Fischer/Spassky Replica Chess Set
(50040)
The original Staunton design, as invented by John Jaques of London in 1847, was the de-facto standard for chess pieces by the end of the 19th century. In 1972, Jaques were commissioned to produce a set for the classic and notorious match between Bobby Fischer and Spassky. For chess historians and enthusiasts alike, the replica Fischer/Spassky set is a fascinating and aesthetic collector's item. A beautiful hand-made presentation set, it is presented in a superb baize-lined polished mahogany cabinet with lock and is supplied with a certificate of authenticity.
Fischer/Spassky presentation set. Click on picture to
enlarge.
Although King height is stated as 3.5 inches in Jaques literature, the set we measured was 95mm (3.75 inches). King base diameter was 41mm. This set does feature the red Jaques marks on the King's Rook and Knight.
Boards must be ordered separately. Note: Despite what other retailers might tell you, the black pieces in this set (Jaques - 50040) are NOT made from Ebony; they are boxwood. Furthermore, many retailers state that these pieces are replicas of the original 1847 or 1849 set. This is also untrue. None-the-less, it is a very nice looking set.
Change to $  Change to  |
UK pounds (ex.VAT) |
Pounds (incl. VAT) |
Typical ETA in wkg days |
Add to basket |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orig. Staunton Fischer/Spassky Chess set (50040, 3½ inch King) |
£424.68 | £499.00 | 2 + transit time | ||
Spare Piece for Jaques 50040 Chess set (Fischer/Spassky, 3.5 inch) |
£22.89 | £26.90 | 2 + transit time | ||
 | For an immediate quote & to confirm that an item will arrive before Christmas |
 |
Inlaid Chess Boards
Jaques
standard boards are beautifully crafted with a decorative border surrounding
inlaid Walnut and Sycamore squares. The perfect setting for quality chess
pieces.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
| Change to $ Change to |
UK pounds (ex.VAT) |
Pounds (incl. VAT) |
Typical ETA in wkg days |
Add to basket |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 inch Walnut & Sycamore Chessboard, ~50mm sq. (for 3½ inch King) |
£41.70 | £49.00 | 2 + transit time | ||
| | For an immediate quote & to confirm that an item will arrive before Christmas |
|
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The Origin of Chess
A great deal has been written about the origins of chess and there is still a lot of debate on the subject. The earliest clear ancestor of chess is shaturanga or chaturanga which was invented by a 6th century Indian philosopher. It was a battle between four armies each under the control of a Rajah (king), two players being loosely allied against the other two and and each containing 4 corps - Infantry, Cavalry, Elephants and Boatmen. The board of 64 squares used for shaturanga, was borrowed from an earlier game called ashtapada, which was a race game played in ancient India.
Under Hindu law, gambling became forbidden early on in the Hindu civilisation and, to avoid the gambling laws, shaturanga players dispensed with the dice. Another early modification was the merging of the allied armies into a single army making the game a two player form and duplicating the pieces, both developments which have survived until today. Other changes also occurred; and the resulting game was called shatranj.
There are three versions of the story of arrival of shatranj in Europe - did it come from the Saracens via Spain, from the Byzantine empire as a present to Charlemagne or was it brought back from the Middle East by Knights returning from the Crusades?. Nonetheless, in Europe, the game developed into modern European chess now played worldwide while in China, Japan, Burma, Thailand and Korea, other variants became just as popular.
You can learn more about the History of Chess from The Online Guide to Traditional Games.