Chess Gifts for Chess Players: What They Actually Want in 2026

The problem with buying chess gifts is that chess players who care about the game already own the things they need. A beginner set with plastic pieces is useless to someone who plays at a club. A novelty chess set shaped like medieval warriors sits on a shelf because it's not actually playable. And ornate wood sets, however beautiful, are fragile and impractical for daily use.

The gifts below are things chess players want and don't already own, organized by price.

Under $40: books that get used

Books are the safest category. Chess players read instruction books throughout their careers, and there are specific titles that almost every serious player wants to own but hasn't bought yet.

Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev. The most beginner-friendly instructive book in chess. Every move of every game is explained in plain English. It's been in print for 60 years and is given as a gift constantly because it works as one. Good for anyone from beginner through about 1400 USCF.

Silman's Complete Endgame Course by Jeremy Silman. Organized by rating level so the reader learns exactly the endgames they need to know, not more and not less. Players from 800 to 2000 find something useful in it. One of the most universally applicable chess books on the market.

My System by Aron Nimzowitsch. The foundational text of positional chess strategy. Many club players have heard of it but haven't bought it. For anyone around 1000 and above.

$35 to $50: a proper club set

If the person you're buying for doesn't have a real club set, the WE Games Tournament Chess Set is the answer. Weighted plastic pieces, felt bases, 19" vinyl board included. This is the same setup used in US scholastic tournaments. It's the chess equivalent of buying someone a real kitchen knife instead of a $6 set from a grocery store.

Players who already have a WE Games set and want the upgrade will want the House of Staunton set (see below). Players who have neither benefit more from the WE Games because it includes the board.

$50 to $100: the upgrade set

House of Staunton Grandmaster Chess Set. Four-inch weighted pieces, triple-weighted, with a smooth matte finish that looks and handles noticeably better than the $35 sets. Most US club players use either this set or a DGT set. A genuine step up. Good on a 20" board.

How to Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman (4th ed.). For a player who's plateaued around 1000 to 1600 and wants to understand what they're doing wrong positionally. This is the most recommended improvement book at club level.

$60 to $80: a tournament clock

A chess clock is the gift that separates casual players from competitive ones. Playing with a clock changes how you think; time management is a real skill and it develops only by using one.

DGT 3000 Chess Clock. The DGT 3000 is the clock used at most USCF-rated tournaments (along with newer DGT models). It supports Fischer increment and delay, programs are simple, the buttons are reliable, and it's the clock your opponent will already know how to set. The standard gift for someone who's just starting rated play.

Chronos GX Digital Chess Clock. The American alternative to DGT. Many experienced club players prefer it for the large, satisfying buttons. USCF tournament legal, supports all major time control formats.

Either clock works. If the player is beginning to play in rated tournaments, DGT is slightly more practical because it's the brand they'll see most often.

$150 and up: a dedicated chess computer

For the player who already owns a weighted set and a clock, the next real upgrade is a DGT Centaur. It's a sensor board with real weighted pieces, LED move indicators, and a built-in adaptive engine that scales its strength to the player rather than just running at one fixed level. It plays offline, tracks the game itself, and works as a standalone opponent for someone who wants over-the-board practice without a laptop open next to the pieces.

This is a splurge gift, not a starter one. Reserve it for a player who has clearly outgrown a basic set and clock and would actually use a dedicated training board.

What not to buy

Themed sets. Harry Potter, Star Wars, medieval armies. These don't get played. Pieces aren't Staunton-shaped, so you can't recognize them at speed, and the boards are usually the wrong size. Beautiful to look at; useless for chess.

Decorative inlaid wood sets. The kind sold in museum gift shops with alabaster or marble pieces. Also not played. Chess played with real pieces means handles, clicks, and a thousand incidental bumps. Alabaster breaks; marble scratches boards.

Chess-themed novelty items. Socks, mugs, clocks shaped like pawns. These signal that you bought for the theme, not the game. If the person plays chess seriously, they'd rather have a DGT clock than a chess mug.

Software and app subscriptions as a gift. Chess.com Premium and Lichess memberships are good tools (Lichess is free), but they're not physical gifts and they expire. If you're buying for someone who doesn't already have a Premium membership and you know they'll use it, it's a reasonable addition. Don't lead with it.

What to ask if you're not sure

One question: "What's your current setup? Do you have a weighted set and a clock?" If they have both, buy a book. If they have neither, buy the WE Games set. If they have a set but not a clock, buy the DGT 3000.

The DiscussChess equipment guide covers the full equipment spectrum for players building out a complete setup.

Sources

• USCF Equipment Standards

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