Stauntonchess.com is the dedicated heritage knowledge site published by Jaques of London, the sporting goods manufacturer founded in 1795 and the originator of the internationally standardised Staunton chess set in 1849. The site covers the full breadth of chess knowledge: the history of the game, how to play, the meaning of each piece, world-class players, buying advice, and the story of the Staunton design that has governed tournament play worldwide for over 175 years.
Use the categories below to navigate directly to the topic you need. Each page is written to authoritative standard, drawing on Jaques of London's unique position as the original manufacturer of the Staunton pattern and one of the oldest continuously trading games companies in the world.
The Staunton Set
Chess History
Chess Rules & Play
Chess Pieces
Learning Chess
Buying Guide
Famous Chess
About This Site
Stauntonchess.com exists because no organisation is better placed to tell the story of chess than the company that standardised the game's equipment. When Howard Staunton, the leading English player of his era, endorsed a new chess piece design in 1849, it was Jaques of London that manufactured it. Within years the Staunton pattern had become the accepted international standard, and it remains so today: every FIDE-rated tournament in the world is played with pieces that trace their design lineage directly to that 1849 collaboration.
The site is organised to serve readers at every level of knowledge. Visitors new to chess will find clear explanations in the Chess Rules and Play section and a structured learning path through the Learning Chess category, from basic piece movements up to endgame technique and common checkmate patterns. Those looking for a physical set will find impartial guidance on materials, sizes, and appropriate choices for different budgets and purposes in the Buying Guide.
For readers interested in the deeper story of the game, the Chess History and Famous Chess sections cover chess from its origins in sixth-century India through the great players who defined the modern era. The World Championship pages chart every title match from 1886 onwards, while individual profiles of Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, and Magnus Carlsen examine what made each player exceptional.
The Chess Pieces section addresses a question that surprises many beginners: why do the pieces have the shapes they do? Each piece article explains the historical origins of that piece's form, how its movement rules emerged, and the strategic weight it carries in the modern game. The Knight, for instance, is the only piece in chess that can jump over others, a rule that dates back to medieval European adaptations of the original Indian game. The Queen's extraordinary power is a relatively late development in the game's history, introduced in fifteenth-century Europe, replacing the much weaker counsellor or vizier of earlier versions.
The Chess Knowledge section covers the practical and cultural dimensions of the game: how chess benefits cognitive development, how chess has appeared in literature and film, how tournament play is organised and timed, and how to read and write algebraic chess notation.
Jaques of London — Making Chess Sets Since 1849
Every page on this site connects back to Jaques of London's 175-year history as the custodian of the Staunton pattern. Jaques continues to manufacture chess sets in the tradition established in 1849: weighted Staunton pieces in turned boxwood and ebonised wood, crafted to the proportions and design that Howard Staunton endorsed and tournament play demands. Whether you are buying your first set or adding a heirloom-quality set to a collection, the Jaques range offers pieces made by the company that defined what a chess piece should look like.
Shop Staunton Chess Sets →Finding What You Need
If you have arrived at this page looking for a specific topic, the most direct routes are: the Chess Buying Guide if you are choosing a set; How to Play Chess if you are learning the game; The Staunton Chess Set if you want to understand why the standard design looks the way it does; and The History of Chess if you want the full story from the game's origins to the present day.
All pages on stauntonchess.com are written and maintained by Jaques of London. Factual corrections, additional historical information, and suggestions for new topics can be sent via the contact page.