Chess Tables: Where Art Meets Play
Three chess tables that demonstrate the perfect blend of functionality and aesthetic design which transcend practicality.
Chess tables aren't just for playing—they're beautifully crafted pieces that add a touch of elegance to any room. These three examples perfectly blend functionality with aesthetics. Two of them have been used in high-profile competitions, yet all three are designed to be visually stunning as well as practical.
The chess table from Karpov vs Kasparov match (1984) by Photo by Viktor BoykoInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
The chess table from Karpov vs Kasparov match
The chess table used during the 1984/1985 world championship match was developed in the USSR, with careful consideration of the requirements for professional chess play.
Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov played a total of 48 games at this table, with 40 of them ending in a draw. The initial match between Karpov and Kasparov spanned from September 9, 1984, to February 15, 1985—more than six months—and was officially recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
The chess table from Karpov vs Kasparov match (1984) by Photo by Viktor BoykoInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
The match was supposed to continue until one side won 6 games, but it remained unfinished. With the score at 5-3 in favor of Karpov, the match was terminated by the decision of FIDE President Florencio Campomanes.
This was the last world championship match without a game limit, where draws were not counted until a certain number of wins were achieved.
On this table, one can observe the German-made mechanical GARDE clock that was used in the match. On the wall, there are pictures from the competition.
A new match took place in Moscow during the autumn of 1985. This match was played for the best of 24 games. Garry Kasparov emerged victorious, becoming the 13th World Chess Champion.
Chess table from the 17th Chess Olympiad in Havana (1966) by U.S. Chess Trust and World Chess Hall of FameInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Table from the 17th Chess Olympiad in Havana
This table and chairs have multiple features designed for the comfort of players, including leather armrests and spaces to store belongings.
The Cuban organizers made special efforts to make this one of the best Olympiads in history. In a December 1966 article in Chess Life, U.S. team member Larry Evans noted that it was the “biggest, best organized, and best run to date” and that organizers reportedly spent 1.3 million pesos on the event.
It is unknown how many tables were made, but International Master John Donaldson has estimated 104-120. After the Olympiad ended, organizers sent tables to top players and important FIDE officials around the world. Fred Cramer, then Zonal President for the United States, received this one.
Rodchenko Chess Table (1925) by Alexander RodchenkoInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Chess Table by Rodchenko
This chess table, crafted by the renowned Russian and Soviet artist Alexander Rodchenko, stands as a testament to the principles of constructivism.
It was built for the Soviet Pavilion at the Paris World's Fair of 1925. Rodchenko’s vision was clear: to create an optimal space for self-education and cultural leisure, with chess at its heart.
Practicality and usability
Guided by practical considerations rather than mere aesthetics, Rodchenko designed the chessboard tabletop to be horizontally rotatable. This ingenious feature allowed players to change their color at the start of each new game without needing to rise from their seats.
The two chairs had armrests and rectangular backs made of four parallel vertical boards with a straight upper rail. These chairs were securely anchored to rectangular footings, precisely aligned beneath the center of the chess table.
Rodchenko Chess Table (1925) by Alexander Rodchenko and Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied ArtsInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Following the exhibition, the entire furniture ensemble that constituted the “Workers’ Club” found a new home with the French Communist Party. Regrettably, the original set has since vanished, possibly lost in a fire during the late 1920s.
Several attempts have been made to recreate the iconic set. The most complete and accurate copy of the “Workers’ Club” was made in 2021 by experts of the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts from the original designs by Alexander Rodchenko and using the tools and techniques employed in the original.
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