Official World Chess Premium Set

This is the set the World Championship is played on. Boxwood pieces, triple-weighted, drawn by Daniel Weil of Pentagram and refined with Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik; a board inlaid in ebony, acacia and maple with the World Chess hexagon raised in the corner. FIDE-approved for championship play. Everything in it is the size the professionals use: 5 cm squares, a 9.5 cm king that weighs 50 g.

It is made to be played, not kept behind glass. The weighting is why the pieces stand through a blitz game; the matte inlay is why the position reads under any light. It comes in a bespoke storage box and will outlast the table you put it on.

What is in the box

• 34 pieces in boxwood, ebonised and natural, triple-weighted: a full set and two extra queens. King 9.5 cm, 50 g
• Board inlaid in ebony, acacia and maple, 50 × 50 cm, 5 cm squares, raised hexagon, about 4.5 kg
• Bespoke storage box for the pieces

Details

Who it is for

The player who wants the stage set, not a tribute to it. The club that wants one serious board. The gift that ends the search. If you prefer a walnut board to the inlay, see the Championship Set, Walnut Edition; if you want it all in black, the Black Premium Set; if you already own a board, the pieces on their own.

Shipping and returns

Dispatched within two business days; international delivery usually takes up to 10 business days, with a tracking link after dispatch. Free shipping on orders over $300. Customs duties, where they apply, are paid by the recipient. Returns within 14 days of delivery, unused and in original packaging; EU customers can ask for a prepaid return label, its cost deducted from the refund.

A wooden board and boxwood pieces will outlast you if you keep two things away from them: water and extremes. Everything below follows from that.

The board

Keep it dry. Water lifts veneer and swells solid wood; a spilled glass should be wiped at once. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, air conditioners and fans: heat and dry air make wood shrink, humidity makes it swell, and a board that lives next to a heater will eventually gap at the joints.

Dust it with a dry, soft cloth. Smudges and fingerprints come off with a cloth that is barely damp. If the surface feels sticky, wipe it dry. Once a month or so, a little beeswax or a furniture polish such as 3M keeps the lacquered boards looking new; our boards have a melamine lacquer that takes polish well.

The pieces

Boxwood wants the same thing as the board: no damp, no heat. Store the set in its box or pouch, not on a windowsill. Do not use polish on the pieces; a dry cloth is all they need. A piece that has taken a knock can be re-felted; write to us.

Folding and travel boards

Close them with the pieces inside their compartment, not loose on the board. Magnets do not mind temperature, but the felt does mind damp, so dry a travel set that has been in the rain before it goes back in the bag.

If something has gone wrong with a set, see the warranty or write to shop@worldchess.com.

Orders over $300 ship free to the US, UK and EU. Return any order within 14 days of delivery.

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