Dear Directors:
The red chess sets. Are they legal at a chess tournament? If they are not, why sell them?
Chess sets in colors other than light and dark wood (or white and black plastic), like sets with pieces that are in designs other than Staunton, are not preferred equipment for tournament play, but if both players are willing to use them that is permissable.
I suspect they’re sold mostly to collectors. I have over 40 chess sets in my collection, most of them would be inappropriate for tournament play.
My club specials are not Staunton. So the club specials are not preferred equipment?
I’ve never seen a set called a ‘club special’ sold by the USCF or other vendors that wasn’t a Staunton design. Where did you get them from and when?
Did play a ratable game with a red set, the set was the stores set in Ann Arbor. The only reason why we used the set, it was set up so we used them.
The USCF started to sell red sets a few years back. Now I can web surf and see sets as ivory and red, red and black, natural and red. The red and black are very annoying for a few hours. The set does help if you want to study positions with a more open mind. Would only use the red sets only to study positions then take them to the tournament.
As of let never did see anyone bring their own red set. As sets are sold in ivory and red, natural and red, red and black. It becomes what red is going to replace white or black? It would be best not to bring a red set to a tournament. They are nice to study positions, it takes hours to get comfort with the eye looking at them.
If you bring a red set, and your opponent makes a claim to the equipment being non-standard. The set will be removed from the board.
It must be my error. Was thinking the club specials came from China.
I find pure black pieces somewhat difficult to see in detail. Makes sense since black is the absence of photons. The lack of detail is a little irritating to my eyes.
In plastic sets for the “Black” pieces – burgundy or other dark red, or navy blue, or deep forest green, or a rich brown, would all seem superior to pure black ebony. Among plastic sets I am surprised these dark color varieties are not more popular.
At a recent tournament I saw one guy use bright red pieces (for Black). Nobody seemed to mind. Would not bother me.
Red sets, historically, were made in the 1800’s (and earlier) because the dark brown or black dies would not stick sufficiently well to the ivory material used in the more expensive sets.
Today, many legally blind (but not totally blind) players use red for the dark “black” pieces as the color is easier to distinguish.
This is perfectly legal, in fact for a game that such a player requests the use of a red set, so that he (she) does not need the use of a braille set, then I would require that set to be used.
In most cases I would allow player with the black pieces to use a red and white set, if that is his set of choice.
However, I agree with an earlier comment that a red and black (red for the white pieces) is very disturbing. I would not allow that.
(basically any deep color for the white pieces does not supply sufficient contrast to black)
I have to make a comment here.
Last year, at my local AmericInn Scholastic Chess tournament, a aouple of players came with with their glass chess sets. My son, having a problem with playing with them, complained to the director and was told he had to play on them. He lost because of the confusing style of these sets.
When I questioned it, I was told my son didn’t complain about it in time and the chess sets were acceptable.
Not having the rulebook handy, I couldn’t check it. When I did later, I learned that although the pieces may have been okay to use, the chess board itself had to be opaque, which they weren’t.
Anyway, before he played another game on a glass set, my son was able to request and get a standard set and won his game.
Radishes