This the fifth and most recent book in Mike's colour woodturning series. It has 168 pages, size 216 x 280 mm (8.5" x 11"), 40 diagrams, and 280 photographs and engravings. It details:

• The history of chess and turned chessmen
• How to analyse the designs of existing chess sets
• How you can create new set designs
• Drawings for ten different sets for those who want to start producing without delay
• The equipment and techniques you'll use to turn and carve chess sets.

Turned Chessmen's chapters are:

1. A History of Chessmen, 56 pages. Details the history of chess and chessmen from the invention of chess in India in about A.D. 550 to the present.

2. Gallery, 12 pages. Shows sets by six of today's makers.

3. Piece Symbols, 16 pages. Discusses the origins, history, and designs of the symbols, such as the rook's castle tower, used to signify the six chess pieces.

4. Designing Chess Sets, 30 pages. After analysing the designs of some extant sets, this chapter discusses how the design of each man in a set can clearly communicate that it belongs to that set, belongs to the black or white side, and is a particular piece.

5. Drawings for Chess Sets, 10 pages. Provides fully detailed drawings for ten sets which turners can copy or modify for making their own sets.

6. Making Chess Sets, 36 pages. Details all the techniques used to make chess sets, and explains the processes through sequences of photographs and diagrams.

7. Where next? Introduces a companion book.

Bibliographies, 2 pages.

Index, 5 pages.