World Chess Championship Chess Set
The World Chess Championship chess set is set to become one of the most important designs of chess set this century. You may ask why this new design is more important than any other Staunton variant on the market but that is just the point. This is not another Staunton variant. This set, while clearly taking cues from Staunton has been designed from the ground up. It has dispensed with conventions like the age old tradition of green felt on the bases of all thirty two chessmen. Instead the set features black felt on the black pieces, and white felt on the whites. Like it or loath it you will be seeing rather a lot of this new chess set, this is because it has been adopted as the official chess set of the World Chess Championship (hence it’s name) and will be the set used in all the tournaments.
Over the past decade this set has evolved into more than a tool for competitive play – it has become a visual identity for modern chess. Its use in broadcast tournaments has given it cultural presence far beyond the chess world. This design is now instantly recognisable on streams, professional matches, and social media clips shared by millions of chess fans around the world.
The Story Behind The World Championship Chess Set
AGON secured the World Chess Championship rights in 2013. Its goal was to return chess to the global spotlight and make top players widely recognised again. A major innovation was “chess casting,” a game-analysis system that enhances viewer experience and gives players detailed data on past games.
The original World Chess Chess Sets from 2013 were manufactured and distributed by SAC, a well known chess set brand. Today the sets are owned, distributed, and marketed by ‘World Chess Shop’ who have exclusive rights to the brand and design.
The Designer
AGON partnered with Pentagram for the entire design and branding of the world chess championship in 2013, the black and white logo and branding are iconic and striking, they lend themselves perfectly to chess in the twenty first century. The chessmen themselves were designed by Daniel Weil. The pentagram website says is perfectly ' Daniel Weil created an experience that is a sturdy for the player, an embodiment for the brand and a set for the camera and the audience who are watching.'
Weil’s design philosophy prioritised ergonomic handling, a visually balanced silhouette for broadcast cameras, and a distinctive identity that remained elegant rather than gimmick-driven. This set is not just functional for grandmasters — it is designed to look authoritative and contemporary when viewed from just a few inches away or on a 4K tournament broadcast.
The Regency Chess Company, official stockists
The Regency Chess Company are of course delighted and honoured to be one of the pioneering retailers of the very first edition of this famous chess set. In 2013, when we began stocking the first edition there was only one version of this set, today the brand sells a selection of products including a plastic set with board and an array of top quality chess boards. As always, we are holding good stocks in our UK based warehouse and sets can be ordered for immediate dispatch with next day delivery in the UK and express air service to the USA.
We also work closely with collectors, tournament organisers, and enthusiastic players who want to own the same set used by the world’s elite. Whether for display, analysis, casual games or as a long-term keepsake, the World Chess Championship set holds significance beyond gameplay — it represents a chapter in the ongoing story of chess culture itself.
