Buy the board by the square size, not the outer size. A comfortable square for adult hands is about 5 cm. Just True Arts olive wood boards run smaller than tournament boards, so they suit a table, a desk, or travel rather than a club match.
Which size matches which use?
- S, 22 cm board. Playing area 14 cm. Squares about 1.7 cm. This is a display and travel set. Pieces are small for a long game.
- M, 33 cm board. Playing area 20 cm. Squares about 2.5 cm. This fits a side table or a coffee table for short games.
- L, 40 cm board. Playing area 25 cm. Squares about 3 cm. This is the size most people play on at home.
- XL, 47 cm board. Playing area 32 cm. Squares about 4 cm. This is the largest live-edge board and the easiest to play on.
These measurements can vary by about 10 percent on the outer board and 5 percent on the squares, because each board is cut from solid wood.
Live edge versus a storage board
The live-edge chess set and the live-edge set with drawers use the S, M, L, and XL sizes above.
The storage boards are cut to different sizes. The board with storage drawers comes in L, 35 cm, and XL, 40 cm. The live-edge board with one drawer comes in L, 35 cm, and XL, 38 cm.
What should you order?
Order L or XL if people will play. Order S or M if the board is mainly a gift to look at. The current price for each size is on the product page.