Steve Schwartz First of all, it's important to distinguish between the chess sets that a tournament player MUST wear to a tournament and those that the average citizen can play informally. Most players don't need to play with the typical size of a tournament chessboard, the standard chessboard size is suitable for the average player. There are no rules or regulations for 99.999999999% of the population that plays chess. But the tournament player is a little more restricted by the rules.
And the rules more or less dictate that the chessboard has 2 ¼ squares, and that the king of the set of chess pieces has between 3 ¾ and 4 ¼. In fact, the vast majority of tournament players use plastic chess pieces and roll-up vinyl chess boards or mouse pads. These are quite cheap (even the most expensive). First, it is important to distinguish between the chess games that a player in a tournament MUST bring to a tournament and those that the average citizen can play informally.
The typical size of a regulatory chessboard measures twenty-one inches long and twenty-one inches wide. The thickness would be three-quarters of an inch. The ideal size of the individual checkerboard squares would be two inches long and wide each. Tournament standards for the chessboard may differ from country to country, but not much. For example, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) states that the size of each square for the tournament must be between 5 and 6 cm, which is equivalent to between 1.97 and 2.36 inches.
The recommended height of the king should be 9.5 cm (3.74 in). Tournament standards The main requirement for tournament chess games is related to size. The board you use must have 2 ¼ inch squares and the king's piece must be between 3 ¾ and 4 ¼ inches tall. This size is slightly larger than the typical size of a local chess game, but it makes things work better in the demanding tournament environment. Chess pieces must be made of wood or plastic, and it is absolutely essential that they follow the Staunton model to avoid confusion.
Take a look at the tables of any chess tournament and you'll see that the roll-up chess board is the preferred board for most players. The measurements are made by measuring the length of the game squares and the height of the chess pieces you use. When the chess pieces are placed on the board, half of them occupy the board, while the 32 squares in the middle are left open for play. This is true whether you're using a wooden or vinyl board, as mandated by FIDE or at club tournaments. Roll-up chess boards for tournaments take up very little space in a bag and are cheap enough that you can store one at home, one in your office and one in your car in case you ever need it. If your board is too small, your pieces won't fit on it properly, making it difficult to move them around as you would with larger pieces such as queens, rooks or bishops. The official recommendation from FIDE for standard tournament chess sets is that each square on your board should measure between 2 and 2.5 inches when placed on it.
When all your pieces are on it, half of them will occupy 32 squares in its center while leaving 32 open for play. This tournament chess game from The House of Staunton allows for some customization within its strict rules regarding tournament-ready sets. If you only have one set or if your budget only allows you to buy one, there's no reason why a regulation tournament set can't also serve as your main set. The perfect size for a chessboard is 20 x 20 inches, with a square size of 2.25 inches x 2.25 inches that provides ample space for a good set of chess players to sit comfortably in their individual squares based on a king 3.75 inch high and 1.5 inch diameter base.
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