Best Marble Chess Sets Reviewed

Marble is synonymous with luxury and class, which is why so many chess enthusiasts are on the lookout for a good set of marble chess sets. 

We had the opportunity to review some of the most luxurious chess sets around. They are hefty, iconic, and a must-have for all serious chess enthusiasts.

Let’s make our move and look at the best marble chess sets on our list.

4 Best Marble Chess Sets & Pieces (Our Review)

The 16″ Marble Green and White Chess Set (Chess House)

Our first chess set comes in a green and white color scheme. Instead of the traditional black and white pairing, Chess House included green pieces reminiscent of jade dragons.

This clever combination of colors really helps this chess set stand out, and we love it. You’ll probably spend just as much time looking at this work of art as you will playing with it.

The Marble Green & White Chess Set offers some larger than average chess pieces too. The king’s height is 3.5 inches, making it stand proud on the board. The height and added weight from the marble make the pieces comfortable to grip and they feel substantial.

Each piece has been polished to a smooth finish. As a bonus, the pieces also have a thick green billiard cloth at the bottom to dampen the sound as players battle it out. This cloth should also help to protect the game board, which is made of white marble.

Cleverly, Chess House felted the bottom of the board to protect your furniture. This is extra helpful as the board is heavier than normal and could easily scratch and dent your furniture if you’re not careful.

Once again, Chess House shows that they’ve thought of everything with these top-of-the-line chess pieces. 

Naturally, it’s not cheap. You should budget around $200 for this fine set. It’s a lot, but it’s well worth the price.

Pros

• Beautiful complimentary colors
• Heavy and durable pieces
• Protective padding on pieces and board

Cons

• Expensive
• Non-traditional color pairing

16″ Marble Chess Set American Design in Coral & Black (Chess House)

This entry also comes to us from Chess House, but it has a different design aesthetic which helps set it apart from its competition. There’s nothing classic about this impressive set. 

The marble pieces are exceptionally sculpted and polished, allowing the quality of the precious stone to show through. If you love the look of traditional chess pieces, you’ll love these Staunton-style pieces.

This design gives them an old, venerable look and feels, especially when compared to most marble chessmen that are more modern. 

Chess House proves that they know what chess players want. So, they included an incredibly well-designed chess box to store your pieces. Each piece has an individual padded cell, preventing your pieces from tumbling around and bumping into each other as you move them around.

This is important, as marble is a brittle material that’s prone to breaking or chipping without much provocation. If you’re going to spend big money on expensive pieces, you’ll want to make sure that they’re safe and sound.

As an added bonus, the board is just as beautiful.

Beautiful swirling patterns draw the eye to fine craftsmanship. The black marble is inlaid to create the alternating checkered blocks. This color contrast creates a beautiful drama on the chessboard.

This board comes in a shiny black and fossilized coral stone coloring.

Pros

• Unique coral color scheme
• Handy chess box
• Large squares

Cons

• No protective padding beneath pieces

16” Black and White Marble Chess Set Pieces (Chess House)

If you’re looking for a marble chess set that sticks a bit closer to the original game design, this beautiful range of chess sets should be right up your alley. Instead of the bold, sometimes distracting colors of raw marble used in the two sets above, this chess set sticks to good old black and white for its pieces.

These hand-carved pieces have a sleek look to them, similar to the classic Staunton design, but not quite the standard regulation design, so you won’t be taking it with you to any tournaments any time soon.

The natural flow of these unique chess pieces brings out the best qualities of the luxury stone, highlighting the skill of the craftsmen who made them. It’s reminiscent of the old masters, showcasing fine, flowing sculpture but with a modern twist.

The pieces are given felted bottoms so there’s no worry of damaging the delicate board, which means that this set isn’t only pretty to look at, but practical, too.

King height stands at a standard 3.5 inches, so you’ll be able to use these pieces on any boards you have. But to get the most out of the set, you’ll want to pair them with the chessboard that comes included.

It’s 16 by 16 inches wide and polished to the point where it’s almost reflective.

The only drawback of these chess sets is that they don’t come with any extra queens. Not only does this mean you’re limited with your playstyle, but you also can’t replace any of your valuable pieces if they get chipped or broken.

Pros

• Fine craftsmanship
• Weighty pieces
• Standard size

Cons

• No extra queens
• Pricey

16″ Black and Marina European Style Marble Chess Set Pieces (Chess USA)

Our final selection of handmade marble chess pieces comes from Chess USA, an often overlooked and underappreciated brand in the chess world.

This Chess USA marble set stands out among the rest thanks to its fascinating classical European design. These pieces are carved in the style that was popular across the continent in the 17th and 18th centuries. So when you play with these pieces, you’re playing alongside some of the most fundamental player’s in the game’s history.

While the black marble pieces hide some of the natural veins of the rock, the ‘white’ side’s army is a bit more garish. The pieces are pale beige which shows off the unique patterns in each piece.

The board, too, is a beautiful combination of black and beige. The edging is the same color, and the seems are put together perfectly, which does a good job of hiding any unsightly joins or creases.

While we love the inventive approach to the style of the pieces, they can be a little top-heavy. The rooks and knights in particular are prone to be knocked over, which can easily damage the delicate pieces if you’re not careful.

Like any good set, the pieces and the board are both felted to protect them from scratching and chipping. Marble is a soft stone, so you need to take a little extra care to ensure that it stays spick and span for as long as possible.

Pros

• Interesting design
• Board included
• Felted pieces

Cons

• Expensive
• Top-heavy pieces

Is A Marble Chess Set For Me?