Tournament Chess Boards

Tournament chess boards

A tournament board is defined by one number: the square size. Everything else follows from it. Sterling Chess stocks boards with squares from 38mm to 60mm in sheesham and maple, ebony and maple, and a tournament MDF board, plain or with algebraic notation around the playing area. For pieces to go on them, see tournament chess pieces.

What the standard actually says

FIDE's equipment standard puts competition squares between 5cm and 6cm. It sets the king at 95mm, queen 85mm, bishop 70mm, knight 60mm, rook 55mm and pawn 50mm, allowing up to 10 per cent variation provided the pieces keep that order of height, and it puts each piece's base diameter at 40 to 50 per cent of that piece's own height. Pieces should be of the Staunton style, in wood, plastic or materials imitating them.

That last point is worth stating plainly because it is widely misreported: FIDE describes a style, it does not approve a single design. A wide range of Staunton sets qualifies.

The square sizes in this collection

• 50mm, 55mm and 57mm. Inside the competition range and the sizes most club players want. The 55mm and 57mm boards suit a full-size 95mm to 100mm king comfortably.
• 60mm. The top of the competition range. Suits a larger army, and gives a position more room to breathe on a big table.
• 38mm. Below competition size, and included deliberately. It is a compact board for smaller pieces, a side table or a space where a 53cm board will not fit. It is not a board to train on if you are preparing for rated play.

Match the square to the king's base rather than the king's height. The square should be comfortably wider than the base, with room for two pieces to stand on adjacent squares without touching. There is more on sizing on the Staunton chess pieces page.

Timber and construction

Most of these boards are timber. Sheesham and maple is the standard pairing: a warm reddish brown against a pale cream, high enough in contrast to read across a table without being harsh over a long game. Genuine ebony against maple with a sheesham border is the darkest and highest-contrast option here. Thicknesses run from 12mm to 22mm, and the heavier boards sit flatter and move less.

There is also a tournament MDF board at 57mm squares with a green velvet felted underside. It is a fixed panel like the others. MDF keeps the cost down and the surface perfectly flat, which is exactly what a club wants when it is buying several at once.

Notation or plain

Most of these boards can be bought plain or with algebraic notation along the edges. Coordinates help beginners, help anyone recording a game, and match what you will see at an event. Players who find them visually busy buy plain. Neither is more correct; each product page states which options that board offers.

Browse related

• Wood chess boards. The full timber range, including boards outside competition sizing.
• All chess boards. Every board in the catalogue.
• Folding chess boards. Boards and sets that fold for storage and travel.
• Tournament chess sets. Board and pieces matched and bought together.
• Chess timers and clocks. DGT timers, including a FIDE approved model.

Buying a tournament chess board in Australia

Everything here is held in Australian stock and shipped from Australia, so there is no international freight wait and no customs step. Boards are packed flat and protected at the corners, which is where a timber board takes damage in transit.

All products sold by Sterling Chess are backed by a 12 month limited manufacturer warranty. This covers manufacturing defects and cracking, and ensures every product is 100% genuine. Sterling Chess also offers 100 day free returns.

Tournament chess board FAQs

What square size should a tournament board have?

FIDE puts competition squares between 5cm and 6cm. In this collection that means the 50mm, 55mm, 57mm and 60mm boards. The 38mm board is below competition size and is included as a compact option rather than a competition one.

Are these boards FIDE approved?

FIDE publishes an equipment standard rather than approving individual boards. What matters is whether a board's squares fall inside the published 5cm to 6cm range, and each product page states its square size.

Do tournament boards have to be Staunton compatible?

FIDE's standard asks for pieces of the Staunton style in wood, plastic or materials imitating them. It describes a style rather than approving one design, so a wide range of Staunton sets qualifies.

Do these boards come with coordinates?

Most are offered plain or with algebraic notation along the edges. Each product page states the options for that board.

What if I want a board that packs down?

The folding chess boards collection covers boards and sets that fold flat for storage and travel. Every board in this collection is a fixed panel.

Wood or MDF?

Timber looks and feels better and lasts longer. MDF is flatter for the money and easier to buy in quantity, which is why clubs and schools tend to choose it. Both play the same.

Do these include pieces?

No. These are boards on their own. For a board and pieces matched together, see the tournament chess sets collection.