Any Tips On Selecting The Right Chess Board For My Chess Men?

In most instances, the colour combination will be a straightforward choice between the traditional black and white combination of squares, or red and black. However, take cognizance of which colour combination will best complement your chess pieces and also any guidelines issued by your chess organisation should you be purchasing boards for competition.

Competition chessboards as approved by the Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE) should be made of wood, plastic, cardboard or cloth. Also allowed are stone or marble so long as the squares are appropriately delineated in light and dark colours.

A range of natural woods is deemed acceptable and these include birch, maple and European ash. The crucial factors with wooden boards are that there is sufficient contrast between squares and that the finish is either neutral or dull, never shiny. Chessboards made of walnut, teak or beech etc. are unlikely to pass muster for competitions run under FIDE regulations.

Regarding board size, FIDE's guidelines on the subject state that its dimensions should be such that the pieces appear "neither too crowded nor too lonely on the squares." Ideally, FIDE likes the side of the square to measure between 5 and 6½ cm.