Black Forest Studio

We are a creative game studio with a focus on making beautiful games that you’ll want to play at home with family and friends.

Check out our hand-carved chess pieces and other games, with art by Aaron Griffin, Lindsey Kustusch, Artur Jag, Daria Rashev, and more.

Everything we make is a game you can enjoy at home, whether you like to play cards, chess, escape rooms, or something in between.

We pride ourselves on attention to detail with every game we make.

About Chess

You’ve heard that chess is the Game of Kings. And it’s true.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a king to play. Chess is a magnificent game which takes minutes to learn and years to master. The best players in the world are still learning.

You can shop for chess pieces and chessboards that we carry, and learn more about each in the process as you enjoy the Game of Kings.

Woods used in chess pieces and chessboards

A variety of woods can be used in crafting chess pieces and chess boards. We use only quality pieces, and each is hand crafted by an expert, a true artisan.

Here is a brief overview of some of the woods used in creating chess pieces and chessboards.

PADAUK = A gorgeous red wood used in both chess pieces and chessboards.

BOXWOOD = Used to make light colored chess pieces.

EBONY = A wood that is naturally black in color and used to make chess pieces and chessboards.

EBONIZED = Boxwood (light colored wood) that has been painted/finished to be black in color.

MAPLE = A light colored wood, great for chessboards.

WALNUT = A darker brown wood, lovely in chessboards.

MAHOGANY = A naturally light brown wood (lighter than walnut) with a slight reddish tint. Used in creating chessboards.

ACACIA = A hardwood with brown and amber hues, very durable, and a lovely choice for chess pieces.

Our chess pieces, chess sets, and chessboards

In a world of mass production, all of our chess pieces are hand-crafted one at a time by a real human who is a true artisan.

All of our chess pieces are heavily weighted and come with extra queens - one extra queen for each side in the case of pawn promotion during your chess game.

Each piece also has a green felt carefully placed at the bottom of its base to ensure smooth use on your chessboard.

We ship everything usually same day, so you’ll receive your items quickly with tracking numbers. The utmost care is taken to ensure your products arrive quickly and safely.

Each piece is unique and handmade. Each wooden chess piece and chessboard was made by hand. You’ll see the grains and detail in each piece. Please note that wood is a natural material, so each piece can have the slightest difference from the next. It is these imperfections that make each chess set, each chess piece, and chess board one-of-a-kind.

Note that we sell our chess pieces and chess boards separately, so make sure you are getting exactly what you want. Many collectors and players have multiple chess boards or sets of chess pieces they enjoy using.