Is your board gathering dust?

Well, I’ve just joined, and in my insolence, thought I’d head straight for the forums and post some of the chess based nonsense that rattles around my brain.

Ask yourself this: Is your board gathering dust? As I was cleaning the other day, I happened upon my fine old wooden board (inherited from my late grandfather) languishing on a lonely shelf. Many a long month has passed since battle commenced on its polished surface, and I began to question why. All of my chess now takes place on the internet, or with engines, or using the rather nasty plastic sets of my local club. I have become very lazy; if I want to study a game I’ll look it up in a database and flick casually through the moves rather than set up my board and physically go through it. I miss the casual games with a pal and some cold beer, played on a nice set. All this digitisation has been wonderful for the game (how the hell did people play before computers and the internet?), but I can’t help but feel that it divorces it from its roots somewhat. I resolve, tonight, to set up my board and play through, oh, I don’t know, a Bobby Fischer. Anyone else missing their real boards?

A man after my own heart :) Just played through game 10 of Fischer-Spassky '72 on my real board; it brought joy to my heart.

I learned to play chess with my father on a board with a beautiful set of 11th Century Florentine Style pieces that he had since his days in the Navy.  During the summer months, I used to visit old Mr. Stewart next door and play several games a night using his beautiful wooden chess set.

I now have my father's Florentine set.  It's quite common back home in Philadelphia to see several pairs of people playing chess outside in Rittenhouse Square Park during the warm months.

The problem I have now is finding someone that still plays AND the time to get together for a match.

I have always preferred studying and moving real pieces over a computer screen...

Welcome to the club :) I actually have a board and pieces on the desk beside the keyboard so that I can actually play the game on the board, only using the screen as the diagram for reference to construct the necessary position. Something about me I guess, but I a 3D look and feel is essential.

 Ah, and there's the rub. I have exactly the same problem. The people I play against are scattrered around the world, only accessable by the internet, and my club. How I long for a local mate to play on a decent board with.

What's the Florentine style? Have any photos?

 Ha!  I do the same thing with my set.  That way I can study my position without staring into a eye-numbing computer screen for hours.  Then, when I re-visit Chess.com to continue play, I can resume somewhat quickly...

Fine idea. I need to de-clutter...

 11th Century Medieval replica.

To post a picture, I suppose I would need to take one on a digital camera, no?  Then, it's simply a download to the computer and transferred over?

:-/ I'll take your word for it that it's lovely :)

Mine doesn't gather dust, but it isn't used a lot also.

All of mine pretty much gather dust. :( That having been said, I've got a couple that are specifically for decorative use, so...but I don't play much chess with people that I know. I do play a lot online using Clubhouse Games for the DS, as well as vs. Chessmaster, but it's just not the same. I still keep a chess set from the 99c store (one of those in the little tin) in my purse...just in case.

My wife just bought me my first board for our anniversary, so it hasn't had any time to collect dust, and I don't intend for it to.

Best anniversary gift ever - now if I could only find someone to play a game with it...

As it is said in my country, A dusy board makes no moves.