The gift they'll still play at forty
or 4 payments of £9.99 with Klarna
🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.
- Screen-free
- No batteries
- Solid wood
- Folds flat
- Plays for years
- Ships 2-3 days
- 30-day returns
- Klarna available
Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795
as seen in
Real talk
The moment they forget to ask for the iPad
This isn't a toy they'll outgrow. Hand-carved Staunton pieces, a board of walnut and sycamore, and the weight of a real game in their hands mean they'll ask to play again and again. Screen-free, no setup fuss, no learning curve if you know the moves.
You get peace of mind: a beautiful object on the shelf that doubles as proof you're winning the screen battle.
Joe Jaques, Jaques of London
What's in the box
What arrives
One complete chess set, ready to play. The board folds shut to half its size for storage or travel.
15-inch wooden board
Walnut and sycamore veneer. Folds completely flat. Sits pretty on a coffee table or tucks into a cupboard.
- ✓ Solid wood construction
- ✓ Weighted pieces stay put
- ✓ Hinged case closes in seconds
Hand-carved Staunton pieces
32 pieces, carved to the tournament pattern Jaques designed in 1849. The same design used in world championships.
- ✓ Weighted for serious play
- ✓ Easy to tell apart
- ✓ Last for decades
Ready to give
Arrives packaged beautifully. No assembly. No batteries. Pour a drink, set the board, and begin.
- ✓ Gift wrap available at checkout
- ✓ Plays straight out of the box
- ✓ Includes felt pads under each piece
Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday
Was £58.99
Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set: £39.99
While they play
What chess quietly teaches
Looks like play. Works like a lesson.
Strategy
Planning 3 moves ahead trains the brain to think in sequences. No luck, no chance, pure decision-making.
Concentration
A proper game takes focus. Screen-free means no notifications, no pings, just the board and one another.
Problem-solving
Every move is a puzzle. Chess teaches how to spot threats, spot opportunities, adapt when plans shift.
Patience
Slowing down. Thinking it through. Playing a game that takes 20 minutes or an hour, not 20 seconds.
What families say about Jaques of London
What parents and grandparents say
"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."
"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."
"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."
"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"
"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."
"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"
Get ready for life
Why real play matters
Real brain growth comes from real play.
Years making games for families
Jaques invented the Staunton chessmen in 1849. That same pattern, that same care, is in your set today.
Orders from parents like you
Screen-time guilt is real. So is the relief when your child asks to play chess instead of opening a tablet.
Day returns no questions
If it doesn't arrive as promised or isn't what you hoped, send it back. We'll refund you in full.
Why this matters right now
We really are different
Why this beats the plastic version
| Jaques Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set | Cheap Alternatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Board material | ✅ | ❌ Plastic folds wrong, pieces slide |
| Piece weight | ✅ | ❌ Flimsy, topple over mid-game |
| Plays for years | ✅ | ❌ Cracks, warps, thrown out |
| Beautiful to look at | ✅ | ❌ Looks like a toy, hides in cupboard |
| Staunton tournament pieces | ✅ | ❌ Random shapes, confusing |
| Folds flat and compact | ✅ | ❌ Board warps when closed, hard to store |
| Feels serious to play | ✅ | ❌ Feels throwaway, short attention |
- ✅ Real wood board
- ✅ Weighted pieces
- ✅ Years of play
- ✅ Lives on the shelf
- ✅ Tournament pieces
- ✅ Folds tight
- ✅ Serious game feel
- ❌ Plastic slides around
- ❌ Pieces topple easily
- ❌ Breaks quickly
- ❌ Looks cheap, hides away
- ❌ Random shapes confuse
- ❌ Won't fold flat
- ❌ Feels like a toy
Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday
Was £58.99
Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set: £39.99
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.
Questions & answers
Questions from our buyers
Is this the right one for a 6-year-old?
Yes. If they know how the pieces move, they can play. The 15-inch board and Staunton pieces are the standard size. They'll grow into it, and it'll still be played at fourteen. Buying for a 6th birthday? This is the one.
What if they don't know how to play yet?
The pieces and rules are the same everywhere. Teach them once, they play for life. No app to download, no learning curve tied to a screen. One book on chess rules and you're ready.
Will it really stop the screen requests?
Not alone. But one parent told us: 'The 20 minutes my 4yo didn't ask for the iPad, she set up the board instead.' A proper game, a comfortable place to play, and you nearby makes the difference. Screen-free doesn't mean boring.
What if it arrives and it's not what I expected?
Thirty days to change your mind, no questions. Send it back, we refund you. But most buyers don't. As John A said: 'Not the usual tat from China.' Solid wood, hand-finished, and weight in your hands tell a different story than a photo.
How much does it cost?
The Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set is £39.99 today (down from £58.99). Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.
What's your returns policy?
30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.
Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday
Was £58.99
Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set: £39.99
Our story
Making toys worth keeping since 1795.
Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.
In 1795, Jaques began making games that lasted. In 1849, we created the Staunton chessmen, the pattern still used in tournaments today. This folding set carries that heritage into your home: a beautiful object for the coffee table and a proper game for the table. We make it heavy enough to mean something, finished enough to last decades, and simple enough that a 6-year-old can set it up alone. Screen-free strategy, in solid wood, from the company that invented the game.
Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London
Ready when you are
Start a tradition
this weekend
Was £58.99
£39.99 Save 32%
🛡️ 30-day money-back guarantee · 🚚 Delivery in 2-3 working days · 🏛️ Est. 1795
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