$100 - $200-ish Chess Set

What's the best place to shop for a set (or for pieces and a board seperately) these days? I want rosewood (or something that looks like it) in this price range ($100 - $200).

I know about wholesale chess, but is there another site out there that has either good deals or awesome stuff? Thanks -

If it's too much trouble, don't worry about it. If you can find it easily, though, I'd love to see what he had to offer.

Yeah, I was really asking for more of something like a website...

What websites are there that would hold the best sets, most likely?

...ebay?

House of Staunton

Chesshouse.com

www.HouseOfStaunton.com I just ordered their grandmaster combination for $170.00 after 3 day delivery and 15% off. I have to say they make the finest chess pieces i've ever seen in my life. It feels like a 500 dollar set of chessmen instead of $70. The whole combination is 150 and it's worth every penny.

I have the House of Staunton Grandmaster set in rosewood. It's fantastic. In terms of line and proportion, it's one of the most attractive modestly priced sets I've ever seen. I give it a strong recommendation.

Another site nobody mentioned is www.thechessstore.com.

I have the HOS Club men and for the money they are very good. Boxwood and ebonized boxwood. Nicely weighted.

It's cheap enough and robust enough to take to a tournament. I got my pieces for $30 a few years ago. For US players they will appear as standard as can be because they are a very close knockoff of the solid plastic set the USCF has sold for decades, but with the added benefit of a great feel in the hand and a better appearance on the board.

http://houseofstaunton.com/Store/product_name=The+Club+Chess+Set+and+Board+Combination/exact_match=exact/user-id=/password=

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I'm interested in the grandmaster series, but I'm confused as to whether or not I can get a board without algebraic notation. I forgot to mention this in my first post (I'll change it), but I'm not looking for a tournament set - I've already got one.

I'm looking for a nice wood set to use at my home with friends, and just to sit around and look ascetically pleasing, ha.

It doesn't look like HOS sells wooden "tournament" boards without algebraic, but their "standard traditional boards" come without.

http://www.houseofstaunton.com/Store/category=House+of+Staunton+Standard+Traditional+Chess+Boards&exact_match=on

edit: They do sell those simple boards w/out algebraic on the sides. I'm sure HOS will substitute as requested as the prices are the same.

I had purchased a second set, ebonized, from a seller on eBay. Long story ... he was out of stock and sent a substitute I didn't like, HOS was out of stock and backordered for months, HOS moved, etc...

The set finally came in. While the seller went out of his way to make up for the lengthy delays, and I'm satisfied at last with him (he sent 2 sets -- one ebonized, one rosewood!!!), I was a bit disappointed to see that the quality of workmanship is down a little. The carving of the knights is inferior to the older sets, and the crowns of the queens aren't as clean and sharp. Some of the differences may only be noticeable to a woodworker or craftsman, but if you have the "eye," they are significant enough. The knights are "okay," but I remembered liking them more. When I got out the old set and did a side by side comparison, I knew why.

It's still a nice set, especially for the price, and better than some sets costing more. It's just a tiny bit clunkier than the older ones. I'd still recommend the it, but I am tempering my enthusiasm a bit.