First time buying a chess set.

Greetings everyone!

First of all, I would like to apologise for the double post, I'm not sure what happened there. Secondly this is likely a repost, but my search on this forum didn't yield much. I am a beginner player, but for many reasons I would like to invest in an heirloom quality set of chess pieces. I don't have much experience or knowledge in this area, as the sets I currently own and use were purchased from a toy store when I was 12 so that I could practice for the chess club at school. I really enjoy the traditional staunton style set designs. I would also like to buy something that is backed by a well respected name brand (like buying an expensive watch I want to make sure what I purchase is genuinely what i pay for). I would also that isnt a cheap replica and that also it isn't ridiculously overpriced. (For example if it is meant to look like ebony, I would like it to be actual ebony.) I have contacted the House of Staunton and it really seems like they are the biggest chess specific retailer at the moment. I do like the history of the Jacques name as well, but they seem to have less options, less descriptive website/marketing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I really don't think its a good idea to invest in an heirloom Quality set & possibly make a profit down the road. The only one making a profit would be the retailer IMO. There are lots of nice Staunton sets out there to choose from ranging from 50-200 bucks. Get a design you like & will be happy to play with. Good Luck.!

Unfortunately "well respected name brand" and ridiculously overpriced seems to be the norm.  I'd forget about Jaques unless you're buying vintage for investment.  The new stuff seems nothing special.  HOS is the standard and while there have been a few complaints about declining quality, folks generally are pleased with their sets.  

Problem with HOS is they're so damn expensive.  Yes there are always some discounts available, but the really nice (without getting into mammoth ivory) sets seem to go for around $1,000.  Ebay can be your friend here, but that requires some knowledge of the market to avoid getting burned.  HOS auctions off excess and discontinued stock though and you can get some great deals.  I have an HOS Sheffield that lists over $1,000 that I got a few yeas ago for $350.  Of course last time I checked Ebay someone was trying to pass off another company's Sheffield as HOS (Hey, he has an HOS box.  It must be real).  So buyer beware, but there are deals to be had if you keep your eyes open and do your research.

And then there's ChessBazaar, the largest and most well known of the "direct from India" sellers.  Many of their sets seem as nice as the HOS at lower price points.  Definitely worth checking out.  

So good luck with your hunt.  Folks love to give advice on sets so post potential purchases and get some feedback before you pull the trigger.

Thanks for the tips guys.

Just to be clear, I will not be selling this set. The original plan was to buy a pool table when I graduated college; however, I am going to have to relocate for my job. This is going to necessitate that I get an apartment for approximately 6 months to a year so I can find a house/start building. Obviously a pool table doesn't fit into that plan, but I would still like something that I can enjoy just as much. I have a lot more experience with billiards, but I think that I can "settle" for a nice chess set in the near future.

What are your thoughts on the Morphy 4 in set from HoS?

I own a Morphy 4' set in Blood Rosewood from the House of Staunton and it is my best set, bar none.

Realize if you buy a set this big you will need a 2.375" or 2.5" sized square board for it to fit on.

While you can get by with a 2.375" board, the set fits very well and looks the best on a 2.5" one.

Also, if you live in an area with changing temperatures and especially humidity you might want to go with the Blood Rosewood instead of the Ebony as the Ebony is more prone to cracking.

The House of Staunton also is having a sale until the end of this month.  It is 15% off.  I believe the code is "memory".

Absolutely true but they just put their Marshall sets on clearance so the price isn't so bad. They also have some Nottingham sets on clearance. They are both very nice sets and the prices are much more reasonable now that they're on sale.

Thanks so much for the tip to go with the rosewood. I live in Ohio/Pennsylvania, so the weather and humidity fluctuations can be wild. Also, I actually really like how it looks a bit better than the ebony because it is a bit different. 

I really like this set too because it seems to be very traditional in design and close to what most of the 1840's/50's sets seem to be.

I think that I am going to go with the superior board and the deluxe casket to hold it in. Those high end boards start at $1000! Holy smokes haha. I could make my own board for much much less. Heck you can get a great electric guitar for that amount (much more technical build).

I may also pick up a much less expensive Cooke set in ebony with a tournament board to take to the park or use when I expect there to be harder use of the set (blitz).

For blitz and casual play I would look at either the Liberty Series set or the HoS championship Series, when not HoS the German Knight set.

Both of these set designs do not have any pointy or otherwise small parts on them to be chipped or dinked.

I think that I am going to stick with the House of Staunton. they seem to have the most options and nicest website for viewing those options. the rest seem like they are more of a "here is what we have available, and you get what you see" type business models. I like being able to select woods, and choose the board and case that will work with that set in one shot. I think that it just makes it easier having it that way. I also like that they offer a very wide range of sets compared to most of the other companies. Not that that is affecting my choice right now because I'm looking at a traditional Staunton style set, but later on down the road it would be nice if I have a good experience with them to be able to make the decision to buy another set in the future.

Nothing wrong with HOS if the prices fit your pocketbook. The Morphy set looks great. You might get better prices elsewhere or on eBay, but it would be riskier and wouldn't afford one-stop shopping.

If I were to cut loose and buy a premium chess set, I'd go for the Fischer-Spassky Commemorative. I like the look and both players are dear to me.

And remember that they have 15% off until 5/31.

The discount code is, "MEMORY".

I just bought a board from them on their Outlet which is make an offer.

Ask your accountant.