Giant Chess

Our take

The mistake with giant chess is almost always the space, not the set. People choose the piece height they like the look of and then discover the playing area it needs. A 60cm set wants a 2.4 by 2.4 metre square. A 120cm set wants four metres square. The 180cm pieces want nearly five. Measure the space first and let it choose the size, because the reverse never works.

The second thing worth knowing is that these are two different products wearing the same name. The 60cm Standard pieces are two-piece plastic that you assemble, and they take water or sand ballast to hold steady in wind. The 60cm Premium pieces are rotationally moulded polyethylene, single piece, with UV-4 protection and a stain-resistant additive through the material, and they need neither assembly nor ballast. If the set is going out permanently in an Australian summer, that difference is the whole decision.

If it is for a backyard and it comes in over winter, the Standard set is honestly enough. If it is going into a school yard, a holiday park or a resort and nobody will be carrying it in, buy the Premium and do not think about it again.

Blake Sterling, Founder, Sterling Chess

Work out your playing area first

Square size follows piece height, and playing area follows square size. These are the figures each set is built to, and they are the first thing to check against the space you have.

• 60cm and 65cm pieces: 30cm squares, giving a 2.4 by 2.4 metre board. This is the size most backyards, schools and holiday parks can actually fit.
• 90cm pieces: 40cm to 50cm squares, so a 3.2 metre or 4 metre square depending on which you choose.
• 120cm pieces: 50cm squares, giving 4 by 4 metres.
• 180cm pieces: 60cm squares, giving 4.8 by 4.8 metres. This is a courtyard or a lawn, not a patio.

Remember to allow room to walk around the outside as well. Players move the pieces by hand, so the board needs a margin on all four sides that nobody has to step over the position to reach.

Complete sets

Two sets ship with pieces and board together, and both use the same 2.4 by 2.4 metre commercial grade rubberised vinyl board with 30cm squares, safety edge ramps and corner pieces.

• 60cm Standard Giant Chess Set: a 60cm king with a 40cm pawn on a 22cm base. Two-piece construction, so the pieces assemble on site, and the bases take water or sand ballast for windy spots. The pieces are durable plastic without UV-4 protection or stain-resistant additives, so this is the set for a backyard rather than a permanent public installation.
• 60cm Premium Giant Chess Set: a 65cm king with a 25cm base, in rotationally moulded polyethylene with UV-4 protection and stain resistance through the material. Single piece, so no assembly and no ballast. Built to stay outside.

Pieces on their own

If you already have a surface, or you are laying pavers or a printed mat, the pieces are sold without a board. Every set is a full 32 piece Staunton army.

• 60cm Premium Giant Chess Pieces: the Premium army on its own, around 53kg for the set, wanting 30cm squares.
• 90cm Giant Chess Pieces: a 90cm king on a 37cm base, heaviest piece 4.1kg, shipped on a pallet. The step up where the set starts to dominate a space rather than sit in it.
• 120cm Giant Chess Pieces: a 120cm king on a 42cm base, heaviest piece 7.3kg, two pallets. Genuinely a landmark rather than a game.
• 180cm Lifesize Chess Pieces: a 180cm king weighing 10kg and an 89cm pawn, in fibreglass and resin with a protective gel coat rather than moulded plastic. Made to order with a lead time of around four months, and the makers recommend indoor storage in extreme weather.

Boards and surfaces

A giant set does not need a purpose-made board. Pavers, tiles, a mown pattern in a lawn or a printed mat all work, and plenty of installations use the ground itself.

Where a portable surface is wanted, the 2.4m Giant Vinyl Chess Board is the one we stock separately. It is commercial gym flooring grade rubberised vinyl, anti-skid, water and UV resistant, around 30kg, and it is sized at 30cm squares for the 60cm and 65cm armies. For indoor boards at ordinary scale, our chess boards range is the other end of the catalogue entirely.

Something different: the wall game

The Giant Chess Wall Game is not a floor set and belongs in a different conversation. It is a 112 by 112cm playable board built from 64 individual 14cm panels that mount to a wall, with 32 pieces included. It is made for cafes, breakout rooms, playrooms and anywhere the wall is the available surface rather than the floor.

One thing to be clear about before ordering: the panels mount with double sided tape and the installation is designed to be permanent, so removal can damage the wall or the panels. It sits alongside the rest of the oversized range in our giant games collection, with giant four in a row, Chinese checkers, sudoku and tic tac toe.

Frequently asked questions

How much space does a giant chess set need?

A 60cm or 65cm set needs 2.4 by 2.4 metres of board plus walking room around it. A 90cm set needs 3.2 to 4 metres square, a 120cm set 4 metres square, and the 180cm pieces 4.8 metres square. Measure the space before choosing the piece height, not after.

Can giant chess sets stay outside permanently?

The Premium 60cm, 90cm and 120cm pieces are moulded polyethylene with UV-4 protection and stain resistance and are built for permanent outdoor use. The 60cm Standard pieces are not UV-4 protected and may show colour fade and weathering with extended exposure, so they suit a set that comes in or lives under cover. The 180cm fibreglass pieces are suited to permanent outdoor display in most Australian climates, with indoor storage recommended in extreme weather.

Do the pieces blow over in wind?

The Premium and larger moulded pieces are heavy enough that they do not need ballast. The 60cm Standard pieces are two-piece and their bases can be filled with water or sand for stability in windy positions. For the 180cm pieces, optional plywood weight covers are available for exposed sites.

Is a board included?

With the two complete 60cm sets, yes: the 2.4 by 2.4 metre rubberised vinyl board with safety edge ramps and corners. The pieces-only listings do not include a board, and the vinyl board is also sold on its own.

What are giant chess pieces made from?

The 60cm Standard pieces are durable plastic in two-piece construction. The 60cm Premium, 90cm and 120cm pieces are rotationally moulded LLDPE polyethylene. The 180cm Lifesize pieces are fibreglass and resin with a gel coat finish. Each listing states its own material and weights.

Are these suitable for schools and public spaces?

They are widely used in schools, parks, holiday parks, aged care and corporate spaces, and the moulded pieces are made for that kind of traffic. Warranty terms differ for commercial installation, so talk to us before you order for a public site and we will tell you exactly where you stand rather than after the fact.

How long do the larger sets take to arrive?

The 90cm and 120cm pieces are made to order, and the 180cm Lifesize pieces have a lead time of around four months. If you are working to an opening date or an event, tell us the date first and we will tell you what is achievable.

Backed by Sterling Chess

Giant chess is the part of the catalogue where getting the specification right before the order matters most, because nothing here is easy to send back. We would rather spend twenty minutes on your measurements and your site than have a pallet arrive that does not fit the space.

Tell us the area you have, whether the set is staying out year round, and whether it is a home, a school or a commercial site. Call us on (03) 7037 0931 or email support@sterlingchess.com.au. Orders ship from Australian stock or are made to order depending on the size, and there is more on how we work on our why buy from us page.