Chess pieces DUBROVNIK

Loosely modeled after the Staunton line of chess pieces, but with its own distinctive appeal, the Dubrovnik style chess pieces were originally designed for use in the ninth Olympic Chess Competition held in 1950 in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia (now Croatia) - from which they derive their name.

Pocek, a Yugoslav painter and sculptor, was specifically commissioned to create a new design of chess pieces that would offer better stability, playability and ease of handling - specifically for the occasion.

The so-called Dubrovnik chess piece series, in the design of which Pocek later became famous, not only fulfilled his task but exceeded all expectations, giving his design a restrained elegance - without floral decoration - that has enchanted chess enthusiasts from generation to generation.

Over the past 70 years or so, the design has been modified several times, but its basic design rules have remained largely unchanged.

One of the keys to the enduring popularity of Dubrovnik chess pieces has been their uncompromising support from one of chess' most iconic legends - Bobby Fischer.

Fischer, the only American world chess champion in modern times, was single-handedly responsible for reviving chess in popular culture - at least in the West - when he defeated Spassky in the 1972 World Championship, ending the Soviet Union's 24-year dominance of the game.

Fischer famously had his own original set of Dubrovnik chess pieces, which he treasured. He is also said to have specifically requested the Dubrovnik chess pieces to be used in the 1992 replay against Spassky.

Today, thanks in large part to his personal ownership and public support, the Dubrovnik checkers are widely regarded as one of the five most classic designs of all time.