ARCHITECTURE OF CHESS

Architecture and chess have always been related, the rook as fortress, building that moves in 90 degrees angle
only. The vaunted Staunton Chess set, the standard chess set that we grew up with, has its roots in neo-
classical architecture and derivatives of Greek and Roman architecture. Chess has been around hundreds of
years, but the pieces we all recognize were designed a mere century and a half ago. The set has been designed
by Nathaniel Cook, who looks at variety of chess sets and looking at the city around him.

A row of pawns evokes Italian balustrades enclosed of stairways and balconies. Derived from the Greek
columns, which were fashionable at the time when they were created in the Victorian Era. They consist of a
moulded base, stalk and head (capital) with the exception of the knight and the rook (tower) which have no
stem or stalk. Their bell-like shape, wider at the bottom than at the top, gives them elegance, but especially
stability, preventing them from falling or turning easily during a match. The intermediate shaft, between the
base and the head, also allows to easily catching the pieces.

The knight the most detailed and distinct piece that is not an abstract representation like the others. The knight
was inspired by a sculpture on the east pediment of Parthenon depicting horses drawing the chariot of Selene.

Following Cook, Weil resized the set so that the primary pieces are lined up at the beginning of the play, their
angles reflect the pitch of the Parthenon’s pediment.
 Consequently, the defence of the Staunton chess set is not only a matter of interest , but it is an
issue that concerns all of us who love this ancient and mysterious game of chess, and we cannot imagine
playing the game with pieces other than Staunton.

-PUJITHA VOLETI

(DYNATOS)