Cheap chess set

Looking for a very cheap (<$20) chess set for public play.  Doesn't need to look great.  Other than the price, I have a few criteria for the set:

1. I would prefer a set where I can readily distinguish between pieces (some sets have the Bishops looking like Queens or Queens looking like Kings)

2. I would prefer a set that can take a lot of wear and tear.  I will be playing random people, and I want the set to survive some piece-thumpers.

3. I would prefer a set that is tournament legal.

One set I am looking at: http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-134584661746630_2268_7419782

Any other suggestions?

You could try Ebay.  Here's a search for tournament chess set:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Chess-/19087/i.html?_nkw=tournament+chess+set&_sop=15

Cheap, play with random people, tournament legal. I was going to say that you were going to play in park (which i love) but because of tournament legal thing I must ask. Are you going to make a UCSF tournament? :)

In that case: invite me and I will take the quickest possible airplane :)

The tournament legal criteria is probably the least important, as most of the time, it will be playing against random people at the mall, club, park, etc.

I would check from amazon because I really don't buy chess stuff from anywhere else. There may also be a chess store nearby you which sells cheap sets (probably not)

If I'm not mistaken, I played with that one and it was just fine. The one I played with even had some weights inside so the pieces were reasonably heavy and balanced.

Why not try the USCF web store? They have club sets for $11.95, and triple-weighted club sets for $13.95.

I have the triple-weighted set and it is very nice and durable.

Should I get the club one or the triple-weighted one?  What's the difference?

Mainly just the weight of the pieces. It tends to be a personal thing, but I really like the heavier pieces of the triple-weighted set.

You might try a local thrift shop (Goodwill, etc.).

     Barnes & Noble sells the "No Stress Chess" for $15, but its not tournament legal, and its plastic.

Nothing wrong with plastic.

I got this set and couldn't be more pleased- pieces are nicely molded, very heavy and solid, and very distinct. For the price it's a steal.

http://www.wholesalechess.com/shop/chess-sets/club-chess-sets/heavy-tournament-board-pieces-chess-set

You quite simply need a standard plastic tournament set, such as the ones you find in chess clubs. They are composed of plastic but very durable 3.75 inch staunton pieces, such as these...
http://www.amazon.com/Tournament-Triple-Weighted-Chess-Pieces/dp/B009RSFF06/ref=pd_sim_t_8
And a simple roll-up 20''x20'' vinyl board not unlike this (although clubs prefer the standard black colour).
http://www.amazon.com/Chess-Board-Standard-Vinyl-Roll-up/dp/B001BXRLUM/ref=pd_sim_t_1
Both are very easy to find in any specialised shop, online or physical, and they always cost less than 20 dollars.

I'd recommend getting one of the USCF-sold sets. 

However, if you should stumble upon the above set by Cardinal, it's a good one. It has 3.75 inch kings, and moderately-weighted plastic pieces in dark brown and light brown. The board is cardboard, but big enough and tastefully colored. (Actually "tasteful" is a good word here: the colors resemble chocolate and butterscotch.)

I don't know if the Cardinal set is still being manufactured, but I've acquired a couple at thrift stores for a few dollars.

GagarinGambit:

^^You quite simply need a standard plastic tournament set, such as the ones you find in chess clubs.^^ 

Ace_Club:

^^Nothing wrong with plastic.^^

Oh god, atleast here in Finland we are using natural wooden tournament sets in clubs and in tournaments. The world is already using way too much plastic and people don't  seem to understand that it is a bad thing :(.   

LOL. Plastic sets are typically preferred due to a) durability, and b) cost. Compare wood sets and plastic sets at the price points discussed above. You will be very hard pressed to find an equivalent wooden set for <$20. Most wooden sets at that price point are cheap, flimsy sets.

Ace_Club:

^^LOL. Plastic sets are typically preferred due to a) durability, and b) cost. Compare wood sets and plastic sets at the price points discussed above. You will be very hard pressed to find an equivalent wooden set for <$20. Most wooden sets at that price point are cheap, flimsy sets.^^ 

Why not spend some more dollars for nice natural wooden chess set? At least AFAIK here I can buy nice lasting high-quality wooden set with about $35 (c'mon it's still quite little). Why to prefer wooden ones a) ecological, you feel good about yourself and your choice  b)they have a whole different feeling (much better) when moving them (I have both so I guess that I can say so) c)durability (if you spend $35 [and I usually play with chess set made by my grandgranddad and it still works awesomly]) PS. You have any idea how unecological plastic is? Do you really want to be responsible for our planets horrible fate? So I really cannot understand your sentence "Nothing wrong with plastic".       

Sadar Bazar, India