Fancy chess sets in wood can cost hundreds of dollars.
But according to The New York Times, the expense is really all about one piece: The knight, which accounts for about 50 percent of the cost. That is because knights must be hand-carved to look exactly alike. Just 10 people specialize in carving knights. A set of four knights takes six hours to carve.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.