Lord of the Rings Board Games: chess set
Lord of the Rings Chess Set: Pewter Pieces and Chess Rules
The Lord of the Rings Chess Set from The Noble Collection is a collector's chess board for 2 players. It comes with 32 pewter pieces sculpted as characters from the film trilogy. A fine display piece for chess players who love Middle-earth and film fans who'd like to play a game, too.
- 2 players
- chess set
- The Noble Collection
Same chess, with Middle-earth on the board. Learn the rules, then choose your side.
This set uses standard chess rules, as published by FIDE. A first game has a few stages, from setup to checkmate. Here’s how they work, in order. For a Middle-earth game with a story and a team, try The Lord of the Rings: The Board Game.
Put a light square in the bottom-right corner from each player's point of view.
Quick guide to a game of chess on this set
Chess follows the same steps no matter what the pieces look like, from setup through the end of the game.
Each queen starts on her own color: white on light, black on dark.
- Step 1:
Turn the board so each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner.
- Step 2:
Set out the 16 pieces for each side: rooks in the corners, then knights, bishops, queen and king. Line up eight pawns in front.
- Step 3:
White moves first. Then players alternate, moving one piece per turn.
- Step 4:
To capture an enemy piece, move onto its square and remove it.
- Step 5:
If your king is attacked, you're in check and must escape with your next move.
- Step 6:
Castling, en passant and promotion are allowed when the rules permit them.
- 7Step 7:
Checkmate wins the game. Stalemate and other draw rules end it in a draw.
The quick version skips special moves that can catch new players off guard, including castling, en passant and promotion. Here’s the full setup, how each piece moves, and how games end, based on the FIDE Laws of Chess. Looking for a war game with a Middle-earth map? See War of the Ring.
How to play chess with the Lord of the Rings set
Setup
Set the board so each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner.
On each player's back rank, place the rooks in the corners, then the knights, then the bishops. The queen and king go in the two central squares.
Each queen starts on her own color: the white queen on a light square, the black queen on a dark square.
Place each player's eight pawns on the rank directly in front of the other pieces.
White goes first.
Turn by turn
King and queen
The king moves one square in any direction, but not onto a square attacked by an enemy piece. The queen moves any number of squares in a straight line or diagonal, but cannot jump.
Rook and bishop
A rook moves any number of squares along a rank or file. A bishop moves any number diagonally. Neither piece can jump over another.
Knight
A knight moves in an L: two squares in one direction, then one at a right angle. It’s the only piece that can jump over others.
Pawn
A pawn moves one square straight ahead into an empty square, or two squares from its starting square if both are empty. It captures one square diagonally forward and can’t move backward.
Castling
Move the king two squares toward a rook, then place the rook on the square the king crossed. Neither piece can have moved, the squares between them must be empty, and the king can’t be in check or cross an attacked square.
En passant and promotion
If an enemy pawn moves two squares and lands beside your pawn, you can capture it as if it had moved one square, but only on your very next move. A pawn reaching the far rank becomes a queen, rook, bishop, or knight.
End of the game and scoring
Checkmate wins the game: the king is in check with no legal way out. Stalemate is a draw: the player to move isn’t in check but has no legal move. Players can also agree to a draw. Under FIDE rules, a player can claim one after the same position appears three times or after 50 moves by each side without a pawn move or capture.
Key rules
Check
A king is in check when an enemy piece attacks it. You must deal with the threat, and you can’t make a move that leaves your own king in check.
Capturing
Capture an enemy piece by moving onto its square and removing it. You can’t move onto a square occupied by your own piece.
Automatic draws
Under FIDE rules, a game is automatically drawn after five occurrences of the same position, or after 75 moves by each side without a pawn move or capture.
Different pieces, same chess rules
The pewter pieces depict film characters, but the rules are standard chess. The Noble Collection page doesn’t say which character represents each piece, so check the box.
Tips for your first game
- Start by learning the knight’s L-shaped move. It’s the one people miss most often.
- Before each move, make sure it won’t leave your king in check.
- Remember, castling is off the table if the king has moved, even if it moved back.
- Handle the pewter pieces by their bases. This set is a collector’s item.
White moves first. Then the players take turns.
The Noble Collection describes the board as a work of art built around Frodo's journey and the people he meets along the way. Read on for the maker’s notes on the pieces, board and extra character packs. The Lord of the Rings board games page compares this set with the licensed games.
The set and the films behind it
Your move can’t leave your king in check.
The game
Maker and design
The Noble Collection makes this set. Its product page describes the board as a work of art, with an ancient map of Middle-earth mounted beneath the playing surface and a base showing characters and scenes from the trilogy.
Pieces approved by the actors
The page says the 32 playing pieces are precise miniature sculptures of cast members in fine pewter. It also says each likeness was personally approved by the actor.
The film or series it covers
Peter Jackson directed The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, released from 2001 to 2003.
The Noble Collection says the board traces Frodo's journey from the Shire and the friends and foes he meets. Chess has no connection to the story itself; the films provide the visual theme.
Scenes and story beats in the game
- 1
An ancient map of Middle-earth sits below the board's playing surface.
- 2
Images of characters and scenes from the trilogy decorate the base.
- 3
The pieces depict cast members, with each likeness approved by the actor.
Box contents
- 32 pewter playing pieces sculpted as characters from the films
- A board with an ancient map of Middle-earth beneath the playing surface
- A base decorated with images of characters and scenes from the trilogy
- Board made from cold cast porcelain, with metal attachments and plexi-glass
- Board measures approximately 15 by 15 inches
Lord of the Rings chess set add-ons and other sets
The Two Towers 12 Character Package
Sold separately by The Noble Collection as an add-on for this set.
The Return of the King 12 Character Package
Sold separately by The Noble Collection as an add-on for this set.
Lord of the Rings Chess Set: answers to common questions
What are the Lord of the Rings chess pieces made of?
The Noble Collection describes the 32 playing pieces as miniature sculptures made from fine pewter. The board is crafted from cold cast porcelain, with metal attachments and plexi-glass.
Does the Lord of the Rings Chess Set use standard chess rules?
Yes. The look is different, but the rules are standard FIDE, including castling, en passant, and promotion.
How big is the Lord of the Rings chess board?
The Noble Collection lists the board as approximately 15 by 15 inches.
Are there chess sets for The Two Towers and The Return of the King?
The Noble Collection sells The Two Towers 12 Character Package and The Return of the King 12 Character Package as chess-set add-ons.
Who made the Lord of the Rings Chess Set?
The Noble Collection makes the set. Its product page says each pewter likeness was personally approved by the actor it depicts.
How many players is the Lord of the Rings Chess Set for?
Two. Like any chess set, it takes two players.
Put a light square in the bottom-right corner from each player's point of view.
Each queen starts on her own color: white on light, black on dark.
Sources
- The Noble Collection UK: Lord of the Rings Chess Set noblecollection.co.uk
- FIDE Handbook: Laws of Chess handbook.fide.com
- Wikipedia: Rules of chess en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia: The Lord of the Rings (film series) en.wikipedia.org