How to Choose a Chess Board: a Practical Buyer’s Guide
por Paul Chessini
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To choose a chess board, begin with size: match your pieces with square size that fits (most tournament-style setups are with squares of about 50-55 mm and a king of about 3.5-3.75 inches). Next, choose the material that fits your budget and play, solid wood or veneered wood to play at home or in tournaments; foldable MDF/wood to store away. Lastly, make a choice of features (coordinates, foldable or flat, border style, matte or gloss) and contrast that make light/dark squares and pieces easy to read.
Introduction: Why Making the Right Choice Matters
The “bad” board is pretty, but it will give you a struggle when you play it—squares too small to fit your king, glare that conceals the diagonals, or a glossy finish that reflects all the lamps. The right board makes your pieces, space, and routine fit so that your eyes are relaxed and plans are better. You might need this later on, when you are still choosing a full set: How to set up a chess set (our step-by-step orientation guide)
Major criteria (size, material, price, level)
1) Size & piece fit
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Take height of your king and choose size of square. As an expediency rule: boards of 50-55 mm square match with 3.5-3.75 inch kings (tournament style). When you want a smaller footprint at home, 45 mm squares can be used with smaller/”studio” pieces.
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Measure your table space (board footprint) and whether you will leave it vacant or put it away between games.
2) Material & build
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Solid/veneered wood (walnut, maple, ebony, sycamore): traditional feel, strong, excellent contrast..
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MDF/engineered wood with veneer: stable, low priced, frequently used in foldable/home-edition boards.
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Finish: matte/satin reduces glare; gloss is stunning but reflective of light.
3) Style & features
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Flat/folding: folding boards can be easily stored; flat boards are absolutely rigid.
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Coordinates (optional) assist novices to track down lessons and record games.
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Border design: in some contemporary boards (such as Bauhaus) the borders are reduced or eliminated to give a clean, geometrical appearance.
4) Budget & level
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Home/travel use: MDF/veneer or folding wood boards are affordable.
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Club/tournament and display: high grade wood (usually walnut/maple, occasionally ebony) constructed to championship standards.
Chess Boards Recommendations from World Chess Shop
Besides our suggestions, you will always have an opportunity to get other chess boards in the style you prefer or in the style that fits your pieces.
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Official World Chess Premium Board — ideal when setting up a flagship tournament (ebony/maple/acacia; championship specifications).
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Walnut & Maple Traditional Board (2.25″ squares) — standard appearance and full tournament size; produced in Spain with satin veneer.
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Official World Chess Walnut Board (50×50 mm squares) — clean championship geometry and good contrast; official pieces are paired with it.
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Official Folding Chess Board (45 mm squares) — a compact Spanish-made board made of walnut and sycamore; a good choice in case you put the board away between games.
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World Chess Cabinet Board with Drawer (5×5 cm squares) — board + hidden compartment; ideal when you need it all in a single neat space.
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Home Edition Board in Walnut (45×45 cm; 4.5 cm squares) — everyday play and study board made of refined MDF/veneer.
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Home Edition Board in Black & White (4.5 cm squares) — bold and high-contrast appearance that makes positions immediately readable.
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Home Edition Bauhaus Board — minimal, border-light design; a contemporary design statement to use at home or in a studio.
Require a full beginner system rather than a board only? Check our guide to Chess set for beginners.
Types of chess boards (at a glance)
Chess boards are not all the same. This brief overview will help you compare and contrast the most popular ones, what they are best at, their major advantages, and what to avoid, so you can find the right board to suit your space, budget, and playing preferences.
Wood (solid or veneered)
Best in: home and club play, exhibition.
Advantages: vintage touch, strong, high contrast; complements Staunton pieces.
Watch-outs: glossy; heavy finishes may reflect bright lights.
Folding wood / MDF + veneer
Best in: small areas, easy to store.
Advantages: small, stable, generally matte; inexpensive.
Watch-outs: be aware of mind hinge quality and alignment to ensure that the seam lies flat.
Vinyl roll-up
Best for: travel, school/club kits, analysis boards.
Advantages: extremely portable, cost-effective, coordinates are frequently included.
Watch-outs: appearance utilitarian; can get folds when improperly stored.
Silicone roll-up
Best for: rugged portability.
Advantages: flat, will not crease, washable.
Watch-outs: gathers dust; is not as classic as wood.
Plastic (rigid)
Best for: budget home use.
Advantages: tough, wiping, stable contrast.
Watch-outs: may be shiny; examine non-slip feet.
Magnetic / travel
Best in: planes, cars, analysis on the go.
Advantages: pieces are retained; small footprints.
Watch-outs: small squares do not allow visualization of long sessions.
Glass / marble / stone
Best in: decorative centerpieces.
Advantages: impressive design, seriousness.
Watch-outs: glare, slippery surfaces, and chips- better to be displayed than to be played at every day.
Electronic / smart boards
Best on: games that are logged, playing online with actual pieces.
Advantage: transfers between records, links with applications; excellent training records.
Watch-outs: increased cost; ensure compatibility of app/device.
Quick pick rule: In order to have a single board that works with most sets, buy a wooden board made of walnut/maple, 50-55 mm square (fits a 3.5-3.75 inch king), matte/satin finish, and good light-dark contrast.
Care & maintenance tips
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Wipe and dust off with a soft dry microfiber cloth after playing; on wood/veneer, wipe with barely damp cloth, dry immediately.
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Do not expose to heat/sun and excessive changes in humidity; keep flat (folded boards closed).
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Guard the surface: avoid piling heavy items on it; place pieces of felt bottoms; avoid placing liquids.
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When dealing with glossy finishes: use soft cloths without abrasion, in order to prevent scratches on the hairline.
How to Choose a Chess Board FAQ
How can you tell a good quality chess board?
Check square sizes, solid/veneered hardwoods, flat (no warp), a finish that does not glare and a board footprint suitable to your pieces. Boards of championship quality (such as the World Chess Premium and Walnut boards) are good standards.
How to choose a good chess board?
Size of the square matches your pieces (common “tournament-style” uses 50-55 mm square with a king 3.5-3.75 inches), then determine what material and features to add that can fit your budget and space.
Is a 20″ chess board too big?
It relies on your table and pieces. With the wooden boards, many of the tournament-style boards are approximately 22-23 inches with 2.25 inches (57 mm) squares; the Traditional Chess Board perfectly fits these dimensions. Smaller tables, or studio-sized works, have 45 mm-square boards to maintain a small footprint.
Which chess board size is best?
Most players use squares of about 50-55mm with a 3.5-3.75 inch tall king; smaller squares known as “studio” pieces fit 45 mm squares well.
Which chess boards are used in tournaments?
Elite boards are constructed to championship/tournament standards such as the World Chess Premium Board and Walnut Board and are used with official championship pieces.
To Sum It Up
The first step is matching the board with your pieces (size of square to height of king) and then selecting the material and finish that suits your playing style and where you will store it. Only add features you will need: folding to store, coordinates to study, matte to read without glare. When you are not sure, a walnut/maple board with 50-55 mm squares is a safe, tournament-style board which fits most standard sets and is very eye-pleasing at home.
Related reading
- Plans after you have a board — Beginner Chess Strategies guide.
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FIDE Handbook — Standards of Chess Equipment (2022): official specs for boards, pieces, finishes, and square size.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (2023): the governing rules for over-the-board play, incl. board layout and orientation.