Post Your Current Playing Setup

Please post what you are currently using for play.  Obviously we will see a lot of different setups at any given time.

I know there was another thread started about this, but I could not easily find it.  So post away.

Tonight we had our Round 3 of our club's Midsummer Knight's Dream tournament which has G/80, d/5.

I spent a little time last night picking and pairing up a set and board and clock for tonight.  Here is what I came up with and played on tonight:

It is the Noj GM Pavasovic set in Walnut.  The King is 99mm (3.89") tall and the base is 42mm (1.65") in diameter.  I have it on The House of Staunton Walnut Folding Board with 2.25" (57mm) squares.  This gives a King diameter to square size percentage at 70%.

The clock is a V-Tek 300 with a wood grain finish.  The company was going to come out with it, but I understand they have not set up contracts with suppliers yet.  I honestly do not know what this wood grain clock will cost as I had this one sent to me after they had some, ahem, problems servicing a couple of defectively manufactured ones with me.  Of course it all started with one clock having the problem, but they ended up sending me 2 others afterward trying to remedy the problem only to have each one showing yet a different problem.

And for Bawker, please note that I always take the option of the board with no logo on the h1 square

No h1 logo?  Good man!

 I rotate my playing setup pretty frequently, but for the last 2 weeks it's all been packed up in boxes while I'm re-doing the library and adding shelving and a new door.

Before the re-model began, my favorite setup was a Drueke 23" (2.25" squares) board and either my HoS "Zagreb '59" (Rosewood) pieces or my Chessbazaar "Blackburne" (Bud Rosewood) pieces.  I almost always use my black Chronos II clock, the white one is just too "noticeable" and distracting, and my blue one is still in a box somewhere from my last move still waiting to be found.  I occasionally break out my original version cherry wood "Duel Timer" clock (with brass plunger buttons) when I really want to play a "classy" game in style, but since you can't get that clock any more I use it sparingly because I know that I probably won't be able to replace it if it ever stops working.

I'd photo stuff, but construction currently prohibits it... pictures of boxes just aren't very interesting!

Maybe in a week or 3 when things settle and I get it all set up again... by then my custom designed 2.5" Purpleheart and Maple board should be finished and I can do it up right!

Very nice.  I envy you the Duel Timer.  But it's a good envy.

Eyechess,

Thank you!  I actually know where the Duel Timer is, on a bench in the next room with some books, so I went and snapped a quick iPad photo of it for you.  Enjoy!

That's very nice.  Of course the wood is exquisite, and the brass faceplate and buttons are an excellent touch.

Eyechess: I admire your guts taking an expensive set to a tournament. I would dread what would happen to the set should you or your opponent get into time trouble and pieces start flying off the board!

I've had it for around 10 years now, and tried to keep it in good condition.

The brass faceplate has one "ding" just to the left of the "Duel Timer" logo which you can see in the photograph... happened when an idiot former "friend" who doesn't respect nice things (at least things that aren't his! ) tossed his Bic lighter onto the chess table trying to get to the ringing phone in his pocket.  This understandably ticked me off just a bit...

Really, some of these sets are really made for playing.

Plus, at G/80, d/5 on a Monday evening, if we see time trouble it will be kind of late at night.  So pieces usually don't go flying.  Also most all at the club are pretty calm when playing.

And I'm here to tell you that playing on a nice set and board is really nice.

I bet that clock looks great next to a nice wood board and pieces.  I look forward to seeing the pictures you can put up, especially the new board with a set on it.

Reminds me of the pictures of Street Fighter setups and such...

Street Fighter setups?  Can you elaborate?  I'm not familiar with whatever that is...

Eyechess: 

How do you carry your nice equipment to the tournament?  Do you put the pieces in a bag/backpack with the board?  Did you win last night?

Tournament Series Staunton Chess Pieces with German Knight in Stained Dyed & Box Wood - 3.7" King (Chess Bazaar) and a maple walnut board (5.5cm squares - Niggemann)

OMG that is a really sharp looking setup. I particularly like the color combinations.

bananamoon It looks like your setup is very nice and easy to play with.

cghori, I keep all my sets in flat, Plano boxes with a nufoam lining the bottom. There is a 3700 model I use for most of the sets. And another, bigger model with a handle for the bigger sets.

The folding boards like the one pictured all live in a HoS Deluxe Tournament bag that fits the boards perfectly.

The clock has a wedge shaped case.

The deluxe bag holds the board, set (in its Plano box), and clock easily.

Thx Eyechess for the nice compliment. I'm a big fan of chess sets with german knights as used in international tournaments (Timeless - DGT). I chose especially this set with Stained Dyed black pieces instead of sheesham because it provides indeed a better contrast on a maple walnut / board.

Sheesham and boxwood combination: 

I said under the other thread that I'd try to post a picture of the Knight in close up. It's from a Sinquefield Cup set.

Eyechess,

I received my custom Purpleheart/Maple board with Jatoba border yesterday.  It looks fantastic!  I can't wait to get this remodel done, so I can photograph it with some nice sets and the Duel Timer for all of you equipment fans.  Probably still 2 or 3 weeks away, but I'll keep this thread in mind and eventually post photos!