Finding Chess Sets
Regardless of whether you need a chess set for professional playing or you simply want it for your own pleasure, the choice can very demanding if you want to buy a quality product. There are several coordinates on which to judge whether chess sets are worth the price: quality, material, theme and size. Regular chess sets are pre-selected, meaning that the pieces and the chessboard are already coupled together in the set when you go to purchase it. Or there is another possibility here: that you get to pick the pieces individually and the matching chessboard in order to create personalized chess sets.
If classical chess sets may seem a little bit dull to you, there are always theme chess sets to choose from; such models work great for children as they stimulate imagination and make the game even more entertaining and challenging. Mythological figures for pieces would work great for the matter or if you buy the gift for someone older you could choose from historical representations of various warlike nations in the history. There are even chess sets with the Civil War figures represented on the chessboard; so, you'll stimulate your child's intelligence and also give him / her a history lesson as well.
In terms of quality materials used in the manufacturing of chess sets, wood items are the most appreciated. In the top of the list we need to mention the chess sets made of mahogany as being the most exquisite, but also the most expensive ones too, being closely followed by ebony and rosewood items. As for boards, the preference goes for those made of quality materials, since not only do they look great but they also meet high quality standards too. Furthermore, personalized chess sets are usually ordered by chess clubs and institutions that organize competitions on a regional, national or even international level.
It is not uncommon to come across chess sets that use mix materials for pieces and boards: for instance wood matches with metal pieces as well, without the least unaesthetic risk. Leatherette boards can be matched with metal pieces in some more special chess sets as well. Moreover, the material is not the only one to influence the price of chess sets; size also has an important word to say; the standard way of determining the diameter of the board is by multiplying the size of the king by 1.33. Sometimes, chessboards may be a bit larger but the dimension is never set below this value.
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Chess Strategy Tips
Know when to sacrifice pieces
Only sacrifice pieces if you know exactly what it is you will gain. The most frequently used reason to sacrifice pieces is to trap your opponent's pieces of greater value, but keep in mind that it might be better to try to force your opponent into a confined space in order to restrict their movement.
Chess Strategy Tips
Develop a good opening
Chess matches are seldom won in the preliminary rounds unless there is a vast difference in the level of skill between the players. As it is, develop your opening game by positioning your pieces for maximum advantage. Study classic opening techniques and see where you can apply them.
Chess Strategy Tips
Pace yourself
Many tournament games have time limits on how long you can deliberate during your move, so get used to the time limits. Pace yourself and don't let yourself get surprised by how little time you have left; letting yourself get rattled in this position can be severely detrimental to your game.