At UK£200 (ca. US$350), here's an advertisement for the Official FIDE 2013 World Championship chess set:
http://www.sac-games.com/product.php?id_product=164
This is perhaps the most minimalist Staunton design implementation I've seen. If a process control engineer were to design a set to be manufactured with the least number of cuttings, it might look something like the above.
The reviews I've read are mixed. Interestingly, the objections are more focused on the price rather than the appearance.
De gustibus non est disputandum. My own thought is that FIDE should probably not be in the business of product endorsement.
Thanks for the link. May I ask what made FIDE decide on this particular chess set as their 2013 stand out? Quality, Price, Sponsorship? The King is unusual!
Two first meanings of the dutch word "leren":
1. leren [vc] (learn, larn, acquire) acquire or gain knowledge or skills.
2. leren [v] (teach, learn, instruct) impart skills or knowledge to.
_No one can hit as hard as life.But it ain’t about how hard you can hit.It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.How much you can take and keep moving forward….
_No one can hit as hard as life.But it ain’t about how hard you can hit.It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.How much you can take and keep moving forward….
sje wrote:At UK£200 (ca. US$350), here's an advertisement for the Official FIDE 2013 World Championship chess set:
http://www.sac-games.com/product.php?id_product=164
This is perhaps the most minimalist Staunton design implementation I've seen. If a process control engineer were to design a set to be manufactured with the least number of cuttings, it might look something like the above.
The reviews I've read are mixed. Interestingly, the objections are more focused on the price rather than the appearance.
De gustibus non est disputandum. My own thought is that FIDE should probably not be in the business of product endorsement.
Personally, I think the idea of FIDE competing with commercial companies is a bad one. They should be trying to stimulate business and not trying to own it.
As to the set, I think it looks pretty dreadful for $350. It is funny, since there have been many truly spectacular sets over the years in World Championships, and usually the players were the ones with the final say. Somehow, I get the feeling that was not the case here.
Frankly, most of the sets running for $90 - $150 by House of Staunton look better.
"Tactics are the bricks and sticks that make up a game, but positional play is the architectural blueprint."
