Nice photos and write-up. As I've said before, I love the design of the DGT plastic knight. The rest of the pieces in that set are nice and serviceable though, for whatever reason, the bishop and queen always seem to me (in photos, as I've never actually seen the pieces in person) like their narrow base plus height might make them easy to tip?
Comparison of the DGT Plastic Chess Pieces and the Standard Plastic Chess Pieces (picture heavy)
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lotsoblots wrote:
Nice photos and write-up. As I've said before, I love the design of the DGT plastic knight. The rest of the pieces in that set are nice and serviceable though, for whatever reason, the bishop and queen always seem to me (in photos, as I've never actually seen the pieces in person) like their narrow base plus height might make them easy to tip?
No, The Queen and Ops are rock steady, not easy to tip.
As a beginning chess player I was looking for a carefree chess set that plays well. For example, I like to play with heavy and full-sized pieces. Consider the size to be Staunton No. 6, either King height 3.75” or 95MM. In terms of field size of the board, I think 2.25” or 55-57mm fits well with this. Maybe more players are looking for a first plastic set, so thats why I wanted to share some thoughts with you.
There are alot of options to choose from in this size. I hope to own a beautiful wooden set someday. Top quality Indian wooden pieces or a Dubrovnik set from Noj in combination with a chessboard from Rechapados Ferrer, JLP or Drueke. Solid, timeless, but also expensive. I have to think about that… and besides, such a chess set creates high expectations.
Back to a no-nonsense set, which you can play anywhere and is low priced. In my research I came across the following two sets:
The board is a competition size plastic folding chess board with field size 57mm. I like this board, because it lies completely flat and takes up little space. It’s all plastic, so no need to panic if someone spills their drink over your set. Btw I have no experience with green/blue colored boards in either vinyl or silicone. That seems to be more common on the other side of the pond.
Total cost for the board and pieces in 2022/2023? Around € 20,- excluding shipping costs.
Below is the comparison. I included some photos so you get a sense of what the chess pieces look like.
Individually, both sets feel great to play with. The highlights are mainly the light bishop in the standard set and the relatively light rook in the DGT set. However, you will only notice this if you compare them side-by-side. Both the DGT and the standard chess pieces feel well weighted and therefore the pieces easily remain upright.
There you have it. A short comparison of the very common plastic pieces and the DGT plastic pieces. I prefer the DGT Plastic Chess Pieces (KH95). These pieces are easily recognisable on the board, low center of gravity, and have a nicer finish.
Hopefully DGT will put in extra queens in the future, because it's almost to be expected nowadays.
*Will add weights later in this topic