Chess Gifts: Sets, Travel Boards, Electronic Boards and Themes

The best chess gift depends on where the person plays. A full-size wooden set suits a player who wants a board at home, a magnetic folding set suits travel, an electronic board suits someone who plays online, and a themed set suits a fan of a game, film or show. Each guide below covers one of these in detail.

Chess is one part of our classic boards and chess guides. For cribbage, backgammon, Clue and Monopoly, see classic board game gifts.

Chess gifts compared by player

Start with how the person plays now, then pick the kind of set that fits.

Full-size chess sets for a player at home

A full-size chess set suits a player who wants a board at home. FIDE’s equipment standard puts the king at about 95 mm, roughly 3.75 inches, on squares of 5 to 6 cm. Pieces and squares need to match: when squares are too small, the board looks crowded and pieces are knocked over in a busy middlegame.

Wood is the usual choice for a gift, because it looks good on a shelf between games. Weighted pieces stand more firmly and feel better in the hand. Our guide to which chess set to give lists sizes for tournament, wooden and giant sets.

How to check that chess pieces fit the board

Chess sets and boards are often sold apart, so a gift that mixes the two needs a quick size check. FIDE’s chapter in force from 1 March 2026 gives a simple test: four pawns should fit comfortably on one square. The same chapter asks for a piece base of 40 to 50% of the piece’s height, which keeps tall pieces steady.

The quickest check at home is to measure one square and the base of the king. If the king’s base takes up most of a square, the board is too small for the set. If the pieces look lost on the squares, the board is too big, which is common when a large decorative board is paired with a travel set.

Combination sets solve the problem for younger players. House of Staunton’s 12-inch magnetic travel set has 1.38-inch squares, a 2.5-inch king and a set of checkers in the same box, so one board covers two games.

Magnetic chess sets for travel and kids

Magnetic chess pieces stay on the board in a car or on a plane, and the folding case doubles as the storage box. House of Staunton’s 10-inch folding wooden set measures 10 by 10 inches open and 10 by 5 inches folded, with 1-inch squares and a 2.25-inch king. At the larger end, its 14-inch set has 1.625-inch squares and a king of about 3.25 inches, which is easier to read for anyone who finds small sets fiddly.

A folding set also makes a good second board. A player can leave a game set up at home and still have a board in a bag for a lunch break or a long trip. The magnetic travel chess set guide compares board sizes, square sizes and cases.

Electronic chess boards for online players

An electronic chess board senses each move on real pieces and sends it to an app, so a player can take on online opponents or a computer without staring at a screen. The DGT Pegasus has 40 mm squares, uses Bluetooth Low Energy and links to Lichess through the DGT Chess app.

Chessnut lists Lichess, Chess.com and Chessable on every board in its range. The Air is compact, the Pro is a full-size wooden board, the Evo has a built-in touchscreen, and the Move moves its own pieces. The electronic chess board guide explains which one fits which player.

Themed chess sets for fans

A themed chess set swaps the standard pieces for characters, and most still play by the usual rules. The Super Mario Chess Collector’s Edition has 32 hand-painted pieces, a two-sided board and a collectible tin, rated for ages 7 and up. Star Trek’s three-dimensional chess, seen in the series from the original episodes on, has three fixed levels and four movable attack boards.

Character chess pieces can be harder to tell apart than standard ones. For a child who is learning, a themed set works best next to a plain set for practice. Our themed chess sets guide also covers Lord of the Rings sets for Middle-earth fans.

Gifts to go with a chess set

A chess clock, a board bag or a book of puzzles makes a good add-on for a player who already owns a set. For a player who wants a board to leave out in the living room, our guide to board game tables includes chess tables and the room two players need. For two-player games beyond chess, see the best two-player board games.

Popular chess gift guides

Which chess set to giveKing heights, square sizes and the main kinds of set, from tournament to giant.

Magnetic travel chess sets10, 12 and 14 inch folding sets compared by board and piece size.

Electronic chess boardsDGT and Chessnut boards that connect to Lichess and Chess.com.

Themed chess setsSuper Mario, Star Trek and Lord of the Rings sets for fans.