Good choice KF! I bought the same set, in the black stained pieces because my board is a classic maple/walnut.
For you, a darker contrast is likely better, here’s what a lighter colored board looks like and it’s not ideal: Red pieces with Paduak
Wenge is a fantastic choice.
@VBerriz ,
since you've purchased the Caissa chess pieces, can you tell me your opinion about the knights neck? They look quite thin to me. I am planning to use these pieces for travel and every day use.
Also, I was more thinking about sheesham or oak when I mentioned a lighter contrast, thou I agree, that Wenge is a fantastic, probably the best choice. That said, I am buying these pieces to carry them in travel chess board around with me and the only Wenge board Ive found costs 250 dollars, is from the USA (customs duty) and has some notations with a very ugly font. ( Chessboard link)
-Konstantin
Konstantin,
My pieces are in transit, so no idea yet on the suitability or durability. However, there is an excellent Greek chessboard maker that has more affordable boards:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SakisTsiogkasWood
@VBerriz ,
since you've purchased the Caissa chess pieces, can you tell me your opinion about the knights neck? They look quite thin to me. I am planning to use these pieces for travel and every day use.
I was playing with this set tonight and I would not be concerned about the knight's neck. It is proportionally robust. The set is does not ask for delicate play and it flows well aesthetically. The carvings are deceptively simple but the lines are masterfully balanced and designed. The proportions, tactile feel, and play is excellent. Nice weight. I am quite fond of the thick squat feel of it, including the oversized pawn heads. This is a player's set. I briefly tried 2", 2.125", and 2.25" boards. I liked 2.125" the best, so that's what we played on. I might give 2.25" another try. YMMV of course.
Hey @beachero - great to hear your thoughts and they totally align with mine - the design and playability are truly excellent - albeit I am going off playing with a slightly larger copy of this original set and I am looking forward to receiving my original pieces from Biro Sándor in a few weeks. He has been wonderfully responsive and professional in all my communications and I am so happy to have purchased the set from him.
On the knight - is it a one piece knight? I think it may be and if so, wouldn’t that add to the robustness too? As it isn’t going to break off a base… just a thought and I may be wrong.
Yes, it is a one piece knight. Great point about durability and it certainly adds to the nice feel of the set as well. I think there's something to be said about maple too.
I think the colour is entirely personal taste. You could go for complementary contrasting colours, or stay near the same hues as in your image. But I think tones (relative brightness and darkness) of the pieces and squares are most important.
You could have everything the same colour, but still get good contrast between all of the black and white elements. However, contrasting colours can have a surprisingly similar tone at times. That is, in B&W, they can be similar shades of gray. Lack of tonal contrast makes them harder to distinguish "at a glance", even if the hue is very different. The "black" squares and pieces are very similar, tonally, in your pic, but they are the same colour too, so not a good example. But the mahogany surround below shows it. Visibly different to the walnut squares on the coloured side, but definitely less so on the B&W side.
I suspect that's why boxwood and ebony pieces on maple and walnut squares is such a popular combination. It's what I chose for my recently-acquired "nice" set (my only one). All 2nd hand and the board is awaiting it's second paste-waxing after rubbing down - but handy to illustrate the point.
The colours are what they are, but the tones are spaced evenly across the grayscale range. Each element contrasts "near optimally" with every other one. IMO. But I like the colours too 
Cheers
I am planning on buying the Caissa Hungarian Romanian chess pieces with the wine red stained dark pieces. What chess board colours/wood would you recommend?
I think a board made out of Wenge or Blackwood would offer great contrast. That said, I am also looking for other wood sorts, maybe on the lighter colour side.
