Chess has been known since ancient times. This intellectual game has gained many fans around the globe. It is noteworthy that the rules of the game of chess remain unshakable from the very beginning of the emergence of useful fun. For those people who have dedicated themselves to chess, they are a whole world. The game helps people develop intellectually, build logical chains, and concentrate on trifles.
It is included in the kit?
To play chess, you will need pieces and a chessboard. The process is designed for two players. Each is given a set of figures - this is his personal "army". The figures vary in color - dark (black) and light (white). Each group has 16 “participants”, eight of which are modest pawns, and the rest are large defendants of various ranks. These include elephants (2 pcs.), Horses (2 pcs.), Rooks (2 pcs.), Queen (1 pcs.), King (1 pcs.). Two armies are placed opposite each other on a special field - a chessboard.
Standard sizes
Considering the regular competitions in this amazing game are held, a standard has been developed for chess pieces and chessboards, which is named after the famous English chess player Howard Staunton. The standard, adopted back in 1849, describes the type and size of the pieces, as well as the size of the boards on which the tournaments are held. For the sample is taken the size of the king. Given it, the parameters of the remaining pieces and the board itself are formed.
The smallest height of the king’s figure from the tournament set is 85 mm. In this case, the width of the board is 420 mm.
Next is the size of the tournament board with a field width of 480 mm and a king height of 90 mm. The famous chess player Garry Kasparov preferred to play on such boards.
If the largest size of tournament boards is used, the king’s height is 98 mm and the width of the playing field is 540 mm.
Chess board: description
The chessboard field is a square with alternating cells. Cells, like figures, are made in two colors: dark (black) and light (white). Before us is a chessboard. How many millimeters are its parameters? A simple question can be answered in two ways. Firstly, the size of the board depends on the size of the pieces and the type of field: tournament, road and the largest - demonstration.
Secondly, a chessboard can be described by the number of cells that are located on its territory. Known fact: both in length and in width, a chess field has 8 cells. Thus, answering the question, how much is the chessboard, how much is needed, it is necessary to clarify which parameter the interlocutor is interested in.
Depending on the size of the board, the size of the cells on it varies. The most optimal size can be considered 55 x 55 or 60 x 60 mm.
Cell colors
As mentioned earlier, a chess field consists of sixty-four alternating black and white cells. But not all chessboards are black and white. Fields designed for figures made of wood are varnished, and the wood does not have a distinct white or black color. Thus, the light square of the wooden chessboard is yellow. Dark - has a brown or dark brown hue.
In the production of elite chess fields, veneers of dark and light tree species are used to designate cells. It is thanks to the alternation of colors on the chessboard that it is more convenient to navigate during the game.
Spatial orientation
During the chess game, for the convenience of recording moves and the pieces that made the move, special notations were invented. For orientation in the space of the field of a chessboard, codes consisting of letters and numbers are used. Therefore, horizontal cells have a letter designation (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h), and vertical cells have a digital designation, from 1 to 8. So, Le5 is written to indicate a place on the field of a figure. This means that at some point in time, the rook was on cell e5. It remains unchanged that cell A1 must always be black. The article contains photos of chessboards with the designation of cells on them.
Amateur boards
In amateur games there are no clear requirements for chess fields. They are available in various modifications and sizes. For example, you can find a road version of chess with a board of 100 x 100 mm. In this case, the field will have a metal substrate, and a magnet will be located at the base of the figures. This design ensures that pawns and bishops will not fly off the board while shaking the train.
History knows examples of chess pads, which housed huge, human-sized figures. There are vinyl fields for playing chess. They are convenient for transportation and light. Currently, the largest are demonstration boards. Their size is 100 x 100 cm. In these fields, the cage has a size of 110 x 110 mm.
Very often in chess clubs are tables for playing chess. Their distinguishing feature is that the cells are applied directly to the countertops. But the most popular among chessboards were folding. They are very convenient in that the pieces during transportation are placed inside a folded chessboard. This design makes it easy to carry the board.
DIY chess fields
Many craftsmen make chessboards with their own hands. The result is real works of art that can be put up for general admiration.
But due to the excessive pretentiousness of the figures, such options are not popular in competitions. Boards are not exposed because they will distract attention with their unusual appearance. Such sets are a real work of art. Photo of handmade chessboards can be found in the article.