How To Make a Lego Chess Set

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Combine two favorite hobbies with this fun LEGO Chess Set project! One of my children designed and built this set after discovering a love for chess, and it quickly became one of our favorite LEGO creations.

Building a LEGO chess set is a wonderful way to encourage creativity, problem-solving, strategic thinking, and fine motor skills. Plus, the finished product is both functional and display-worthy!

If you have a LEGO fan who also enjoys chess, this is the perfect project to tackle together.

Why Build a LEGO Chess Set?

Chess is a fantastic game for developing important life skills, and building the set yourself adds an extra layer of creativity and engineering.

This project encourages:

• Problem-solving
• Planning and design skills
• Fine motor development
• Patience and perseverance
• Strategic thinking
• Creativity

For our family, it was especially meaningful because it combined two passions into one memorable project.

Supplies Needed

To build the chess board, we used:

• One 16 × 16 LEGO base plate
• 32 black 2 × 2 LEGO bricks
• 32 white 2 × 2 LEGO bricks
• Assorted LEGO pieces for the chess pieces

The board itself comes together fairly quickly. The real challenge—and fun—is creating the chess pieces!

How to Make a LEGO Chess Set

Build the Board

Using the 16 × 16 base plate, create the alternating checkerboard pattern.

You’ll need:

• 32 black squares
• 32 white squares

Each square on the board is made using a 2 × 2 LEGO piece.

Once complete, you’ll have a traditional 8 × 8 chess board.

How to Build the LEGO Chess Pieces

Finding the right pieces for the chess pieces took quite a bit of creativity and experimentation.

I have to admit that I don’t know the names of all of the tiny LEGO components we used, but hopefully the photos above help show how each piece was assembled.

You’ll need the following pieces for each side:

• 1 King
• 1 Queen
• 2 Bishops
• 2 Knights
• 2 Rooks
• 8 Pawns

One of my favorite parts of this project was watching my son sort through bins of LEGO pieces to find exactly what he needed. It became a puzzle and design challenge all on its own.

he squares are black and white 2×2’s. You need 32 of each color, black and white.

Tips for Building a LEGO Chess Set

If you decide to make your own version, these tips may help:

• Sort your LEGO pieces by color before starting.
• Take photos of finished pieces so they can be rebuilt later.
• Use contrasting colors to make gameplay easier.
• Store the pieces in separate bags or containers when not in use.
• Encourage kids to redesign pieces and make the set uniquely their own.

There is no single “right” way to build a LEGO chess set!

Learning to Play Chess

A little side note: I am absolutely terrible at chess.

My child quickly surpassed my abilities and often had to coach me through our games. He first learned through homeschool co-op classes and developed quite a talent for it.

I, on the other hand, still occasionally forget how some of the pieces move!

When our family was first learning to play, we found the No Stress Chess set incredibly helpful. It uses cards that guide players through the movements of each piece and makes learning the game much less intimidating.

If you’re just getting started with chess, I highly recommend finding a beginner-friendly approach like this.

I also have this post: How to Set up a Chess Board & Rules for Playing

Benefits of Chess for Kids

Chess is much more than a game.

Playing chess can help children develop:

• Strategic thinking
• Concentration
• Memory
• Patience
• Decision-making skills
• Sportsmanship
• Problem-solving abilities

These are valuable skills that extend far beyond the chess board.

A Project Worth Displaying

I have to admit that I absolutely adore this little LEGO chess set.

I’m incredibly proud of the creativity and determination that went into building it. While we do occasionally play with it, it has become one of those special projects that also serves as a display piece and a reminder of a season when LEGO bricks covered nearly every surface in our house.

The inspiration for this set originally came from the LEGO Ideas Book, but our finished version became something uniquely our own.

More LEGO Projects to Try

If your kids love building with LEGO bricks, you may also enjoy these activities:

LEGO Solar Powered Car
LEGO City Earthquake
LEGO Tesselations

Whether you’re building, designing, or playing a game of chess together, this LEGO Chess Set is a wonderful reminder that learning often happens when we combine our passions in creative ways.