How Many Chess Sets Do You Need?

@nojchess

//Just bought five sets last week! Nobody can't help me 🤣//

My name is ___, and I am a chess-setaholic.

Around six, I guess. I have four grand children who are exposed to my chess board and pieces. I also have a grand niece and nephew who play chess at their school. So six would be a round number to pass onto them all.

I currently have two wood sets and one 3D printed Latvian plastic set I need to finish. How many I have designs on to buy.........that is dependent on the budget and availability.

What more do I need, er want? Well for a plastic set a Pacific Game Co. Cavalier No. 1491. A Piatigorsky reproduction and  a Chavet reproduction.  Or an Averbakh by Oldset would do nicely since one of the wood sets I own is his Vintage 1900 European reproduction. And any number of sets I see on this forum that sets my desires in motion.

Boards are another matter. I have just one, the 2 inch square walnut and ash board I made in high school in 1965 which you have seen posted here. I currently am gathering material for a 2.25 inch board I will make from maple and tropical walnut. Both of the boards will fit into the top of the chess table for which I am still developing plans.

I need more. 

The number "more" is such a good number! 

Only "more"?

 One more, and then...

Scrolling through these comments I glad that I have 3 wooden sets and 1 small plastic travel set.

Yes I would like more but won't buy more until I can justify to others in the house why I bought another set.

Well, I’m not bragging or ashamed to say that I currently own 34 sets (and counting). I consider myself a player first, but I also love all the things that come with the game of chess—clocks, books, boards, and so on. If you love collecting something, can you really say it's wrong? What’s better than the different styles of sets that exist throughout the world of chess?

Some days, I just enjoy playing on a vintage Jaques set, knowing that hundreds, or even thousands, of games have been played on that very set. Or playing with a beautiful NOJ set that feels so right in your hands during play. Sometimes, I just enjoy using a regular reproduction of any Staunton design that fits the needs of the game.

To each their own, and there really isn’t a right answer to the question, “How many chess sets do you need?” Some may need more than others (that’s me for sure!). Always remember, there is always someone with more and better sets than us, and this isn’t a contest—it’s a quest!

Interesting thread. One that certainly resonates with lots of people, including me.

I actually WANT to own only one set, one board, one clock with which I do everything. The thought of "the one" set that has been used for your chess over decades and that will bring back those memories in the distant future is very appealing to me. Also, I don´t like the feeling of having different sets just sit on the shelves doing nothing, despite them being beautiful.

But that´s only theory of course. I currently own six sets. I try to sell at least two of them (eventhough it is kind of hard to sell one of those, because there usually is a reason I got them in the first place). Another I either sell or am going to keep at my parents place. The rest (one Biro Sandor and two Jaques repros) I will keep. The Biro Sandor for Rapid/Blitz and potentially bringing to the club, one Jaques repro for analysing and studying (maybe also for classical games at home with (careful) friends. The other repro I want to use as the main set. Since outside of the club and online classical time formats are my top priority, it will be used for this format most of the time. However, because it is not only relatively rugged for a Jaques repro, but also wasn´t too expensive and is beautiful to look at, at the moment, I want to use it, whenever I do something chess related. Even just looking at the pieces feels good.

And that is the main problem. While I also consider myself as a player, there are just so many beautiful sets. (For me) one Jaques-repro is more attractive than the other and seduces me to buy it. Moreover, it doesn´t help that so many people sell their (NEW/UNUSED!!!) sets without knowing their objective market value. Two of the sets I currently own both have been sold to me for less than 170€ each; one included a chess suitcase and a board as well as being made out of ebony, the other included four extra queens and a storage box worth 40€, this one is also made out of ebony. How could one pass up on these opportunities? With limited knowledge I managed to earn 1000€+ (costs of acquiring these sets included) these last three years just by buying and reselling chess sets, it is just crazy.

Still, I will try to limit myself to a maximum of three sets. Two would be preferable, but I refuse to sell one of the two Jaques repros simply because it is and might as well in the near future remain the single most exact reproduction of a Jaques set. Unless there will be a tournament/small club sized and weighted EXACT (!) Jaques repro like the one I already own, I am confidet to keep it at the afformentioned three sets. In case there will be such a set (and I am observing Official Staunton in this regard) maybe I will bring myself to sell the current exact repro I own (OS 1850), keep the current beloved tournament sized Jaques repro that I use all the time (CB Steinitz) at my parents place instead of the German Knight set currently, I could actually limit myself to two sets (Biro Sandor + the one exact Jaques repro I would certainly use all of the time). Then, only a matching Jaques-style (and finished) chessboard would miss.

I have four sets (two are plastics)

• 2.875" HOS Plastic Marshall set
• 3.75" HOS 1972 Fischer-Spassky Commemorative
• 3.75" Staunton Europa (Chavet style)
• 3.75" Bobby Fischer Ultimate plastic pieces

I use the 2.875" plastic set with 45 mm squares board. This is mostly for analysis and quick games with my kids.

I use the 3.75" sets on a 55 mm board for when I have a friend visiting.

And I use the Fischer ultimate plastic pieces with a flex pad for travel.

I want to collect chess sets but I don't have the space (or funds) for it. I envy those who can. So I come here to lurk and enjoy others show off their collection instead.

30 sets, 22 boards. All tournament size. And I want more and more :)

Yea, why not get as many as you want , I mean life is short all in The Pursuit of Happyness , books /clocks / boards as well .