Medieval Chess Games

Identification

• A number of contemporary chess sets evoke themes from the Middle Ages. Often, the pieces supplied with the sets are designed to represent characters both fictional and actual from that expansive historical period. On occasion, the character pieces hail from literary classics, famous soldiers, fantastical mythology or even modern motion pictures. Medieval chess sets are designed for play, but their unique appeal and often intricate detail work may also appeal to the avid collector as well.

Types

• These sets are as diverse as the imagery associated with medieval history and lore. There are dragon sets, Robin Hood sets and King Arthur sets too. You can find sets that represent the classic Spanish literary work Don Quixote. Mythological sets contain everything from dragons to gnomes to unicorns to sorcerers. If you are more the military history buff, there are a number of available sets that depict the Crusades. These latter sets pit the English king, Richard the Lion Heart, against the famed Muslim general, Saladin.

Features

• Medieval chess sets have all the features of a standard set, the same number of pieces -- rooks, knights, etc. -- and a board with an equal number of squares. The difference lies in the detailed and often intricate paint jobs found on the figurines. The figures can be fashioned out of several types of materials ranging from plastic or resin to crushed stone. While many of these sets have bright and vivid paint jobs, others take a more traditional approach with ebony and ivory finishes distinguishing the opponent pieces.

Pricing

• The price range for these sets is pretty broad. You should not expect to pay less than $70 dollars for the least expensive, as of publication. You can find quite a few in the $100 dollar price range while, if you're willing to spend more, there are those that retail for several hundred dollars.