Dal Rossi Italy Folding Chess Set, Walnut Inlaid 12"

A folding set that doesn't look like a folding set.

Twelve inches of walnut inlay, hinged down the middle, with the board itself forming the case. Closed, it reads as a wooden box you might keep something valuable in; opened, the inlaid squares run edge to edge with no visible seam other than the hinge. It's the trick Dal Rossi do better than most — a portable set that still looks like furniture.

The pieces are Sheesham, standard size, and they store inside the board when it's shut. Twelve inches is the smallest board on which a full-size game still feels comfortable: below that the pieces start crowding their own squares and you spend the endgame nudging bishops back upright. It's the size to buy if the set has to be both used and looked at.

Perfect for: Somebody learning properly rather than casually, and anyone whose living room can't accommodate a permanent board.

2 players | 12" folding walnut inlaid board | Sheesham pieces, stored inside