Post Your Chess Sets

Simple and well balanced. The chess set I like most.

HoS Craftsman Series Blood Rosewood = $459

RCM Craftsman Series Bud Rosewood = $170.95

So the added 1/8 inch and an extra 11.12oz justifies an added cost of $288.05? Me personally that much of an added cost for getting only this much of a difference is outrageous in my opinion. Seems to me that the added cost, Is the cost of the name only and nothing more. I'm sure that the HoS version is a fine set but I just can't justify paying nearly an extra $300 just for the little extra you will receive from that version.  

I agree that there is difference between other sets. However since lead is not really expensive and just an added 1/8 of an inch doesn't justify a cost that is way out of proportion to what you are getting. That's why I refuse to pay a difference of that amount of cost. Cost is my number one issue with chess sets. The reason is because I want to play with my sets. Playing will cause damage no matter how careful you are. It only takes one incident and you have a high dollar set that has a broken piece. Yes you can get a replacement but with wood. You are not going to get that replacement piece to look just like the rest of the set. It will stick out like a sore thumb. So I weigh the difference between the design, weighing, and cost. If the cost doesn't justify the design and weighing difference. I will always go with the version that is cheaper. Simply economics. 

I had a similar issue when buying Zagreb Burnt pieces. $300 on HOS or $120 on Indian site (CB etc.). See here. I ended up buying from ChessNcraftsIndia. Just could not justify paying almost 3 times for basically the same set.

Well, you are obviously incorrect.  All of the Frank Camaratta designed sets are made in India.

I have simply pointed out the detail differences between Frank’s design set and the cheap, in many different ways, copy of RCM.

Note the if you buy the Chess Bazaar Sinquefield 2017 set, you will be buying something very close to the Camaratta set.  I know a couple of people that have bought that CB set and it’s great.  Oh yeah schmuck, they are all made in India.

What an idiot you are!  You have facts very wrong, and your value system for Chess piece quality and value is in the gutter.

First, the Hos Craftsman set in Blood Rosewood lists at $459.  But no one in their right mind would compare or buy at this price with the sales and discounts HoS offers everyone.  Pay attention, for a change.  The usual best sale is 20% off.  That brings the price to $367.20.  They have a buyer club that gives another 10% discount.  Now the price is $330.48.

So, what do we get for the $160 difference?

1. The pieces on the cheaper set are smaller.  It is not only the base diameter that is smaller but the whole piece and set.

2. The cheaper set is almost 3/4 lb lighter than the better set.  This is a noticeable difference.

Look, all I have pointed out is you get what you pay for.  
I have not said people, especially you, should only buy the better, more expensive set.  I simply pointed out the value of each set.

You, on the other hand, are saying people should only buy the cheaper, lower quality product.

My mini chessmen on walk.

I consider the above writing a provocation.

Sir, I take insult.  You are wrong in attacking me.

You will note that I have stated that all the sets by Noj are very good.  And I have also sung praises for Chess Bazaar, Official Staunton, American Chess Equipment, and Empire Chess.  Frank Camaratta creates very nice designs that both look and play exceptionally well.  Why do you have a problem with this?

I have simply pointed out that some of these direct places are selling cheap copies that are, well, cheap in many ways.  No where have I said that anyone should not buy cheap.  I have said to pay attention to the specifics and details when buying.  Is that what you find wrong?

I understand your logic even if it is poor.

As others have said, not everyone will operate under the same thinking as you do, thank goodness.

Carry on buying the cheapest stuff you can find and good luck with that.

In the meantime stop deriding, attacking, insulting or otherwise making less of others that choose quality and have a decent set of morals and ethics.

I have seen the 20% sale recently, how often do they offer them? Also what is the buyer club? is it this one at $100? It doesn't have any details. Is it a one time payment of $100 that gives you a permanent 10% discount on top of any other discount?

I don’t know what they charge now for it, but that $100 does not surprise me.  I got into it at the beginning, about 2003 or so.

Yes, it is a lifetime 10% discount.  And it is added to any sale discounts as well.  If you plan on spending $1,000 or more, total in the future, it is well worth it.

So, you take a single statement about a single situation and say I insinuate this as an always thing?

Did you not read my comment about how the $1,000 price difference is extremely tempting to buy the CB set over the HoS set?  Oh, I guess you missed that.  Instead you have been blind to everything positive I have written about any set or company that is not Frank Camaratta. Please continue to attack and deride me for things you have missed.  That is sarcasm by the way.

Look, I have learned by experience that any set created by Frank Camaratta is superior.  Frank is an aerospace engineer by training.  When he has sets made they are balanced and handle better than others.  This is a fact.  Many sets can look the same in pictures, but they handle differently.  This is not just my opinion.  I have had friends notice the same, exact thing.  I also bought other sets in the past to find out they were not as nice.  HoS, which Frank sold back in 2004, has had other sets made that do not compare well with Frank’s designed sets.

Gregor and his brother and father, of Noj also make exceptional sets, particularly in handling.  They do not make the Staunton sets that Frank designs.  Both of them make exceptionally high quality sets.  Once again this is fact, not opinion.

Chess Empire and Staunton Castle now sell some sets direct that Frank created a number of years ago.  So a number of their sets will also be great.

Chess Bazaar has increased their quality a lot in the last number of years.  I own about 7 of their sets and they are fine.

Note that all the sets I mention above except for Noj are made in India.

So @TheSultan31003 you need to stop saying that I have said things when I have not said them.  You are attacking me by saying what you have said about me.  Stop it.

I said what I said.  I did not exaggerate or lie, as you have.

So, what sets do you own that you feel are nice?

Yeah, let’s talk Chess sets.

You should retract and apologize.  It really is that simple.

Gentlemen,

When it comes to cost, quality, and value, each of us has our own barometer. What is expensive to me may not be expensive to someone who has 5 or 10 times my disposable income. Price and value are relative concepts. As the old saying goes, "one man's ceiling is another man's floor." Ultimately, the value of anything is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it. If someone is willing to spend $1,000 on a Russian chess set in poor condition. Then, guess what, it's a $1000 chess set!

I have a friend that spends $100-$200 dollars a week on wine and another $90 a week on pistachio nuts! Is he crazy? No, he just likes wine and pistachio nuts. One thing I learned selling expensive audio/video equipment, you're not selling based on your sense of value, but on your customer's.

If you don't deride your smoking friends for wasting $2,500+ a year on cigarettes, why criticize someone who buys 10 chess sets a year and pays a premium of $250 a set for higher quality products? There are a lot more dangerous and wasteful ways to spend your money (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, porn, etc.), and your brain, liver, lungs, and private parts will thank you for not abusing them.

As a matter of interest in relation to the HOS and RCM sets HOS is listed as "blood" rosewood and RCM as "bud" rosewood. I'm not sure if these are the same thing. Did HOS use red sandalwood at some point and call it blood rosewood? This HOS blood rosewood set is more expensive than the genuine ebony version, which seems strange.

Also HOS offers free shipping whereas RCM says "shipping calculated at checkout" (I didn't go that far). Do RCM offer free shipping? The final point concerns import duties and taxes. Whenever I receive a set from outside the EU, I also receive a hefty invoice for duties and taxes. For folks in the US this would obviously not apply to the HOS version, since they would have paid taxes on importation. But there should be some kind of additional charge for the customer when they are importing?

Not trying to say that RCM aren't cheaper than HOS but at least make sure you're comparing apples to apples. The sets also look different to each other, even without measuring them.

@loubalch  I can see someone drinking $100 worth of win a week, to each their own but $90 in pistachios?  You can buy six 3 pound bags at Costco as you know for $90. That is 18 pounds of pistachios. How can anyone eat that much? 🍕🍔🍟🌭🍿🥩🌮🥪🥨🥯🥓🍤🍗🧈🍞   

Hope you are doing well Lou. Maybe one day when it's safe again we can play at the coffee shop down at the lake. Would be great not to be afraid to go out and play chess again. 

I did not get far enough for the shipping.  But you have said what I did, thank you.

Two cents worth on ebony.  I was in a private chat with a very large and respectable India Chess Manufacturer and all their ebony is dyed black. When I asked why he said you Americans demand that solid black look, and in reality, much of it is not. Yes, it is 100% ebony but yes it is also dyed. 

Now I know people will say that's not true but I know it is. For me, I would rather have what I consider those beautiful brown streaks running through the ebony wood but many see it is poorer quality, I do not. 

When I buy a set, which is seldom these days I go for the India Rosewood and natural boxwood. No need to dye anything, just buff and ship it.  Also ebony has more tendency to crack if not kept at a proper humidity level as all hardwood would do, but some more than others.