laying in a designated corner of Hyde Park or a chess-café in the Leidsedwarsstraat of old Amsterdam… it helps to use a well-made board and pieces, preferably Staunton, the grandmasters’ tournament tools of the trade. Both are now available for the smart and sophisticated, who like a board on hand, maybe even set aside for a night or a week, to be engaged at any time, ready for attack. That is the life of a beautiful board and game. Not only the strategy and battle of minds matter, but also the esthetic appearance that attracts and pleases.