Hoping someone can offer some suggestions....

I would like to purchase a nice set for OTB play at home.  Nothing extravagant but just a decent set.

I've found multiple sites online and will use that as a last resort, but I would really like to feel the weight of the pieces and look at the set in person.

Any suggestion on the type of store that might (or typically) carries chess sets/accessories?

You could always visit a local chess club.

Or visit a local tourney and handle some sets there.

google chess bazaar might help you ....

Gotta throw out a price range to get an idea of what you are looking for.  eBay should always be an option.

                     February 3, 2012

Thursday evening I purchased ten plastic weighted chess sets with green and white vinyl boards, a green carrying case with a slot to carry the board. Each comes with two extra Queens.

Every Thursday they special check them out, they might have what you want.

I bought them at Wholesale Chess out of Utah. They threw in an extra set free and free shipping. They were shipped UPS on Friday and I should have them in several days. Cost was $10.99 each.

They advertise here on Chess.com.

Go up and click on  RESOURCES at the top of this page and you will find shop on line.

As gojacketz suggested, Ebay is prime shopping territory.  House of Staunton holds auctions there and you can get killer deals on woodern sets.  Their professional sets go for like $200 on their website and $40 to $50 on Ebay.  I splurged recently on a high end bud rosewood $1300 set (gulp!) for $271.  Their championship sets (which are the tournament standard in Europe) can often be had for $20 or $30.  Have fun shopping.

Definitely appreciate all the suggestions.

I went ahead and took Denverhigh's suggestion and purchased the tournament set for $30 along with a Saitek clock.

But the deals on eBay sound amazing and I'll definitely need to check those out if I ever find myself wanting to upgrade.

You and me both, brother.  I got a Capablanca Ebony for around $200 and have my eye on a Morphy Blood and Rosewood but I think the early bids are going to drive the price higher than I want to pay.  Beautiful, beautiful pieces, so much nicer than the Drueke ones I thought were so nice way back when.

I paid around $400 for my Capablanca Ebony set off Ebay. Oh, well. It was still a good deal, much better than paying full price off of House of Staunton's website. 

You're right about how beautiful those pieces are. I put that Capablanca set on a custom-made board carved from Ebony, Bird's Eye Maple, Paduok, and Cocobolo. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever owned. Friends who come over and play on it start snapping pictures of it.

You definitely still got a great deal, those pieces are so nice I don't know if I could ever take them outside the house.  I could just see myself freaking out when someone slams one under time pressure, hehe.  I still need to get a box for my pieces.  Whenever we move and get a basement I want to get one of the little tables that has a board on top or a nice table and a nice board to put on it.  I would love to see a picture of the board you have it you ever want to upload one.

I fell asleep last night and forgot to monitor the Morphy set.  Another one up for grabs tonight.  

Here is my playing board for chess and other games. It is a Formica that I bought in 1961 but didn't mount it until 2000. I paid $35.00 at that time.

I still have to get a set of legs for it.

And my butterfly wing chess board from 1930's made in Brazil. The white squares have four 1/4 wing panels and are fluorescent. They don't make them anymore because they are on the endangered species.

Bye for Now.

Oops. I didn't want it to be that big of a pic! But there it is...