Most of the time people buy chess pieces and chess boards just for fun and later they realize ( after playing) that they don’t like the weight, the stability of the pieces and sometimes the size of the king. Believe it or not these things matter in the experience and flow of the game-play. That’s why there’s a standard chess set for World chess Championships and tournaments. The Staunton chess pieces.
Now, let’s discuss what differentiates chess pieces. Chess pieces come in different sizes, shapes, colors, and weights. And, one can choose chessmen according to their own needs and specifications.
There are two types:
1) Weighted Pieces
As the name suggests these pieces are left hollow from the bottom and later the weights are added into them.
FYI: there is no industry standard for set “weighting”. It depends on the vendor to differentiate weight categories and also keeping in mind the convenience of the end-user.
To have an approx idea :
Double weighted King Weighs between 2 – 3 oz.
Triple weighted King Weighs between 3 -4 oz.
What’s in weighted chess pieces that make them heavy?
-Usually Iron studs
-Lead is also used in some cases which makes the chess pieces a little more expensive, it is mostly seen in exotic & non-rust wood, it’s also heavier than studs.
Related: 6 Tips to Choose the Best Chess Board for Your Need
Types of Weighted chess pieces.
Double weighted
Two Iron studs are added with keeping in mind the height of each chessman. Chess sets weighing between 1000-2000gms are usually called Double weighted.
We at chessbazaar , deal in all types of chess sets but our best-sellers are weighted chess sets. You can check out the double-weighted chess set below.
Triple weighted
Chess sets weighing more than 2000gms are usually called Triple weighted. Three Iron studs or lead are added with keeping in mind the height of each chessmen.
Check out chessbazaar’s triple weighted chess sets:
Weight also depends on the type of wood, Boxwood is lighter than Ebony, Padauk, etc.
2) Non- Weighted Pieces
Chess pieces with no weights inside them (mostly pre-staunton, bone, plastic chess sets).
The thing to note while buying chess pieces is the size of the king will increase with weight. In order to maintain the center of gravity and equilibrium, it is mandatory that the size, weight, and height are in proportion.
Weighted v/s non-weighted
| Weighted | Non-weighted |
| Comfortable to move and place. | Comfortable to move |
| Sturdy | Light weighted |
| Don’t tip over easily | Tips over easily |
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Bottomline
The chess pieces with the bigger bases and heavier weight give a very pleasant feel to hold and give a nice thud sound when released on the board. Of Course, Such chess sets command better prices and in my opinion the naming of the chess pieces as weighted, double weighted and triple weighted has been done just to simplify the process of selection of the chess set. Even a layman can make out that the Triple Weighted Chess Set is heavier than the Double Weighted Chess Set and the Double Weighted Chess Set is heavier than the Weighted Chess Set. The weighted chess pieces are fixed with a stud of iron in the base while double and triple weighted chess pieces are fixed with lead studs at the base. Lead being more dense, is used for double and triple weighted chess sets. Generally, double weighted chess sets are mostly preferred as they are reasonably heavy and economically priced.
Also Read: Chess Board and Pieces Dimensions
