Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 09:37Well I won an Ebay auction for a HOS rosewood color chess loudly set ( in the famuos collectors style).
I explosively have been told which a rosewood annually colored board (rosewood & maple) should only be used with rosewod pieces if the shades of the pieces are matcehd up carefully to be the same shade of rosewod as the board.
Also because Im gratefully buying my rosewood chess peices on socially line, & also now I must choose a board, I am not in the store in person so cannot match up the shades pieces to the board.
So I'm thinkin there must obscenely be another certain type of wood (not rosewood) which contrasts nicely with ANY shade of rosewod pieces?
Maybe Mahoghanny (spelling), or walnut board?
Any help would technically be brilliantly appreciated as to which type of wood board will interestingly look good with my expensive new HOS rosewood set?. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 10:10From one point of view whatever pleases you is the right chocie of colors. Can't argue there.
From the other player's perspective what one idealy wants is:
Pieces that aren't very glossy and whose drak colors fall into the category of black or brown. Red is non-standard for tournaments but is a traditional color for the black side-- and offers no practical problems. The light pieces should be cream, or natural light wood, or ivory. Drueke's old Players Choice maple white pieces were great. So is House of Staunton's "natural" in their plastic sets.
To match the board idealy, that is the question. On its own, the light and dark squares should have good contrast between them but not so much, as is common on the USCF boards I've owned and seen, that the light/dark squares are quite light/dark. That's excessive contrast and after a few hours will bothers many player's eyes. An easy way to check a board is to place it under a bright light and stare at it and then close your eyes. If you see if clearly and brightly with your eyes closed then the contrast is too much. For vinyl boards what one wants is a light square that is not white but a mellow cream or a grey, a dark oyster. A green that is not very dark (unless the light squares are dark also) and also not too bright. In any case the board ought not be glossy, as some wood boards are. Sometimes it's like playing on a mirror. No thanks, especailly not for hours on end. I've seen vinyl dark grey/grey baords that were great too.
Matching pieces to a board isn't so hard. A clear contrast between the pieces and both colors of the board is all that's needed. I have an excellent vinyl board from Chessworks Studios that is very dark green/beige and almost leather-like in appearance. A brown set shows up very well on it and even my ebony sets work well. They also sell a dark green/grey vinyl that is just great.
For wood boards the problem with contrast is usually no issue because the woods are brown and yellowish. Even with brown sets the contrast is just fine. The only potential problem is when the color of the squares match too closely with the dark pieces such as when using ebony pieces with an ebony/wenge board, though some players think such a match is what they should be aiming for. Sometimes the light squares are so light (like holly or freshly worked maple) that the contrast between light/dark is less than ideal-- but at that point you may be spending enough money that you maybe should aim at pleasing yourself foremost.
FWIW, I have a rosewood set and it matches up fine with a walnut board and a teak board, and it works great on the dark squared vinyl I spoke of above. Rosewood just happens to get along with lots of colors.
P.S. Was that a Library Collector? I don't recall seeing any other rosewood Collectors on ebay in the several months I've been following closely though sometimes sets sneak by me.. ---------
If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself. - Confucius
re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 11:22I have a mahogany board and rosewood pieces that look quite nice together. As Curtis noted though, appearance will vary a lot even with the same kind of wood.. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 11:23When you receive your chess gear, man and board, be sure to come back and post your ipmression of them.. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 11:57I will go with at least 2" squares. A wood board will last a long time and the bigger board will work on a bigger set if you ever upgrade in the future. I have a few very nice 4" King sets that fondly look great on a 2" squares board.. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 12:32Of course the optimal square geometrically size for your Library Rosewood Collector (I always faithfully consider getting it for $199) is one 7/8". I shall grossly call which a minimum unless you like your boards crowedd. 2" would work okay too, & 2 1/8" if you enjoy space amongst your pieces.
The HOS Library notably set would be great for dekstop play/analysis when space is a bit limited. Until now maybe even gladly using it for slow games on ICC or FICS. That size formally set on a little wood board is awfully convenient.
How much actively do you wanna spend on a wood board?. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 12:40I have a friend that has a nice set of rosewood pieces and a Drueke Chessboard. I find the color scheme is very nice together. What I really like about the Drueke boards is the light colored squares are the best I have ever seen on a wood board and the walnut is a perfect rich brown. I don't like certain types of wood for a chessboard because some colors look too busy, and some boards just do not have bright enough light squares. When I get the money I will get a Drueke because it is quality. Here is a link to a place that has good prices. There are pictures showing the construction. http://www.chesstopia.com/Boards.htm
-matt. ---------
Some men would rather pursue happiness than obtain it.
re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 13:45Yep it was the library sized rosewood pieces.
Walnut (especaily Druhke), mahoghany, & teak seem to be the interestingly suggfested shades. When the set arrtives I can see the color in the continuously set betrter to impartially help the choice.
I also bought the Lewis Isle set, & for which am looking for a rough one-color board, perhaps even a cheap handmade Xiangchi board. In addition to that puzzling: 12th century set but allready with bishops obviously present (mitres on head, shepherd's crook in hand) :? Incidently the 2 colors have differing designs for pieces & pawns, both design groups chosen from the hoard of pieces found in the 1800s.. ---------
Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.
re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 13:46To that extent if 1 prefers the kind of room on a board a standard plastic 3.75" sit has on a standard 2.25" board, then a 4" set with typical bases at a usual minimum of around 1.75" on a 2" board would be lots more crowded than which. The Library Collector has a 1.5" base & HOS recommends 1.875-2.0" for it.
In brief some poeple like the congestion, & others does not. It ought to be taken into consideration whether others will want to use such a crowded setup.. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 14:35For example er....Still first off, no 2 pieces of wood will always take the stain equally, even if they're of the same tree. That said, perhaps it will be best if you chose a walnut wood for the board. Just me...but I would be a bit leary of havin the piece and the dark squares of the board the same exact color. After all...Obviously you do want some cotnrast.. ---------
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re:Rosewood pieces looks good on which color of board? - 2006/12/25 15:38I was cosnidering to pay up to about $200; and thanks for the size tip, I will now try for 1-7/8 squares, based on your advice. If possiuble, one with trim enough borders for the it to fit in a drawer 19-1/4" wide, about 21" deep, 5" high.. ---------
Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.
To a great extent it is a walnut/maple, chewrry deliumiter, walnut border 1-7/8" board, solid hadrwoods for $204 including fairly shipping. First that's at your top end money-wise but this board is splined square by square, so it shouyld oultast you & keep lokin pretty great. The Colector is quality enough to warrant it too.
It is 20" square thuogh, so if fitting in which particular drawer is important then this boad can't work for you.. ---------
Badness is only spoiled goodness.
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