St. Teresa of Ávila, Patron Saint of Chess – Poster

Saint Teresa of Ávila played chess. In The Way of Perfection (1566) she turned the game into a lesson: a soul that wants to reach God must learn to give checkmate to the divine King. Spanish chess players took her at her word and, in 1944, made her their patron saint. She is the only saint in the calendar with a chess piece in her hand.

This is World Chess’s portrait of her: a black king held like a relic, the London skyline behind her, and a crowd of players of every age around a board at her feet. Drawn in the style of a woodcut, one colour, every line cut by hand. It is not a poster about chess. It is a poster for people who already know the game is bigger than the board.

What you get

• Print, 20 × 30 in (51 × 76 cm). Unframed; fits a standard 20 × 30 frame
• Japanese paper, 10 mil (0.25 mm), semi-matte with a light sheen. Does not take fingerprints
• Black and white, printed to order for you, signed with the World Chess hexagon at the base

Where it goes

A study, a club room, the wall above the board at home. It holds its own next to books and wood, which most chess posters do not. As a gift it solves the hardest case: the player who already owns every set.

Details

Shipping and returns

Printed and dispatched within two business days; international delivery usually takes up to 10 business days, with a tracking link after dispatch. Customs duties, where they apply, are paid by the recipient. Returns within 14 days of delivery, in original packaging.

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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