A chess player spends a lot of time in front of the chessboard. So asking about the chessboard color is quite normal. Right?
Why are chess boards green? Chess boards are generally in green color along with white because the green and white combination doesn’t cause eye strain. Chess pieces can be easily distinguished in different color squares.
So this is just a short answer. Ahead in this article, I’m going to discuss in detail the problems with high contrast chessboards, along with proper guidance in the end that will tell you which color chessboard will be best for you. Plus, the history of modern-day chess boards is in brief.
So keep reading till the end!
Table of Contents
Problems with high contrast chess boards
Eye strain due to high contrast chess boards
Contrast plays one of the major roles when we talk about eye strain. Now before we take an inside look at how high contrast chess boards are bad for our eyes first of all let us understand what is actually contrast.
The contrast in simple words means the opposite. Thus, contrast color means colors that are directly opposite in the color wheel. More the opposite nature higher will be its contrast.
For example, red-orange and orange are low contrast colors. Whereas, red and green are high contrast colors.
Want to know how these chess boards affect our eyes! Just get that chessboard and look at it for some time. Then look at the green chessboard. You will yourself realize the difference.
Also Read: Why chess board has 64 squares?
Distinguishing chess pieces is difficult
Have you ever noticed while playing with a black and white chessboard, how sometimes chess pieces seem to blend with squares? Especially it is very difficult to distinguish between occupied and unoccupied squares of black chess pieces on black background.
You will not know these problems if you play chess games for a short duration. This problem generally arises in tournaments. In tournaments where chess games are played between 2 to 6 hours, the color of chess boards really matters.
Which color chess board should you use?
FIDE recommends using brown, green, or very light tan and white, cream, off-white ivory, buff, etc., color chessboard. Considering color as a factor you should choose chess boards that are recommended to be used in tournaments, and that don’t cause you much eye strain.
In markets, there are different colored chess boards available with various materials and designs. In that case, it is really confusing for you to decide on the right chessboard for you.
If price is not a great concern for you then you can go for wooden chess sets and chess boards.
Reasons why wooden chess boards are good:
- Wooden boards provide you with a very soothing background.
- Weight and feel are very satisfying.
As per FIDE, in World or Continental Top Level Competitions, wooden chess boards should be used. And in other FIDE Tournaments, boards of wooden, plastic, or card are recommended. In all cases, the chessboard must be rigid.
Regarding the material, as per FIDE, chess boards of stone or marble with ‘appropriate’ light and dark colors are allowed. But that is only acceptable in tournaments if verified by the Chess Organizer and Chief Arbiter.
If you want to have a chessboard just for casual use then you can go for any color. But I recommend you choose the chessboard that is soothing to your eyes.
But if you want to play chess tournaments, then you should choose the green or any other colored boards that are mentioned in the concerned tournament rules!
Remember if your thoughts are big about chess-playing, then you should practice well. In that case, choosing the right chess boards and chess sets play an important role.
I think that you should go with a green and white color chessboard. How you practice and play determines your actual performance in the real tournament. As for exams, we give mock tests, similarly, you should prepare for your actual chess tournament.
History of Modern chess boards
The standard chessboard design that we are using today is known as Staunton. In FIDE competitions it is recommended to use chess boards and pieces of this design. This design has been derived from the name of the great English Chess Player Howard Staunton. It was registered in 1849.
In an article by chess central, the history of chess pieces and chess boards is explained properly.
Wrapping up
So far we discussed why chess boards are green, and why high contrast chess boards are not advised along with their problems. Finally, we discussed which color board will be best for you along with some guides and the history of modern chess boards in brief.
Hope you liked this article and now you will be able to tell anybody why green chess boards are preferred. Please do share if you find this helpful.
Read More:
Thanks! Have a nice day!
