unique one.

Botvinnik Flohr 1935 reproduced chess set-
1) This chess set was manufactured in U.S.S.R. and was used first in the match between Botvinnik and Flohr. Hence, the name.
2) This set was brought into the limelight again after it was reproduced in 2016. Famous chess historian Alan Dewey played a crucial role in revamping this set.
3) This chess set was sold like hot cakes and loved by chess lovers all over the world.

Latvian reproduced chess set of 1950-
1) The Russians love the game of chess,and this Latvian chess set is a treasure trove for the lovers of chess.
2) This set represents the history of chess and has a rustic look and antique finish.
3) This set is a Soviet design and was first produced in 1950’s.