Weighted, felted chess pieces have a weight (lead, zinc or steel) set into the base and a disc of felt glued underneath. The weight lowers the centre of gravity, making the piece more stable and more pleasant to hold; the felt protects the board and muffles the noise. “Double” or “triple weighting” simply means a heavier weight, with no standardised definition.
- Weighting
- A weight (lead, zinc or steel) set into the base of each piece to stabilise it and give a sense of heft. “Double” or “triple” weighting means a heavier weight, not a standardised quantity.
- Felt
- A disc of felt or similar fabric glued under the base, which stops the piece from scratching the board, lets it glide without catching and keeps the game quiet.
Weighted, felted chess pieces: how it is done
After turning, a cylindrical hole, more or less deep, is drilled in the base of the piece. The weight is fitted into it: a mass of cast lead or a cylinder of metal, which is glued in and finished flush with the base. The whole is then covered with felt. On carefully made sets, the drilling is calculated piece by piece, so that the weight stays proportionate to the height: a pawn weighted like a king would otherwise tip over.
This is no recent invention. The first Staunton sets in boxwood and ebony, put on sale in London in 1849, were already weighted with lead and felted underneath so as to glide silently (see the history of the Staunton pattern).
Single, double or triple weighting: what is the difference?
No body defines these terms. Each maker uses them to position its sets relative to one another: a “double weighting” contains more metal than a single weighting, a “triple weighting” more still. Comparing two brands on this criterion alone therefore makes little sense; only the actual weight of the set, when given, allows a comparison.
| Level | How it feels | Benefit | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unweighted | Light piece, the weight of the wood alone | Very dense wood (ebony, boxwood) or a travel set | Soft pieces tip over and feel hollow |
| Single weighting | Firm seating, stable piece | A good compromise for most sets | Varies from brand to brand |
| Double weighting | Noticeable heft in the hand | Playing comfort, impression of quality | Higher total weight to carry |
| Triple weighting | Very heavy, “planted” piece | Prestige sets, large sizes | Can tire the hand in blitz; higher price |
Lead, zinc or steel?
Lead is the historic weight: very dense and easy to cast, it brings a lot of weight in a small volume. Zinc and steel are less dense but easier to handle, and often preferred today. A steel-weighted piece also has an unexpected advantage: it stays put on a magnetic board. Whichever metal is used, it is enclosed in the wood and covered with felt, and so does not touch the hand in normal use; just avoid letting young children chew the pieces.
What is weighting for, in concrete terms?
- Stability: the FIDE standards in force since 1 March 2026 require pieces to withstand a tilt of about 30° without falling over. A low centre of gravity contributes directly to this.
- Comfort: a heavy piece is picked up and set down with precision, without hesitation.
- Balance between the sides: when White is in boxwood and Black in the denser ebony, the weight allows the weight of the two sides to be brought closer.
- The feel of quality: it is often the first criterion one judges on picking up a piece.
Felt: a detail that matters
The FIDE standards require the underside of the pieces to be fitted with felt or a silent, non-slip material. Good felt is glued on flat and cut flush with the base, with no smears of glue. Wool felt, denser, has a reputation for lasting longer than cheap synthetic felt. It eventually wears or comes unstuck over the years: replacing it is simple, and our page on caring for a wooden chess set explains how.
Weighted pieces or not: how to choose?
For a club or drawing-room set, weighting is almost essential whenever the wood is not very dense: it transforms the experience of play. For a travel set, lightness counts for more. For large sets (size 6 and over, see piece sizes), double weighting avoids the impression of a hollow piece. In France, the maker Chavet, for example, offers weighted and felted boxwood pieces in several size numbers, including No. 5. The prestige sets presented by Le Palais des Échecs in its selection of high-end sets with weighted pieces likewise combine dense wood with pronounced weighting.
To understand how drilling and weighting fit into the making process, see the page on how chess pieces are made.
Frequently asked questions
What is the weighting of chess pieces for?
To lower the pieces’ centre of gravity so that they do not tip over, to give them a pleasant heft in the hand and to balance the weight of the two sides when the woods are not of the same density.
Weighted pieces or not?
Weighted (with lead, or with zinc or steel) for a club or drawing-room set, especially if the wood is light; unweighted for a travel set or if the pieces are already in a very dense wood such as ebony.
What does “triple weighting” mean?
That the maker has put a larger quantity of metal in the base than in its single or double weighted sets. The term is not standardised: compare instead the actual weight given for the set.
Sources: FIDE, equipment standards (2026); Wikipedia (en), Staunton chess set (lead weighting of the first sets).
Further reading
- Piece sizesKing height, base diameter and square size.
- Making chess piecesTurning, carving the knight, ebonising, finishing.
- The Staunton pattern1849, Nathaniel Cooke, John Jaques and Howard Staunton.