3 ms·

That still doesn't explain it - you don't have to buy something because there's a market for it.

• criddell 4y ago
  No, but you might make something as long as there’s a profitable market for it. I’m guessing the ultimate answer you are looking for is mostly “history”. Once upon a time, all chess sets were handmade and expensive. Then mass production techniques came on line and the market moved to cheap, machine-made sets. There’s still some people who would prefer a handmade set and you can get one for only $500. That seems pretty inexpensive to me. If I wanted a nice chess set, it might be what I would buy.
  • chrisseaton 4y ago
    > There’s still some people who would prefer a handmade set Again... question people are trying to answer is why do they need to use these for championships?
    • criddell 4y ago
      I would assume it's to have a uniform and expected experience by the players. Players don't want to think about the pieces themselves, only the position. The fact that you can get a set of pieces for only $500 that can be used for many games means that there's little pressure to change the rules. On top of all that, it's a nice link to the past. If chess players and fans are at all like baseball players and fans, that can matter.