Themed Chess Sets

by SeanMac

A look at chess sets from the classic Staunton to the novelty Lord of the Rings chessmen. Serious chess players as well as chess collectors are likely to find new chess themes.

Chess set themes for everyone

Chessmen with style

Chess used to be a very boring game but the advent of themed chess sets has revitalized the board game and brought it to many new players and fans. Collectors just love the variety of sets that are now available and many people who collect chess memorabilia cannot even play the game and only know a smattering of chess rules. Nonetheless, chess fans love chess pieces be they mini indoor sets used for travel or large outdoor sets that stand proudly on the front lawn.

Chess soldiers

Antique old chess men
Antique old chess men

Chocolate chess game

Enjoyable game in every sense
Chocolate Mold, Set of 16 Chess Pieces. Buy 2 Molds to Ma...
Only $33.83

Edible chess pieces

Cheap chess molds for chocolate pieces

How about a Lego chess set or a chess game that you can eat? A great way to get kids interested in chess is to allow them to eat the spoils of war, so to speak. If you buy some good quality white, milk and dark chocolate you will be able to create an edible chess feast.

Lego chess pieces

LEGO Vikings Chess Set
Only $242.99

Lego minifig chess

This Lego set is beautiful, if somewhat expensive. Children with lots of Lego minifigures are sure to be able to construct their own set of chess men. A simple paper chess board will suffice for the playing area.

Video game chess theme

Super Mario Chess
$59.99  $42.31

Super Mario King

TV and computer games chess

Many TV programs have spin off themed chess sets. The Simpsons are a prime example but this themed set is from the famous computer game. Chess Super Mario is available for live play. 

Transformers Chess Theme

Transformers Chess Set
Only $29.99

Transformers Chess Set

Plus hand painted chess sets

The popular toy maker Hasbro, famous for its Transformer range has a themed Transformer chess set too. Although Hasbro make KREO, a building block toy very similar to Lego this chess set consists of solid chess pieces in the shape of the famous Transformer figures. Less boyish is the beautiful Alice in WonderlandHand-Painted Chess Set or the Winnie The Pooh themed set.

Lord of the Rings Chess Set

As a collector, rather than with my chess hat on, I love the work of JRR Tolkien so it is no surprize that I have a soft spot for the Lord of the Rings chess set. The pieces consist of the main LOTR characters and include Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs as well as the main characters like Frodo, Gandalf, Sauron and Aragorn.

LOTR chess

Collectible chess set
The Lord of the Rings Decorative Chess Set

Staunton chess pieces

Named after a former world chess champion

Chess clubs usually used the definitive Staunton chess set and this is the set I recommend for anyone beginning to learn the game of kings (as it is called). The pieces are distinctive and if you invest in such as set, do opt for a 4" set. the 4 inch refers to the biggest chess piece which is the king. Another factor when considering a 'good' set is to ensure that the pieces are 'triple weighted'. This means that each piece has leaden weights in the base and this greatly aids stability and gives the chessmen a 'proper' tactile feel to them. A light weight set will continually topple over and cause annoyance.  

Serious chessmen

Staunton chess sets are the de-facto standard for serious players
House of Staunton Classic 4.0" Chess Set

Looking for exceptionally well-crafted wooden Chessmen at a very reasonable price? Look no further than the Classic Series Chessmen from the House of Staunton. Designed to ...

Tournament Staunton Complete Chess Set

Beautiful No. 6 tournament standard size folding wooden inlaid chess board. Each Staunton chess piece is individually handcrafted and weighted with metal. Made from renewable ...

Only $48.97

Other chess themes

Selection of chess themed sets

There are many more sets available including very large outdoor sets that one might see in exclusive gardens. These pieces are so big that a person can easily hide behind them. Somewhat smaller is the travel sets with the pegged chess pieces that are plugged into the tiny holes in the middle of the chessboard squares. There are, of course, glass and metal sets as well as the normal plastic ones but do consider a wooden rosewood set if you have the urge to purchase a set.

Strange themes and 3 dimensional chess sets

Slightly weirder is the 3 dimensional sets and the four player versions with the odd looking boards. Other themed sets follow certain historic wars and usually die cast metal (pewter) is used for the pieces which are often hand-painted. Everything from civil war chess sets to Star Wars chess is available.

These themed chess sets have encouraged many kids to take up the sport of chess, which is a great developmental tool and a fun way to keep your mind active. 

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Updated: 08/13/2012, SeanMac
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Chessmen Comments

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kimbesa on 06/15/2013

Chocolate chess pieces might not last long enough for a game, so we'd have to play with the Lord of the Rings or Lego sets! Maybe chocolate would be the winner's reward.

SeanMac on 07/23/2012

I am a fan of the edible chess sets as well as the LOTR one. You can buy moulds and use them over and over again using your favourite chocolate. Thank you, Katie, for visiting this themed article on chess.

katiem2 on 07/22/2012

I like the Lord of the Rings, that's my favorite, the detail is amazing adding so much excitement to the game. :)K

SeanMac on 02/15/2012

Hello katiem2, thank you for visiting my article and commenting too. I hope to catch up on your pages soon but as yet I am floundering about trying to use the capsules (which are very good).

SeanMac on 02/15/2012

Hello humagaia, thank you for visiting this page. I did try to write on other platforms before but Wizzley seems to be the most user friendly so far. I will stick with it and see how it goes.

katiem2 on 02/15/2012

Very cool varieties of chess sets, who knew, very cool indeed.

humagaia on 02/14/2012

Good stuff again. You sure you haven't done this before?

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