chess pieces

Prior to 1849, there was no such thing as a “normal chess set.” At least not like we think of it today. The pieces were drastically transformed from their origins in 6th century India - originally conceived of as a field of battle, the symbolic meaning of the game changed as it gained popularity in Europe, and the pieces became stand-ins for a royal court instead of an army. Thus, the original chessmen, known as counselor, infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, became the queen, pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. By the 19th century, chess clubs and competitions began to appear all around the world, it became necessary to use a standardized set that would enable players from different cultures to compete without getting confused. 

In 1849, that challenge would be met by the “Staunton” Chess Set. The Staunton chess pieces are the ones we know and love today, the ones we simply think of as chess pieces. Howard Staunton was a chess authority who organized many tournaments and clubs in London, and was widely considered to be one of the best players in the  world. Despite its name, the iconic set was not designed by Howard Staunton. According to the most widely told origin story, the Staunton set was designed by architect Nathan Cook. Staunton appreciated the simplicity and legibility of Cook’s design, and allowed Cook to use of his name in marketing the new pieces, which were first offered to the public in 1849 by purveyors John Jaques of London. On the same day the new pieces hit shelves across London. 

From that original set, hundreds of different versions have emerged. While some variation is tolerated, there are several key distinguishing characteristics that define a set as a Staunton: the king is topped with a cross and, as the the tallest piece, serves as a metric for the height of the others; the queen is topped by a crown and ball; the bishop has a split top; the knight is a horse head; the rook is a squat castle turret.

House of Chess stock a number of different chess sets - plastic, wood, metal, themed sets and much more.