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How to Calculate the Right Size for a

Chess Board Square

January 4, 2009William Smith jrThe Pueblo Merchandise Company

n determinin! the ri!ht si"e chess board s#uare, there is the easy method, and a morecomplicated 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 diide it into

the &in! base diameter$ The ans-er you !et in both cases -ould be the si"e o' the chessboard 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.t, then select the ne1thigheststandard si"e$nother easy -ay is to use -hat the 35 / nternational Chess 3ederation hasstipulated$ The 35 e#uipment standards say that the si"e o' the chess board s#uare

should be t-ice the diameter o' a pa-n$ nd no- 'or the more inoled method

The 6nited States Chess 3ederation /6SC3, 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 around0$*8 percent the si"e o' the chess board s#uare$ This is to ensure

that there is plenty o' spacebut not too muchbet-een the pieces, so the players don.tbe!in to see a blur and become con'used$ The ran!e 'or the si"e o' the &in! base is

usually !ien /althou!h not by the 6SC3 as% 0$*+ to 0$80 percent o' the si"e o' the chess

board s#uare$ :ote that the averageo' this ran!e o' alues is 0$*8$ ;ere is -hat you youshould do%

7$ Measure the diameter o' the round end o' the &in!also &no-n as the (&in! base($

2$ Ta&e that number, and divideit by the 0$*8 'rom aboe$

0$*8 ? 7$28

6. To ma&e clear the aboe e1planation, shall !ie the 'ollo-in! e1ample%

hae a tournament style Staunton chess set /-ith a inyl roll up chess mat at home$With a tape measure measured the &in! base to be% 7$+($ )&, so -hat si"e chess board

s#uare should hae@ Well, 'rom A2 aboe -ould per'orm the 'ollo-in! calculation%

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/7$+>0$*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$ s it turns out the si"e

o' the chess board s#uare actually hae is 27>4($

:o- let.s ta&e a loo& at the same e1ample usin! the reciprocal method 'rom A+ aboe$

Ta&e the diameter o' the &in! base, and multiplyby the reciprocal o' 0$*8, -hich is 7$28%

/7$+ 1 /7$28? 7$92 or 2( rounded o''$

' you already hae a chess board, but not the pieces, simply reerse the aboe process$

Ta&e the si"e o' the chess board s#uare and multiply it by 0$*8, or diide it by 7$28, and

this -ill !ie you the correct midran!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' thechess board s#uare is 'ound usin! the &in!, all the other pieces -ill also be correct$