Chess set
A chess set is a matching set of chessmen and chessboard.
A popular practical, portable, cheap option is a rolled-up vinyl mat of green and white squares, paired with plastic chessmen.
A popular romantic, aesthetic, expensive option is a wooden board, paired with weighted and felted wooden chessmen, both made from two woods of noticeably different colours. Popular woods for this purpose include acacia, boxwood, ebony, maple, rosewood, sheesham, and walnut.
Technical notes
For competitive play, you should use Staunton chessmen, with a King height of 3¾" (9.5 cm), on a board with 2-2⅓" (5-6 cm) squares.[1] This is the standard in much the same sense as an Olympic sized swimming pool, so think carefully if you're considering getting one for your home.
The officially approved size is more popular amongst especially keen chess players, not to mention collectors. It has many distinct styles available, including reproductions of historic styles.
For friendly play, anything reasonable is fine. Smaller sets that don't take up as much space are more popular amongst casual players, and much more sensible. For example, chessmen with 3" Kings placed on a board with 1¾" (4.5 cm) squares are quite common.
There are probably far more chessmen available at these smaller sizes, but most are minor variations of the Staunton style. They're more mass produced, but with less variety.
References
- "Chess pieces should be in the Staunton style... King — 9.5 cm... The side of the square should measure 5-6 cm. Four pawns should fit on one square." "Standards of Chess Equipment" FIDE, FIDE Handbook, Aug 2022
Chess: Chess set | Elo rating system
Chess set: Chessboard | Chessmen | Style of chessmen
