Style of chessmen
A style of chessmen is the look and feel of a particular set of chessmen.
There are two main general styles in Europe. Eastern and Central European countries tended to favour more abstract designs, bereft of religious iconography, and with the tops of higher ranking pieces often adorned with the opposing colour. See, for example, Austria's coffeehouse chessmen, Croatia's Dubrovnik chessmen, and the various Soviet examples.
Western European countries tended to prefer a slightly more realistic approach, from the medieval Lewis chessmen, through to the slightly pared back offerings of Britain's Staunton chessmen and France's Lardy chessmen.
Staunton chessmen are now essentially the standard, given their endorsement by FIDE.[1]
References
- "Chess pieces should be in the Staunton style; and made of wood, plastic, or an imitation of these materials." "Standards of Chess Equipment" FIDE, FIDE Handbook, Aug 2022
External links
Deep dives
- "Holger's Antique Chess Set Collection" Dr. Holger Langer
- "The Chess Museum"
Chess: Chessmen | Elo rating system | Style of chessmen
Styles of chessmen: Bauhaus chessmen | Dubrovnik chessmen | Lewis chessmen | Staunton chessmen
