French Staunton set with board

I wanted to buy this board and pieces, but I cannot understand if a king 3.75" is regular for tournament, or it should be 4".

http://www.thechessstore.com/product/FSS375VW/French-Lardy-Chess-Set-Sheesham-Boxwood-Walnut-Board-375.html

Yes, a 3.75" K is regular tournament size.

I would also point out that the board attached to this set looks to be too small. For pieces this size, you should be looking at 2.25" squares, or at least 2.125".

Thank you, I'll check if they have bigger boards. Because I'd like to watch some games from books, on a wood chess tournament set, instead of just using the computer.

Are you sure Frank?  The diameter of that king is only 1.5" so at least in theory a 2" board should be perfect.  Someone in another thread suggested that for illustrative purposes photos are often taken on smaller boards.  Looks to me like they crammed the set onto a board with 1.75" squares.  I'm often wrong. 

3.75" x 1.5" sets on a 2" board are tolerable, but right at the limit of acceptability for me.  Here's what it looks like:

I prefer it on a 2.25" square board.  Here's what the same set looks like:

Admittedly, I like it a little bit roomier than most do.  Probably 2.125" would be "perfect."

A lot depends on how big the pawns are as well, Pawpatrol.  I like a little air around my pieces as well but not if it leaves the pawns "swimming".  Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.  I think your first picture shows a great fit, the second?  Not so much...

That's why I put pictures, so people can decide for themselves.

By the way, the most common "regulation" plastic chessmen used in tournaments are 3.75" x 1.5" (http://www.houseofstaunton.com/triple-weighted-regulation-plastic-chessmen-3-75-king-1.html)

and the regulation vinyl, mousepad, and silicone boards are 2.25" squares, so that is the ratio most commonly used in tournaments (http://www.houseofstaunton.com/chess-boards/vinyl-chess-boards.html?src=lander).

Actually no.  The cheaper plastic pieces are 1.5" diameter but by far the more popular are the 3.75/4.00" by 1.75" diameter pieces with a 2.25" board.  Once again we must agree to disagree...

WOW!! You have quite a setup!! Nice, thanks for the pics, they were really great.

You're welcome, I'm glad they were helpful.  Let me know if I can do anything else to help.

Thanks for the site with the other pics. I definitely don't like the German Staunton, because of the knight. I like the knight to be more carved. The house of Staunton has a set made like the Fischer-Spassky match but the king is just 3.5", and I cannot understand if in 1972 the rules for the pieces were different.

You're welcome, again.  A lot of people like that style knight since it is used in a lot of tournaments with the DGT boards, but I understand not liking it because of its simplicity.

yes, that was what surprised me. The DGT board cost from 800 to 1300 or more dollars, and the set is quite simple, compared to more sofisticated Staunton sets. I believe I've seen some old Mephisto's computers with those pieces.

I saw that you set the chessboard in front of the screen, do you use it to play against the computer?

I use it for lots of stuff.  When I'm studying, I prefer to have an actual board to move the pieces around on.  Something kinetic about it helps me retain more.  There's a physical connection I don't get as much with just the computer.

HoS has a 3.75" king for their Reykjavik set or a 3.25" for their library set. I know the original Jaques set used in 1972 had a 3.5" king, and they sell a 3.5" set today. I really hate the HoS "burnt" Reykjavik set, but then I hate all the burnt sets.

I'm "board"!