Large chess pieces for the garden and terrace - Giant Chess

The original and large Giant Scacci chess pieces are handcrafted and made from Teak wood.

The oldest preserved chess pieces originate from the Persian-Arabic cultural area. They were often made from clay, bone, ivory, or even rock crystal from Kashmir. Knowledge about the significance of these mysteriously designed works is not very widespread today. These abstract chess pieces arrived in Europe in the 10th century and were used here for about 800 years. The mysteriously magical aura of these figures was also felt in medieval Europe. This explains the discovery of several abstract game elements found to protect buildings, surrounded by a walled foundation.

The precursors of modern chess likely stem from the cultural contact between India and China. In the 15th century, a major reform of the game's rules took place. In the following centuries, European chess masters especially contributed to the study of the game. The history of modern chess tournaments begins with the tournament in London in 1851. The competition between Steinitz and Zukertort in 1886 is considered the first World Chess Championship.

The oldest European text containing the rules of chess is a poem written in Hebrew by the Jewish Spanish poet-philosopher Abraham ibn Ezra (1089-1164). By the end of the 15th century, modern chess rules prevailed: pawns can move two squares on their first move, bishops can move diagonally as far as they want (before they jumped exactly two squares), and the queen can move in all eight directions as far as she wants (previously only one square diagonally), thus changing from the weakest to the most powerful piece on the board.

In 1616, the first chess manual in German was published: “Das Schach- oder König-Spiel” by Gustavus Selenus. In 1927, the first Chess Olympiad took place in London. After Alekhine's death in 1946, the World Chess Federation FIDE (founded in 1924 in Paris by FIDE) took over the organization of the World Chess Championships.

Like any wood, teak is a "living" material. Over time, cracks may appear, making these pieces look more unique. Teak is one of the most weather-resistant woods, primarily used for shipbuilding. Chess pieces made from teak wood are easy to maintain. Simply clean them occasionally from dust or rain stains with a damp cloth. Since wood is a "living" material, slight changes may occur over time. In particular, cracks may form in the wood due to continuous wood movements. Nevertheless, wood is a very warm and beautiful material, unlike plastic, which is rather cold. In the specific case of teak wood, with its characteristic grain and unique coloration, these features are even more pronounced. In fact, it is the changes in the wood that make a piece or any woodworking element even more interesting and unique.

Note: these chess pieces should not be treated merely as pieces; they should also be regarded as a work of wood. This means they are not suitable for children and should not be dropped or knocked over. This can lead to dents or damage to the elements.

In short: you certainly don't need to handle these figures with gloves, but you should treat them with some care. Although teak wood is very weather-resistant (teak is mainly used in the shipbuilding industry), it is still very useful to cover the figures or store them indoors when not in use or in very bad weather conditions. This also applies to many other materials, such as plastics.