Courier Chess

Courier Chess Set 1508

This is a set of 3-D printing programs for a chess set loosely based on the painting "The Chess Players" by Lucas van Leyden, painted in or around 1508.

The painting portrays a man and woman playing Courier Chess, a chess variant popular in Northern Europe for several centuries, surrounded by several onlookers. Courier Chess is played on a board of 8 by 12 cells, and includes additional pieces added to the usual ones. Each side has 12 Pawns, and in addition to the usual King, Queen, two Bishops, two Knights, and two Rooks, includes a "Mann", a "Schleich", and two "Couriers".

If you prefer to print a conventional chess set from these programs, simply omit the Mann, Schleich, and Couriers, and print just eight Pawns per side.

Whether you choose to print a set for Courier Chess or for conventional chess, these pieces offer designs characteristic of the 16th and late 15th Century. You can enjoy this chess set at Renaissance festivals or reenactments,