A Great Chess Gift Idea - Alabaster Chess Sets

It can be a real challenge shopping for a loved one when it's time to find that perfect gift and shopping for the perfect chess gift is no different. In fact, if you don't know much about chess or what to buy, it can be that much harder. But there are plenty of popular gift ideas you should be aware of so if you're stuck trying to figure out what would make the right chess gift, hopefully this will give you at least one good idea.

Lots of chess players prefer a classic look to their chess sets, perhaps made out of wood or metal in the traditional Staunton style. However many players would rather have a more unique, eye-catching look to their chess sets, whether they're just a casual player or a serious student of the game. For these players, you should consider an alabaster chess set as a possible "top pick" for your shopping list. With several styles available in a variety of colors, it's pretty easy to find one that perfectly suits your favorite chess player.

Alabaster is a popular material for quite a few products, including chess sets and boards. As far as chess sets go, no matter where you shop, you'll probably find that most merchants have their alabaster chess sets made in Italy, one of the largest suppliers of alabaster chess sets and other products made from this popular material. Alabaster is so popular in fact that it's often used for ornamental decorations or as an accent in high-end homes or other buildings.

Even though alabaster is a type of stone, it's a relatively soft material compared to its counterparts. That makes it ideal for working into unique and intricate designs like what you find with chess pieces. In addition, since alabaster comes in a range of colors, many people use their alabaster chess sets as decorative items when a game isn't being played. That makes them a great addition to any home or office and is a far better use than storing it in the closet when not in use.

You can find alabaster sets in several colors including black, brown, white, blue, green, red and more. You'll typically find several combinations of these colors making up the opposing teams of chess men. Most of the time, the pieces will be around 3 inches in height, which is a good size for this type of chess set. In addition, since alabaster can be an expensive material to use, that size also helps keep the cost down, as opposed to having larger (and more costly) pieces.

Of course, with such great looking pieces, you'll need a board that also measures up. So more than likely, you'll find that alabaster chess sets come as combinations, with matching alabaster boards to accompany the pieces. This makes it easy to just pick the item you want and not have to worry about making sure the board is the right size. As far as the boards go, you'll probably have a few options there too. You can choose from a basic board, boards with elegant inlaid wood frames around the border, or boards that come complete with built-in storage. Buying one with built-in storage is highly advisable since, like we said, alabaster is a relatively soft material and can be easily damaged. However, if you opt for one of the other boards, be sure to pick up a nice storage box to hold the pieces when they're put away.

For the chess player who's looking for a unique looking chess set that's sure to catch people's eye, you can't go wrong with an alabaster chess set as a great chess gift.