The gift that holds their attention at forty
or 4 payments of £10.74 with Klarna
🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.
- Hand-carved pieces
- Walnut & sycamore
- Folds flat
- Screen-free play
- Ships 2-3 days
- Age 6+
- 30-day returns
- Klarna available
Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795
as seen in
Real talk
It's 1:58pm. Finally, something that holds them.
You need 40 minutes. Real, uninterrupted minutes. This folding chess set does that without guilt, without a screen, without fiddling. The board lives on the coffee table, the pieces fit your hand, and once the game starts, the clock stops mattering.
In five years' time, they'll still reach for it. In twenty, they might give it to their own child.
Joe Jaques, Jaques of London
What's in the box
What arrives
The complete set, ready to play. No batteries, no assembly, no missing pieces.
32 hand-carved Staunton pieces
Each piece weighted and finished by hand. The pattern used in tournaments worldwide since 1849. Sits in your palm properly, moves with intention.
- ✓ Solid wood, weighted for balance
- ✓ Tournament-standard Staunton design
- ✓ Fits the hand at any age
15-inch walnut and sycamore board
64 squares in two woods, inlaid and finished to sit flush. Folds in half in two seconds. Lives on the shelf or packed for travel without risk.
- ✓ Solid wood throughout, no veneer
- ✓ Folds closed with a satisfying click
- ✓ Weighs enough to feel real
Storage that belongs on the shelf
The case closes over the board and pieces in seconds. No separate box to lose. It lives as beautifully as it plays, so it stays out, always ready.
- ✓ Closes flat for display or packing
- ✓ Opens to a playing surface in one motion
- ✓ No loose pieces or board parts
Order by 2pm, ships within 2-3 business days
Was £58.99
Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set: £42.99
While they play
What it quietly teaches
Looks like play. Works like a lesson.
Strategy
Three moves ahead becomes natural. Planning, not reacting. A skill that transfers to everything.
Concentration
40 minutes in. No notifications, no fidgeting. The ability to sit with one thing grows every game.
Problem-solving
When they're stuck, you don't solve it for them. They find the move. Confidence builds from inside.
Patience
Their turn. Your turn. The rhythm teaches waiting without rushing, losing without breaking, winning without gloating.
What families say about Jaques of London
Players across the generations
"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.
Unpack and set the board
Remove from the case. Pieces sit in order on the edge. No rules sheet needed, you both know how.
Start a game right now
No setup. No batteries. Fold it open and play. Your call is in two minutes and you've already won.
Close it and live with it
Fold the board. Pieces tuck back in. It closes like a book. Tomorrow, next week, or in twenty years, it's ready.
Why this matters right now
We really are different
Why this board, not the other one
| Jaques Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set | Cheap Alternatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | ✅ | Plastic or hollow wood veneer |
| Piece weight and feel | ✅ | Light pieces that skid across cheap board |
| Storage and display | ✅ | Separate box that hides under the bed |
| Played in 5 years | ✅ | Forgotten after the first week |
| Fits a child's hand at 6, still fits at 26 | ✅ | Pieces too small or too clumsy |
| Folds flat in seconds | ✅ | Takes five minutes and a diagram |
| 30-day returns, 60-day warranty | ✅ | No guarantee, no returns window |
- ✅ Solid walnut & sycamore
- ✅ Hand-weighted pieces
- ✅ Closes in seconds
- ✅ Played for decades
- ✅ Grows with them
- ✅ No fiddling
- ✅ Returns protected
- ❌ Plastic or veneer
- ❌ Pieces feel hollow
- ❌ Needs its own box
- ❌ Forgotten in weeks
- ❌ Too small or too big
- ❌ Complex folding
- ❌ One-way purchase
Order by 2pm, ships within 2-3 business days
Was £58.99
Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set: £42.99
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.
Questions & answers
The questions parents actually ask
Is this the right chess set for my child's age?
If they're 6 or older and can concentrate for 10 minutes, this is the one. The pieces are sized for adult hands but children grip them just fine. If you're buying for a 6th birthday or a 10-year-old who likes to build things, this is the gift. If they're under 6, start with a travel set first.
Why is this more expensive than a plastic board?
Solid wood, hand-finished, weighted pieces, and a board that sits flat without warping. More importantly, cost per year: played once a week for 40 years means a few pence per game. One parent told us: worth every penny full price. Another, after 5 years: not the usual tat from China.
When will it arrive if I order today?
Order by 2pm and it ships within 2 to 3 business days. One customer told us it arrived next day and saved Christmas. We also gift-wrap it beautifully, so if you're sending it as a gift, it's ready when it lands.
What if they don't play chess or it doesn't fit?
30-day returns, no questions asked. 60-day warranty covers any splitting, warping, or defect. You can play with it for a month and decide. One grandmother said it's the first toy she's bought that doesn't break after five minutes of play.
How much does it cost?
The Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set is £42.99 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, ships within 2-3 business days
Was £58.99
Folding Chess Board - Luxury 15 Inch Chess Set: £42.99
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, Jacques created the first games meant to last. In 1849, we designed the Staunton chessmen that tournaments still use today. This folding set carries that exact intention: a board and pieces that feel serious enough to respect, beautiful enough to live on the shelf, and simple enough that any child can learn it. We've made 100 million toys over 231 years because we believe a good game teaches more than any app, and belongs in every home.
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
Order today, play this weekend
Was £58.99
£42.99 Save 27%
🛡️ 30-day money-back guarantee · 🚚 Delivery in 2-3 working days · 🏛️ Est. 1795
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