This is a gorgeous board that doesn't look as traditional as many of the boards with borders. Eighteen inches square is a spacious size without being humongous. The finish is like silk. I have the resin chess set from chessusa and it looks great on this board. Probably any kind of chess pieces would due to the simplicity going on with this style. My chess moves land on it with a satisfying plunk sound whether I am making a bad move or a brilliant one so there's always something to be happy about. All around, one of my favorite purchases in recent memory.