How Many Chess Sets Do You Own?

CB Red Rum ” king in Bud Rosewood and boxwood

5 sets. A very small travel set, a larger magnetic travel set. A Thunderbirds set, a Doctor Who set and a DGT Centaur.

1,5 sets

The first one is so small that its basically unplayable and its purely for decoration, the other one is big enough to play but doesn't have most of the pieces so i count it as 0,5

3

Eleven. Several are tasked to a chess club that I help oversee.

NEAT Topic!

Let me see now: Most of my current sets are HOS - I have:

HOS:

1. 2x Renegade w/Rosewood/Boxwood (workhorse playing sets)
2. 2x Renegade w/Ebony/Boxwood - more for special games and "show"
3. 2x Bedford Staunton Sets - in Boxwood/Ebonized Boxwood
4. 2x "1844-1848" replica British Library sets in Ebonized/Boxwood
5. 2x 3" smaller general sets (non-HOS) for playing on smaller tables/travel
6. 1x Altamira Stauntn (HOS) premium set (4.4" king) n Ebony/Boxwood
7. 1x FIDE Championship Edition set in Boxwood/Ebonized (en route from ChessBaron UK)
8. 1x Renegade HOS set in Ebonized/Boxwood

**Note: Renegade is a replica of the BCC series near late-1890s/early 1900s.

So that makes... 13 sets of pieces - all w/2 Qs

With the exception of #6 and #7, my main attraction to the "Renegade" sets is the larger Rook height. All my sets have fairly definitive rooks in some way, either height, or size, or something. What I really like on the BCC/Renegades is the symmetrical miters on the bishops, too. The Bedford series has a nice flared crenellation on the rook tops.

Boards:

1. 2x 21" (2.25" squares) Maple and Walnut (Regency)
2. 1x 24" (2.5" square) Ebony/Walnut Premium board (Regency) - lacquered
3. 1x 23"x1" (2.4" square) Ebony/Walnut/Rosewood (Chess Baron UK) - lacquered
4. 1x Ebony/Walnut (2.23" square) Ebony-bordered (Regency) - lacquered
5. 1x Maple/Walnut/Rosewood 2" square - board. Also lacquered, 20 years old, and in great shape!
6. 2x 20" rollup mousepad boards (2.25" sq.) - WE Games in simulated maple/walnut
7. 2x 20" rollup mousepad boards (2.25" sq.) - WE Games in simulated rosewood burl/ebony
8. 1x 20" rollup (2.25" sq.) mousepad board by LEAP (Amazon) - Maple/Walnut
9. 2x silk rollup travel boards, 16" w/1.75" sq.) for 3" sets
10. 1x 18" wooden walnut/maple board for 3" sets - generic. 
11. 1 x folding 18" (2" square) Maple Walnut board - generic.
12. 1 x 21" folding Walnut/Maple board (2.2" squares) - generic.

So that is like... 16(?) boards!

Library consists of 40+ books some classics some newer.

Have 8 portable Chess Computers, of varying vintage and complexity. (1984-2016 vintage)

I'll wait until my new set arrives, but here's a few pics of some sets:

I usually play with the Renegade Rosewood/Boxwood set on a Maple/Walnut 22" board, or my Bedford set on the same. Really like those Regency boards!

One final one, a recent acquisition this spring: HOS Altimira Ebony/Boxwood 4.4" king, on a Chess Baron 23 inch (2.4" sq.) x1" Ebony/Walnut w/Rosewood boarders - looks pretty nice, IMO:

So - that is that I guess for now!

Rm (Rookium)

Note: Sorry a few of the boards came out sideways - iPhone angst shooting sets (older pics)

Pic#1 is my boxwood/ebonized ~1844 Library set - neat rooks...

Pic#2 is my ebony/boxwood HOS Renegade (BCC replica) on my new fancy 1"x23"x23" Ebony/walnut/rosewood bordered board.

Pic#3 is my HOS Bedford Staunton set (ebonized/boxwood) on Regency 22"x22" maple/walnut board.

Pic#4 is my Rosewood/Boxwood Renegade set (HOS) on same board as above.

Pic #5 is my new 4.4" king, HOS Altimira Ebony/Boxwood set on the new ChessBaron board (23x23"x1" Ebony/Walnut/Rosewood board)

Rm

2 full size wood sets-very lovely sets.(One a present from my mother in law)

1 wood analysis set (ie small)-I use it a lot for working thru books.

1 plastic (small) analysis set- mostly for travelling.

1 Dreuke players choice set from long ago- an old friend-for many many years my only set.

1 cheap, plastic tournament set. A collection of chipped pieces from other similar sets-all so I wont cry if/when pieces walk away.- likely they are left over from my college chess club.

1 nice, heavily weighted plastic set- for in my office at work-just in case.

1 small magnetic set.

All Staunton w. French style knights.

- Bill

Nice Bill!

I just added two 21" leather boards (2.25"/60mm Squares - one in Black and off-white, and one in off-white and deep tan) coming from Chess Baron into my mix. So that should be fun!

Somebody stop me!!! I'm in both Chess Heaven and Hell! ($$$-wise... lol)

Rm

I have two chess sets.

Hang around here and you can be inspired to increase that number fast. Before I discovered this forum a couple of years ago, I had just two sets.

(Plus the Megachess garden set which is not included in the photo)

Two sets is one more than you need.

Understand the idea, but when I travel I want to bring a set and book. For that a small, light, plastic analysis set as set#2 is essential for me. (I only take a small backpack travelling so ''lighter and smaller = gooder''.)

Herman,

While technically you are correct , I have to say that buying a set one uses and LIKES a lot, probably a twin of this set is warranted; since some sets are limited editions, or production runs, if one ever has a piece lost or damaged, it is always nice to be able to pull out of the spare set.

Besides, as SwimmerBill mentioned, it is nice to have a portable travel set when a full size set is not practical to tote. So, really 2-3 are ideal in that light.

Maybe 3: One for show/display, one for general playing and use, and one for more travel, portable use.

Rm

I don't know the exact number, however you can see many of them in this YT channel, I change chess set every few videos, sometimes depending on the historical period or the tournament.

In this video, because it is on Fischer, I used a Dubrovnik chess set from the 1950ies, with distressed White pieces and Mahogany for the Black pieces.

VERY nice set, Mr. #2025!!!

I love the distressed look of the boxwood pieces - looks vintage and retro at the same time! Bueno!

Rm