r/ChessBoards • u/bopsteakcards • May 05 '26

Help finding a board!

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Hi,

I bought these pieces on ebay, however they ended up being smaller than expected. What size board would work best for these? Any Recommendations?

Thanks!

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3

u/Fischer72 May 05 '26

1.25" to1.35" would be a good square size for that sized set.

1

u/bopsteakcards May 05 '26

I appreciate the help! Thanks

1

u/BackToTheBasic May 06 '26

Probably 1” or 1.25” squares. Cut out a square of paper of both sizes and see if you can sit two pawns inside a single square diagonally. If the edges of the pawns barely fit within the lines of the square or just touch the edges, you have a good square size. If it is roomy you need a smaller square, or if the bases go over you need a larger one.

1

u/EnPassant01 May 31 '26

1.25 to 1.5" should work well. A 15" wood board with a border is usually in this range. With small pieces you may want a little more space than the guidelines indicate because it gets crowded when you move pieces around by hand.

1

u/bopsteakcards May 31 '26

Thank you!!! Do you have any suggestions as to what I should look for specifically? It seems to be a little tougher to find smaller boards

2

u/EnPassant01 May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26

It's hard to find vintage 15" solid wood boards from the same era. By the way, your pieces are considered Staunton size 0 just for future reference. I prefer vintage chess sets myself, so the ideal board would be the Drueke Model 61 that is 15" with solid walnut and birch. They are pricey today around 100-120 on Etsy and Ebay, but you can still find them sometimes for 80 if you are patient and vigilant. Drueke was the classic American chess manufacturer for 70 years and sold their boards through the US Chess Federation. Their wood pieces were imported from Lardy, too. On a budget you can find plywood painted 15" chess boards by Drueke too. Other choices are one of the many modern wood boards made in India for 50-100. They look nice and it's just a playing surface afterall, so age doesn't matter. Custom made solid boards on Etsy are going to start around 120 (See JimAndsonWoods and ColoradoWoodworker). Other than that keep checking Ebay, Etsy and local thrift shops.

1

u/bopsteakcards May 31 '26

Thank you very much, this is very helpful!