LEGO patented its signature “binding brick” in 1958. But it wasn’t until nearly 50 years later, in 2005, that LEGO released its first official chess build.
I learned this fact while researching this article. And even as someone who spends most of his idle time building and learning about LEGO, it surprised me. Why had it taken so long? LEGO Chess seemed, at least in my mind, a given – an easy, marketable way to make bricks accessible to a wide audience.
But in 2005, LEGO’s audience was primarily children. The company did not widely cater to its adult audience until 2007. And the idea of LEGO lifestyle branding – of integrating brick-built things into a non-brick living space – didn’t truly take off until around 2020.
What we now take for granted in 2025 was unprecedented in 2005. when the first LEGO chess set debuted. And it was unheard of in the prior decades, when the majority of builds were miniature playsets, rather than depictions of real-life things.
Here’s an ordered history of every LEGO Chess Set. There are 12 in all, including the only one that’s currently available to buy in 2025. You can also check out our guide to the best overall chess sets for more options.
All LEGO Chess Sets In Order of Release1. Knights’ Kingdom Chess Set – RetiredThe first LEGO chess set was part of the Knight’s Kingdom, an expansion of the LEGO Castle brand. It featured two Armies: the Shadow Knights, led by evil sorcerer Vladek, and the Kingdom of Morcia, led by King Matthias. The set included 24 minifigures with detailed armor and stylized shields.
2. Vikings Chess Set – RetiredVery similar to the Knight’s Kingdom set from the prior year, the Vikings set also included 24 minifigures, this time wearing archetypal horned viking helmets along with spears and axes for weapons.
3. Castle Chess Set – RetiredAnother Castle-themed set, the Castle set was a bit more generic than its Knight’s Kingdom counterpart. It pitted an army of crown knights against an undead army of skeletons. The best part of the set was the Grim Reaper bishops, which had massive scythes for weapons.
4. Giant Chess Set – RetiredStill the largest, most ornate chess set that LEGO ever designed (by a considerable margin), the Giant Chess Set was bigger and better in every way. The board itself was two feet long on all sides, and it came with four miniature builds of the skeleton realm, the troll realm, the dwarf realm, and the castle realm.
The board was smooth rather than studded, which gave it a more elegant look. And the individual pieces were the best looking yet. The bishops were wizards. The knights were minifigures on horseback. And the rooks were heavily fortified siege towers.
5. Pirates Chess Set – RetiredThe first pirates-themed set pitted a Royal Navy against a motley crew of pirates. I loved this set’s variety; whereas every naval officer pawn looked mostly the same, every pirate pawn had a unique costume and accessory. And best of all, the pirate knight was a curly-tailed monkey, armed with a knife. It doesn’t get more chaotic than that.
6. Multi Game Pack 9-in-1 – RetiredThis was a travel-friendly, tiny set that allowed you to play nine different classic board games: Ludo, Chess, Checkers, Solitaire, Backgammon, Fireman Hoses and Ladders, and three different cards for Travel Bingo.
7. Kingdoms Chess Set – RetiredThis Castle-themed set depicted a Green Dragon army versus a Red Lion army. The individual minifigures had a lot of character and detail. A definite highlight was the Red Lion knight, a Jester with a big, cartoonish smile. The board is mounted on a unique baseplate with a bastion in each corner.
This was the first LEGO chess set that didn’t come with a carry case, nor did it have a separate storage compartment for its pieces. This set wasn’t designed with travel in mind, and it’s an early example of LEGO that’s designed for display rather than play.
8. Pirates Chess Set #2 – RetiredThe second Pirates-themed chess set had an outdoor beach theme, with sand on one side of the set and ocean on the other. This was the first LEGO chess board to have smooth squares with single studs in their centers, which was more aesthetically pleasing and functional than the baseplate boards that came prior.
9. Iconic Chess Set – RetiredThis was the first time that LEGO released a chess set with no gimmicks and no minifigures — just a regular chess set with blocky, traditional pieces, and space beneath the board to store them all. This set had longevity; it stayed on shelves for seven years before LEGO retired it at the end of 2022.
10. Steampunk Mini Chess – RetiredDesigned by user CorvusA, this tiny set was a collaboration between LEGO and LEGO fansite BrickLink. The BrickLink AFOL (Adult Fans of LEGO) Designer Program launched 13 fan-designed sets, including this one, in 2019.
11. Hogwarts Wizard’s Chess Set – RetiredThis set recreated the iconic scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, when Harry, Hermione, and Ron faced the chess trial, and Ron sacrificed himself to checkmate the King. This LEGO Harry Potter set came with three minifigures to represent the “Trio.”
LEGO Hogwarts Wizard’s Chess Set
12. Traditional Chess Set
We reviewed LEGO’s most recent chess set when it launched in 2024, and it’s the only one that’s still available in stores. Its dark brown and beige squares give the impression of polished wood, which adds a bit of classic flair. It’s simple, appealing, and functional – a far cry from the lavish yet impractical builds from years ago.
LEGO Traditional Chess Set
Where to Buy Retired LEGO Chess SetsOne of the biggest issues of discovering a really cool LEGO set from years ago is that it’s probably already retired. That’s the case with almost every LEGO chess set on this list, so if you see something you like that is already retired, you’ll need to look toward third-party sellers. Amazon will sometimes have retired sets at a premium price, but your best bet is places like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.
See our guide to the best places to buy LEGO sets for more details about where to shop.
Kevin Wong is a contributing freelancer for IGN, specializing in LEGO. He’s also been published in Complex, Engadget, Gamespot, Kotaku, and more. Follow him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.
