Show us your everyday chess set

To clarify, the HoS Liberty Series meets all criteria mentioned, and complies with all FIDE and USCF equipment standards. For calculations, the 2022 U.S. Chess Championship vinyl board has 2.125" squares.

Well, I think that looks great.  The WT Pinney pattern is effortless to play with and was popular in clubs for a reason.  I don't think I have played with a design with pieces that are easier to 'see'.  Part of the genius of the pattern is ergonomic as well, and is best understood when actually playing with the pieces.  Are these boards still for sale?

beachero 

I believe the 2022 u.s. championship board is sold out, unless you want an autographed board, but the Chess Hall of Fame has a number of other vinyl boards for sale.

https://www.qboutiquestl.com/collections/tournaments

I went back and looked. Expanded the photo. They do look right proportionally. I kind of like the laquer finish. Stunning color contrast with the squares. Those two things combined make it a distinguished set.

It's not just about playing the game. It's also about appreciating the artistry and quality of the pieces and/or board.  That's why many here have multiple sets, and/or will spend $150 for a set when a $20 set would be good enough to play a game.  And that's why I just ordered a set of glass pieces which I may never use for an actual game because I'd be worried about dropping and breaking them.  They're going to be put somewhere primarily as decoration.

Coming down in size from my 22.5" with 2.25" HoS Mahogany and Maple Tournament Board, I just changed my everyday study board set-up to this extremely affordable 17.32" (45cm) Slovenia-made Mahogany and Maple Analysis Chessboard with 1.75" (45mm) squares from Muba (aka ChessGamesShop) on Amazon; which just arrived today after less than a week with free shipping.

Seen here as paired with 60oz Ultimate Bobby Fischer Chess Pieces v.3  by Wood Expressions; and, a 6.5" magnetic pocket chess set by Chess Armory - and, illustrating - courtesy of Fred Reinfeld's book - an early and fatal blunder committed by Black in response to White's Bishop's Opening game: 1. e4 e5  2. Bc4 Bc5  3. Qh5... Nc6??? - Ouch!

While aesthetically the 1.65" base of the Ultimate Fischer King on the 1.75" square might violate the visual elegance of an open field which a smaller based-King would provide; however, I find that in my case, a more dense play-field allows me to "see" the inter-relationships much clearer than on a more open play-field; and, being a Daily Study Set-Up, this works perfectly for me - Your mileage may vary - hence, I tend to prefer the largest piece I can fit on a smaller board.

I will have to see how this new 17" set-up "feels" to me over the next few days; and if these Ultimate pieces don't work after all - being just too dense - I will simply move down in size to a 3.75" HoS Master Series Triple Weighted 1.5" King-base set of Chessmen.; which currently live on a 15" board with 1 5/8th" squares.

As I said, I tend to like my set-ups on the tighter-side.

Initially, I was somewhat concerned about the piece proportions, but I agree that the pieces are phenomenal in person (finish, weight, sound, balance, grip, visibility, et cetera). I may have to do an in-depth review at some point! The Drueke Player's Choice pieces are also highly regarded as easy-to-see, though I've yet to experience the plastic or wood variants first-hand.

I'm not sure the boards made it to the Q Boutique online shop, as neither the standard nor autographed variants are visible in a "Sold Out" state. I purchased mine across the street from Q Boutique (WCHOF) at STLCC. If you or anyone else is interested, I can inquire when I revisit, then buy/ship them on your behalf via PayPal Friends and Family. Just send me a direct message.

I paid ~$20 discounted, as these newer batches made by Shelby Lohrman of American Chess Equipment are HIGH quality. I reckon his recent production contract with the USCF is well-deserved.

Omg. That's one of the most fanciest cheap tournament chess set I seen so far. 

As much as I love my 60 oz. Bobby Fischer Ultimate Pieces, after a few days of playing them on my new downsized 17" analysis board, I have determined they simply create even too crowded a visual, even for me. - See post # 247 above.

So, it was an easy fix to break out a set of HoS Master Series Triple Weighted 32oz. Chessmen w/ 1.5" base on a 3.75" inch King to better fit the 1.75" squares on the 17" board.

Still 'cozy', but for me, it's juuuust right.

Now I have an excuse to buy another super-inexpensive analysis board from CGS in the 19" size to comfortably use the 1.65" King-base Ultimate Bobby Fischer pieces on !!

Here's the HoS Master Series Triple Weighted on the CGS 17" board:

It looks nice. Just not my type tho. My type is pieces with long and/or fancy collars. Take the Preston and Chesterfield series from HOS or BCE stage 3 from Noj. Those are my type. Fancy collars but still minimalistic enough designs. 

I feel today is a modern Chavet kind of day.
Size 5. King 3.5" (89mm). Circa 2019.

Very Stylish.

Hear, Hear! I completely agree with the above illustrated relative proportions, even though I do not always and strictly contain myself to purchases which only subscribe to this aesthetic principle; however, I can tell you that I have passed on far too many sets of Chessmen I would have otherwise loved to have acquired - but, did not - specifically because of the gross violation of this principle of proportion, which made the prospective set under consideration far too unappealing to my eye.

I truly wish more designers and manufacturers would take this principle to heart in the execution of the works they offer for sale.

If they did, I, for one, would be buying even more than I already do.

Just changed sets my current set is a Soviet unweighted plastic set, I  was lucky enough to find at a local antique store, a couple years ago.

Romanian Hungarian (unfortunately not the Biro Sandor original) with a view…

I have a few nice boards. The one I use most often is nothing special, however. I use a small 6x6 in board as my everyday board, however, because I play a lot of chess on the go. It fits nicely in my bag along with my LEAP digital chess clock.

These pieces are nearly always out - displayed and used - on an old board in one room or t’other.

Very nice and a wonderful board combo.I think boards don't get enough love.

😊 DKW - Your no comment on the pieces  is comment enough …. I’m pretty sure it’s a Lardy. I enjoy these and my old Dogface pieces too - old and basic, a bit like myself. 😆 As is probably obvious from my posts - I enjoy pieces of all shapes and sizes and more and more a desire for pre-Staunton pieces and/or interesting historical designs. Indeed, my tastes change with my mood - so I’m glad I have a wide variation of pieces to draw upon. Each to their own. 👍