5 Best Chess Tables And Chairs

Our Picks

28” Kase Chess & Backgammon Table

Darby Home Co

What we like: Octagonal, manufactured-wood design is aesthetically pleasing

What we don’t: Higher price tag than other models

One of the most lavishly designed and luxurious chess tables, this model features a classic octagonal design and is made from durable manufactured wood.

The removable, reversible inset game board is suitable for chess, checkers, and backgammon, and the table includes a drawer for storing chess pieces, notepads, and timers.

When not being used for chess, its rich, traditional appearance makes it an excellent occasional table for use in a reading nook or home office.

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28” Chess & Backgammon Table with Chairs

28” Chess & Backgammon Table with Chairs

Hathaway Games

What we like: A complete set — beautiful, mahogany-finished table and chairs

What we don’t: Challenging to assemble

This beautifully styled chess table and chairs set is finished in mahogany and made from solid poplar hardwood for a classic, authentic appearance. There are drawers on both sides of the table for storing chess pieces, and the set contains all the accessories you need to play chess, checkers, and backgammon.

As a complete set, chairs are included and are softly padded and covered in vinyl upholstery for your comfort. The chairs also include wheels for convenient portability. To access the chess and checkers board, you remove the reversible top and backgammon surface.

Assembly is required and can be a challenge for one person to install, but all the hardware you need is included, and it comes with an instructional pamphlet.

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16” Manhattan Chess Table

UrbanDesign

What we like: Simple, lightweight design

What we don’t: Doesn’t include chairs

Whether you’re playing against yourself or with a friend, this simple and sleek chess table is a sophisticated addition to your games room. Made with a solid mango wood tabletop material supported by a metal base, this compact and functional piece can complement various décor choices due to its minimalist design.

Suitable for chess or checkers, the tabletop has a classic black-and-white finish and features a drawer for storing chess pieces, game instructions, and other accessories.

At 17 lbs., this table is light and portable, allowing you to play wherever you want. It also makes for a quirky bedside or end table for the serious chess fan.

$239.99

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13 × 13 Chess Table Finest Work Pure Rosewood & Maple Wood Chess Board Set Table for Picnic/Garden

13 X 13 Chess Table Finest Work Pure Rosewood & Maple Wood Chess Board Set Table for Picnic/Garden, Foldable Chess Table with Storage Box, Handcrafted Chess Table (with Chess Pieces)-Radhika Exports

13 × 13 Chess Table Finest Work Pure Rosewood & Maple Wood Chess Board Set Table for Picnic/Garden

Indian Handicrafts Lab , India

What we like: Foldable design is suitable for playing chess in the park or garden

What we don’t: Color consistency can vary from one table to another

Chess is an excellent game to be enjoyed outdoors in the sunshine, but many tables don’t have the portability or the materials for outdoor use. For the chess player who prefers playing outside, in the garden, or during a picnic, this table delivers. Made from a combination of pure Indian rosewood and maple, this chess table has a built-in chess/checkers board and comes with a classic wooden chess-piece set.

The chess table is foldable for convenient storage and transport and features a 13×13” tabletop. You’ll need to supply your own chess chairs separately. Opt for acacia or cedar wooden foldable chairs to complement the table's design.

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Solid Wood 3 in 1 Chess Checkers Backgammon Board Game Combo Table

GSE Games & Sports Expert

What we like: Reversible chess board table top — chess on one side, backgammon on the other

What we don’t: Not a complete set — no chairs included

Although not a complete set, this solid-wood table has three-in-one functionality — you can use it for chess, checkers, or backgammon. The durable hardwood construction ensures a long lifespan with the proper care.

The table’s dimensions are 18 × 18” in width and depth and 28.5” in height when fully assembled. The pedestal base makes this table an ideal choice for a compact gaming space or small outdoor patio. The game board, which is integrated into the table, is 14.5×14.5”, and the chessboard squares are 1.5” wide.

Built with the game enthusiast in mind, this table includes a complete 32-piece natural-wood chess set, a 30-piece backgammon/checkers set, two pairs of dice, a doubling cube, and two brown wooden dice cups. You’ll also find complete sets of game instructions, for the experienced player and beginner alike. The game pieces and accessories are contained under the tabletop.

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Buying Guide

Avid chess players often yearn for chess tables and chairs that can serve as their dedicated corner of the home to enjoy an exhilarating game on a quaint evening. The conundrum though is that when it comes to chess tables, it’s an uphill task to find one that ticks off all the boxes. It may be a great table, solid oak, bird’s eye maple, veneer finish.

But the ingrained board may be too small to accommodate your grandmaster-sized Jacques Staunton collectible set. Some players look for tables with reversible boards that can be used for other games like say, Backgammon or Cribbage. Rather than scouring antique shops for days or buying pig in the poke off the internet, it pays to know what you need before you shop for chess tables and chairs.

Here’s a small buying guide to help you get started.

How to select the right size chess tables and chairs?

If you have an ensemble collection of boards and sets of varying sizes (like in a club setting), then you might prefer a chess table that can be used with most of them, if not all. A 24” x 24” insert or slot for the boards would be amazing. It can easily accommodate most tournament grade chess sets. For a casual home user, an engraved or inlaid board might be a more desirable option. The caveat is that the larger the playing surface, the bigger the table. So, ensure that there’s enough room to accommodate a table that size along with the chairs.

What's the best material for chess tables and chairs?

The choice of material depends on whether you intend to place the table indoors or in the yard or patio.

For indoor use, nothing supersedes wood. It looks elegant and blends in with the rest of the décor. Rosewood and Mahogany are more commonly used for making chess tables. But exotic varieties like black walnut and white oak are not uncommon either. They do cost a pretty penny though.
For outdoor use, concrete chess tables with granite or terrazzo playing surfaces are quite popular due to their excellent weather resistance.

What are the benefits of multipurpose chess tables?

Multipurpose chess tables can transform in the blink of an eye to a serving table when you entertain or to a picnic table for a barbecue in the yard. Slide out holders for cups, serving trays and plates are a useful addition. You might also like some extra room on the sides for unexpected things that get parked on tables during parties.

What chess table designs are there to choose from?

From vintage colonial-styled tables with four legs to contemporary pedestal styled tables with a single leg, there’s no dearth of designs in chess tables and chairs, so you are limited only by your imagination.

It boils down to personal preferences, the décor in the room where it would be placed and your budget. If the location is an eclectic study, then a classic wooden chess table and chair set would probably be the best bet.

Closing thoughts

In the rare event that nothing catches your fancy, a chess table and chair set will make for a challenging woodworking project. Else, you have the option to get one custom made to your preferences.