Some say the world breaks down into chess players or checkers players. The former group of devoted strategists can further divide themselves from lesser devotees of pawns and rooks with the elegant and artists chess sets from Purling in London.

Made of the finest materials and designed by an invited team of dedicated craftspeople, these Purling sets are elegant gallery creations that double as gaming sets. Ranging in price from just under $1,000 to $16,000, some Purling creations include frames worth of the National Gallery – while others opt for a cleaner, more minimalist look.

Buyers looking to sneak in for a taste of Purling chess can snag just one of the individual chess pieces from some of the more elaborate collections for about $1,200. The most ambitious and financially gifted grand masters can explore chess creations for which Purling offers no official set price. Those intrigued must request the current financial demand before they castle their last rook. purlinglondon.com/chess-sets/