Hmmmmm.

New board & pieces on the Christmas list.

Quite fancy some Lewis pieces for a change.

Spotted this at the Chess Shop, which looks pretty decent.

Anything (or anywhere) else you’d recommend at about the same price (about a ton)?
Do you use the Lewis pieces regularly, or do they just live in the box?
And black or mahogany?
Jesus, I’d never ask a bike colour question, but I’m really stuck here.
🙂
Just a bit worried the mahogany might look a bit naff.

And while I’m getting a new board, any point in getting one with notation?
Mrs S is just picking it up again and I’m playing quite a bit against younger family members too, thinking it might help.

Ta!

I can see why you’d be worried about what the mahogany looks like. The origginal set are stone and when they were on tour a couple of years ago, I picked up the SAC set which are a stone/reson mix and look and feel excellent.
This one, impressive but not cheap

Cheers for the response.

Those are beautiful, but a little over budget I think, as I’d like a new board too.

Any recommendations for other decent online shops?

Personally I don’t like playing with ornate chess sets, nothing better than yer staunton style sets for playing with imo.

Also dont play 7 yr old precocious gits who thrash you and tell everyone about it. I only played the little tw*t because he begged and pleaded and no one else would play him. 😆

Personally I don’t like playing with ornate chess sets, nothing better than yer staunton style sets for playing with imo.

+1

I prefer the pieces to be as instantly recognisable as possible – otherwise the brain is wasting time trying to work out which piece is which, rather than what move to make.

No harm in getting a board with notation, particularly for helping beginners. As with the piece design, there’s enough to think about without making it harder!

I’ve already got a plastic Staunton tournament set, but I’ve always loved the Lewis pieces.

Added bonus is that Mrs S likes them too, so is more likely to actually use them.

I’ve been looking online for a decent set of the Franklyshite Mint ‘Famous Serial Killers’ pieces, but they’ve all been snapped up by collectors.
I’ll have to ask Binners if he’s got any spare.
😐

In that case, why not? 🙂

I love the SAC Lewis set. Not particularly ornate but a bit different and still easily recognisable pieces. feel lovely as well.

Regency Chess
Chess Baron
TBF, I did go a bit mental and way over budget with the set and board ( board is B1002 from Chess baron -£60 now for the board), but it was a few years back and now it is a really nice ornament. I’d got the pieces and liked them so much I reckoned they needed a quality board to sit on.

Do you use the Lewis pieces regularly, or do they just live in the box?

I play through the International Email Chess Club and play out the email game on the board beacuse I like having a physical board as well as the computer ones.
TBH I would never have spent that amount of money hide it in a box.

Oh gawd, that’s beautiful.
🙂

Thanks for the responses everyone.

nothing better than yer staunton style sets for playing with imo.

+2

If your Staunton set is plastic I’d suggest a decent wooden Staunton set and a nice wooden board before buying an ornamental set.