Final scene: ( Render time 0:10:09)
Wireframe of the scene:
Decided to try and print one of the parts, first did a miniature, than a ~50% scale.
I was worried about the overhangs, but the sphere on the top ended messed up instead… 
:
The board was made form a simple profile and “bridge edge loop”:
The lines between the cells on the board are not texture, they are physically there.
Its just a small inset and than lifted up on Z:
Will be updating this thread as I go.
Pawn:
Bishop:
Couldn’t help myself, set around an hour with google to figure out lighting and texturing a bit.
Queen:
Top of her sphere is in quads ( no tris instructed in the video ):
Knight, spent too much time on him as it is…
Making the mane felt like modeling a Stegosaurus: 
Rook:
King:
Great work!