Chess Set and Piece - 5 Purchasing Tips

1. Choosing Chessmen is different from choosing a Chess Set. There is only one simple difference: you can purchase chessmen without a chess board; a chess set includes the chess pieces and the chess board. The choices for matching chess piece and chess board are unlimited. When you know your purpose in purchasing the chess pieces or chess set, then keep narrowing the choices down. There are stone chess pieces and chess sets, resin or plastic pieces and boards, ceramic, metal and wood selections.

2. A single chess figurine is obviously not chess pieces. This is a single figurine usually 12 inches high and is used for a paper weight or book end, a center piece, or decoration. This is a very impressive way to accent the chess game atmosphere. They make great gift purchases.

3. A themed chess piece has many categories. They are too numerous to mention them all and they can match any room theme. Some of the favorite themes include sports, animals, battles and history. Chess piece styles are in abundance also. They come in a variety of traditional styles representing different cultures and different time periods. Staunton Chess Sets are the most common and the best known style.

4. Match your theme chess piece with a chess board. A great idea for matching your chess set with decorations or home themes is to let it fit in with your lifestyle. If you have a certain theme to match, this is a great purchasing tip to learn. Consider this idea, in order to pick a color theme for a cabin, figure out what you want the atmosphere to be, sporty, quiet, earthy, heavenly, traditional and peaceful and so on. If you want an ocean atmosphere, pick ocean colors. It really makes it fun to pick colors that match your theme, the emotions you feel when you are in that cabin or room becomes what your theme is. Apply this tip to your chess theme decision; it is so much fun to redecorate, but when you cannot then you can decide what purpose you want that chess set to have. Instead of matching the theme, match the purpose. Decide if you want a chess game room or a chess game corner, whether you want the chess board game available at all times to play or for displaying.  

5. Think through your purchase before you buy anything, so that you will be able to fine tune it. Purchasing veterans do not have much problem with this question because they have bought enough to know what they want. There is a learning curve in the purchasing process. This purchasing tip eaves no room for indecision. Change the selection to fit exactly what you have in mind. If you want a certain colored chess piece, and later realize that it will not work you can change your mind before you purchase your chess board game.

These purchasing tips work every time. Just make sure all the little details of your purchase are reviewed before you decide. You will learn to know what you want quicker and enjoy a relaxed attitude which makes it easier for you to make a decision. Enjoy your purchases with confidence that you chose the right chess piece or chess set for you.

Debra has written several Chess related articles and can be found on Ezine Articles, MarbleChessBoard's Blog and Squidoo. She has a variety of interests and enjoys learning more about Chess and sharing Chess Home Decor and Critical Thinking articles and blogs. She uses her RN experience as well as a myriad of life experiences including home schooling her own children as resources for her writings. She has a BS degree in Nursing and loves learning.