TOURNAMENT SETS

I am intrigued by sets used in major tournaments in major chess-playing countries, including those that were  featured in World Championships.

UNITED STATES  

The W T Pinney Liberty set was a main feature in the 1940s as the set used in the US Championships where players like Isaac Kashdan, Reuben Fine, Samuel Reshevsky and Al Horowitz were contending for the title of US Champion. I did not acquire the Windsor Castle set as it was plastic-based.

 

Next was the Herman Steiner set which was used in the 2 Piatigorsky Cup tournaments in the 1960s.

 

 

The Drueke was featured in the Lone Pine series of tournaments held in the 1970s and early 80s, followed by the New York Open in the 80s and 90s before the Sinquefield Cup tournaments reestablished the US as a major international tournament scene from 2010 till present. The 2014 version had elegant Knights, which was improved in the 2017 edition below.

BRAZIL

The other South American set that came my way was generously gifted to me by a good friend, aka Chess Praxis.

It is the 1973 Petropolis Tournament Set , where our own IM Tan Lian Ann crossed swords with the top players using this model.

SCANDINAVIAN  

During my working stint in Norway in 1989, I was introduced to the Tavling's model pieces which were then common in the Scandinavian countries.

  

YUGOSLAVIA 

Apart from the Dubrovnik design, the Subozan was another popular set featured in Yugoslavia.

 

SOVIET UNION

We now look at the sets used in the World Championships held in the USSR, the GM Supreme set featured in all World Championship and Candidates events from 1961 to 1974

   

These were sets used commonly by chess enthusiasts in the old Soviet Union. 

The Tal set made by Royal Chess Mall which was rather authentic and at half the price of the Russian reproductions.

This is a Chessbazaar reproduction of the Baku set used in major Soviet tournaments in the 1960s along with the GM3 and GM Supreme. 

My latest Soviet acquisition is the GM2 Bronstein set, on offer from HOS which is a nobrainer as the actual used sets are now close to the price of the new set.

My purchase was inspired by the game Bronstein - Tal where Bronstein essayed the King's Gambit using this model.

POLAND

Polish sets were not common but I managed to land one for a good price of 30 Euros.

ROMANIAN-HUNGARIAN 

Often seen in modern day  Hungarian tournaments, the Romanian-Hungarian set made by Chessbazaar is accurate in its detail.

   

The old Hungarian sets which were used in the 1950s.

  

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

We now come to Portuguese sets which were similar in features to their Spanish counterparts except for the Knight

The Escardibul is the mainstay for Spanish tournament play until the Indajesa came along which was the main feature in the Linares tournaments in the 1990s.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

I always find Czech pieces very exotic in their look and feel, which is why I snapped it once there was an available set housed in a suitcase.

  

FRANCE 

A French pre Lardy set which is popular as a club playing set 

The Chavet sets were the prime set in European competitions and the World Championship 1990, with sizes ranging from 70 mm to 110mm King Height. The taller Chavets are fetching a premium in the collectors' market as they are rare. 

DANISH-GERMAN

The Danish Knubbel set had its roots in Germany - it was the favourite of Danish legend GM Bent Larsen who was often photographed with the set.  

  

BULGARIAN

This is a typical Bulgarian set which is not very stable but asthetically pleasing. 

GREAT BRITAIN

Apart from the Jacques, British sets were historically treasured mainly on the number of events that took place from the early 20th Century. The history of the Hastings tournaments spans more than 50 years and was a major tournament spectacle. 

  

The World Championship FIDE set introduced since the 2013 Carlsen - Anand match and currently at the latest 2021 Carlsen - Nepo match.

 The B and Co pieces very nicely reproduced by Staunton Castle.

  

The B H Wood design 

F H Ayres is a company that dealth with the manufacture of  Sports Goods, board games and rocking horses. The one below features a Club set of 3.5" King and is unweighted.