beautiful set, now all we need is the soundtrack from the film when using it.
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" German Knight set
Sort:
cgrau wrote:
keysquareskerfuffle wrote:
cgrau wrote:
I think perhaps the Botvinnik Flohr II pieces, which were Tournament pieces in the Soviet Union for four decades.
Four decades in the SU, and where are we now, about one decade give or take across many nations with the universal (for lack a better word) German Knight pieces, obviously the Club pieces have been used for several decades here in the US, and still fill out a majority of boards in many tournaments, but don't know how widely it's been used elsewhere. Interesting topic, which chess pieces have seen more action in major tournaments?
It is an interesting topic. I'd say we have to consider the plastic Lardys qua club sets, the Hastings pieces come to mind, the BF IIs, the Soviet Grossmeister design was used from the forties to the eighties, though its quality degraded seriously over time. The thing about the Soviet sets is that they produced knock-offs of all their frontline sets and sold them to the millions and millions who played everywhere from the top-level tournaments to the factory floor. You should try to get your hands on USCF catalogues from the late sixties on and see what they offered. I couldn't find ads for the club sets up through around 1972 in Chess Life.
I think things get even more interesting as you go back before WW2. Non-Stauntons, in particular the Regence design, were still a viable thing on both sides of the Atlantic. In the Germanic world, important tournaments were played with that distinctive central European set that has Christmas-tree-like pawns. I've seen pictures of the 190-something Canadian championship with a St. George.
Ah, the good old days.
A contender for the worst knight design I've ever seen:
I love the German Knight design, it's just so nice to play with in tournaments. That was a crazy deal getting a whole set for 12 bucks.
being ugly is a subjective topic
Agree and disagree in the same time. How did that cheap chess set become that popular on the very highest level?
Actually, the so called German Knight and the entire set appears to have their origin in the vintage (early 1900 and the first part of the 20th Century) german pattern staunton chessmen (deutschstaunton) with glass-eyed knights. Like the one in the pictures. Ugly just the same but interesting to know they did exist. 
AlexBurda: But just as Chuck Grau says, they still have an inherent beauty and their proportions are feels right. The 'German Knight' sets just look clumsy and without any grace.
I think the knights in your first picture are wonderful. Love the glass eyed knights, even when they look like Scooby Doo.
I just picked this "German Knight" set up on Ebay. I think it falls into the "good" category but then I bought it so I would think that. It is unusual anyway in that it is large. The king is 4.25 inches. I find the carving on the knights to be superior to the usual concave snub-nose models. These have short muzzles but they are very straight if not slightly convex. The pieces are a little clubby but because of the additional height of the set, they avoid being stubby or clunky. The set is well weighted (2.25 lbs.) and handles very nicely. The seller (from England) provided no info on who made it or where it might have come from but he did indicate that it was an older set. My hunch is maybe 80s or 90s but I have no real basis to think that. I think it's boxwood and stained boxwood but again if anyone has a better idea based on the pics, please post. It could be French...or Indian...or anything else. Just thought I'd put it up here and see if anyone has seen or owns one similar. Anyway, I like it and don't have a "German Knight" set so I'm happy to have this one. The final picture is of the GK king against a king from an old chubby pawn (Ultimate) plastic set.
-Mike
All of those are very nice sets! I will soon post photos of my own 
bananamoon wrote:
Matter of taste ... I do like to play with "German Knight" sets but to be honest once the game has started the look of the set (as long as it fits regulations) is not important to me.
This is absolutely beautiful sight!
The Dragon Head Knight Bohemia set is the best looking German chess set ever made. The one pictured is a reproduction.
Here is the best idea for the German Knight. The Modern Series from HoS. Take a Bohemia set and use a German style Knight. 
haha, that ugly knight you say, i just wanted to play chess after a ten year brake and 25 years ago physical chess was a thing for a while, 3 years or so. And i needed a new board, i bought one and noticed my pieces were to small so i searched for bigger ones and ended up liking these (upper part of the picture) the best and got @RoyalChessMall these beautiful German knights instead (down side of the picture) they are almost funny and remind me on sprites of the game "world cup" for the nes that i played with my friends 33 years ago. That 4 player adapter game!? So, i love "german knights" but the ones i got, for the obnoxious boutique price of 90 bugs must be the newest degernation of these knights to date arent they!? you decide:
Replacement arrived, I like this a little bit better than the DGT, timeless Set. It combines a hint towards russian big base with the current tournament pieces. Look at how beautiful the kings "head" is carved, the round bishop. And the famous "German Knight" finally looks exactly as displayed on the webside. @RoyalChessMall
Niggemann used to sell this set many years ago. I contacted support and replied that the manusfacturer stopped supplying this set in the early 90s. That's weird because the set you have look very new.
I need to look at Ebay.de
Can you check king height in centimeters.
My used set is K=93mm
I'll measure them when I get home. I bought them NIB--New In Box--they never had been used. Still haven't been used, either, except in my photos.
Nordlandier, the label on the box lists the king at 93mm. It is a gorgeous set, though I'm still not that fond of the knight.