How to Calculate the Right Size for a

Chess Board Square

January 4, 2009
William Smith jr The Pueblo Merchandise Company
n determinin! the ri!ht si"e chess board s#uare, there is the easy method, and a more
complicated method$ The easy method is just this% ta&e the diameter o' the &in! base, and
add ( to it, or more i' you li&e$ )r, as a !eneral rule o' thumb, ta&e 0$*+ and di,ide it into
the &in! base diameter$ The ans-er you !et in both cases -ould be the si"e o' the chess
board s#uare you.re loo&in! 'or$ ' the ans-er does not correspond to a standard si"e 'or
a chess board s#uare /and it probably -on.t0, then select the ne1t highest standard si"e$
2nother easy -ay is to use -hat the 345 / nternational Chess 3ederation0 has
stipulated$ The 345 e#uipment standards say that the si"e o' the chess board s#uare
should be t-ice the diameter o' a pa-n$ 2nd no- 'or the more in,ol,ed method
The 6nited States Chess 3ederation /6SC30, in rule 47C, mandates that the si"e o' the
chess board s#uare 'or tournament play be determined as 'ollo-s% the si"e o' the &in!
base should be around 0$*8 percent the si"e o' the chess board s#uare$ This is to ensure
that there is plenty o' space9but not too much9bet-een the pieces, so the players don.t
be!in to see a blur and become con'used$ The ran!e 'or the si"e o' the &in! base is
usually !i,en /althou!h not by the 6SC30 as% 0$*+ to 0$80 percent o' the si"e o' the chess
board s#uare$ :ote that the average o' this ran!e o' ,alues is 0$*8$ ;ere is -hat you you
should do%
7$ Measure the diameter o' the round end o' the &in!9also &no-n as the (&in! base($
2$ Ta&e that number, and divide it by the 0$*8 'rom abo,e$
<$ The ans-er you !et -ill be the si"e o' the chess board s#uare you are loo&in! 'or$
4. ' the ans-er does not 'all on the si"e o' a standard chess board s#uare, simply select
the ne1t highest si"e chess board s#uare 'or your chess pieces$ t is important to note that
you should select the ne1t hi!hest, not the ne1t lo-est, to ensure proper spacin! bet-een
the pieces$
5. =ou may also do the calculation by multiplication, i' you desire$ Just ta&e the
reciprocal o' 0$*8 and multiply it by the diameter o' the &in! base$ The reciprocal o' 0$*8
is% 7>0$*8 ? 7$28
6. To ma&e clear the abo,e e1planation, shall !i,e the 'ollo-in! e1ample%
ha,e a tournament style Staunton chess set /-ith a ,inyl roll up chess mat0 at home$
With a tape measure measured the &in! base to be% 7$+($ )&, so -hat si"e chess board
s#uare should ha,e@ Well, 'rom A2 abo,e -ould per'orm the 'ollo-in! calculation%
/7$+0>0$*8? 7$92 or rounded o''% 2( What this means is that 2( is the mid-range si"e 'or
the chess board s#uare, and is probably the ,alue -ould !o -ith$ 2s it turns out the si"e
o' the chess board s#uare actually ha,e is 297>4($
:o- let.s ta&e a loo& at the same e1ample usin! the reciprocal method 'rom A+ abo,e$
Ta&e the diameter o' the &in! base, and multiply by the reciprocal o' 0$*8, -hich is 7$28%
/7$+0 1 /7$280? 7$92 or 2( rounded o''$
' you already ha,e a chess board, but not the pieces, simply re,erse the abo,e process$
Ta&e the si"e o' the chess board s#uare and multiply it by 0$*8, or di,ide it by 7$28, and
this -ill !i,e you the correct mid9ran!e si"e 'or the &in! base$ The calculations are done
-ith the &in! base, because the &in! is the lar!est piece on the board, so i' the si"e o' the
chess board s#uare is 'ound usin! the &in!, all the other pieces -ill also be correct$