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The Chavet pattern was designed in France and reached its widest audience at the 1990 World Championship in Lyon, where it was the approved playing equipment. This is a faithful reproduction of that design, and it sits squarely in our tournament chess pieces collection rather than on a display shelf.
What marks a Chavet out is the knight. It is turned and carved as a single piece with no joins, which is harder to make and far less common than the glued two part knights used on most sets at this size. Around it sit the details the pattern is known for: collar rings under the crowns, a rook with four turret cuts, and pawns on a deliberately wide base.
Choose bud rosewood for a deep reddish brown dark side with visible figuring, or sheesham for a lighter, warmer brown with more open grain. Both pair with natural boxwood, and both share the same 93mm king on a 40mm base.
Tournament sets tend to be judged on two things: whether the proportions suit real play, and whether the carving survives close inspection. Plenty of sets at this size get the first right and quietly give up on the second, using a two part knight because it is quicker to produce.
The Chavet keeps both. The one piece knight is the clearest signal, but the collar rings and the turret cuts on the rook are the same story: shapes that take longer on the lathe and by hand. The 40mm base under a 93mm king gives a low, planted stance that suits a set intended to be moved quickly under a clock.
What it is not is a heavyweight. If you want the mass of a triple weighted competition set, look higher up our wood chess pieces range. This is a set built around geometry and carving rather than sheer heft.
Both editions come from the same moulds and the same carver, so the choice is entirely about the dark side of the board.
Bud rosewood is the deeper and more figured of the two. It reads as a dark reddish brown with visible movement in the grain, and it gives the stronger contrast against the boxwood. It is also the heavier set at 1,250g, which is worth knowing if you prefer a piece that stays put.
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) is lighter in both senses. The colour is a warmer mid brown with a more open, striped grain, and the set weighs 1,010g. Against boxwood the contrast is gentler, which some players find easier on the eye across a long session.
Everything else is identical: 93mm king, 40mm base, 34 pieces, the same one piece knight, and thick green felt under every base.
A 40mm base under a 93mm king puts this set at a ratio built for play rather than display. The piece sits low enough to stay stable when knocked by a sleeve, and narrow enough that a crowded centre does not become a guessing game about which square a piece is actually on.
The felt matters more than it sounds. Thick green felt rather than thin baize means the piece slides rather than scrapes, and it protects a lacquered timber board from the ring marks that hard base edges leave over a few hundred games. Set weight is applied by hand, so the maker notes a tolerance of around ten percent between sets.
The 40mm king base is what sets your board size, not the 93mm height. At roughly 78 percent coverage that puts these pieces on 50mm to 55mm squares, which is standard tournament sizing and the easiest range to buy into.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size, so you can match the 50mm to 55mm requirement directly rather than working it back from the overall board dimensions.
The one piece knight is the reason to choose this over other sets at the same height, and it is a real manufacturing difference rather than a marketing line. The honest caveat is weight: at 1,250g in bud rosewood and 1,010g in sheesham, across 34 pieces, this is a moderately weighted set rather than a heavy one, so anyone coming from a triple weighted competition set will notice the difference immediately. We would put it in front of a club player who wants a proper tournament pattern with carving worth looking at, rather than someone chasing maximum mass.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Both are identical in size, carving and felt. Bud rosewood is darker, more figured and heavier at 1,250g, giving stronger contrast against the boxwood. Sheesham is a warmer mid brown with more open grain and weighs 1,010g. It is purely a question of how you want the dark side to read.
Squares of 50mm to 55mm. That comes from the 40mm king base rather than the 93mm height, and it is standard tournament sizing, so most competition boards will suit.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately and no storage box ships with the set.
It is turned and carved as a single piece with no joins, where most sets at this size use a two part knight that is assembled. It takes longer to produce and it is the detail the Chavet pattern is best known for.
Yes. The pattern was the approved equipment at the 1990 World Championship in Lyon, and the proportions suit standard tournament boards. If you want a heavier set for the same use, browse the full chess pieces collection and compare set weights.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
93mm (3.66 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Queen height |
81mm (3.18 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
69mm (2.71 inch) |
|
Knight height |
68mm (2.67 inch) |
|
Rook height |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
49mm (1.92 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Bud rosewood, or sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo), by edition |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood (Gardenia latifolia) |
|
Knight construction |
Turned and carved as a single piece, no joins |
|
Base finish |
Thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,250g in bud rosewood, 1,010g in sheesham, hand weighted to about ten percent tolerance |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 55mm |
|
Design origin |
Chavet pattern, approved equipment at the 1990 Lyon World Championship |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the timber edition you select
2 spare queens, one per colour
Chess board not included
Storage box not included
All products sold by Sterling Chess are backed by a 12 month limited manufacturer warranty. This covers manufacturing defects and cracking, and ensures every product is 100% genuine. If you need assistance, our team is only a call or email away.
Is shipping really free?
Yes — we offer free standard shipping on all orders across Australia, with no minimum spend. The price you see at checkout is the price you pay.
Are there any exceptions to free shipping?
No exceptions. Every order ships free, regardless of size, weight, or order value.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Orders are typically dispatched within 1–2 business days, with delivery times depending on your location. You'll receive tracking details by email once your order is on its way.
Do you ship to all areas of Australia?
Yes, we deliver Australia-wide, including regional and remote areas — all at no shipping cost to you.
Can I track my order?
Absolutely. As soon as your order ships, we'll email you a tracking number so you can follow its journey to your door.
What if I need my order quickly?
Get in touch before ordering and we'll do our best to help. Standard shipping is free, and we'll advise on the fastest available option for your area. To contact us, simply email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au, call (03) 7037 0931 or open the live chat.
Changed your mind? You can return unused, unopened items within 100 days of your order date, provided they’re in original packaging and resaleable condition. Sterling Chess will cover the cost of shipping return items under our 100-day free returns policy.
All Sterling Chess products are backed by Australian Consumer Law and include a minimum 12-month Australian warranty. If there’s an issue with your product, our team is here to help and will work to make it right.
Click here to view our full returns policy.
If you're shopping for a new chess set, you're in the right place—and here's why.
1. We know chess inside and out
At Sterling Chess, we're not just another online store. We’re chess lovers, players, collectors, and game night fanatics.
That means we care about quality, balance, and feel—and we only stock sets we’d use ourselves. From tournament-grade boards to handcrafted wooden pieces, we’ve got what real players want.
2. Unmatched variety for every player
Whether you're just learning or a lifelong grandmaster, we have something for you.
Looking for a folding set for travel? A stunning showpiece for your home? A kid-friendly set for your budding chess champion? We’ve got it all—and more.
3. Fast and FREE shipping on all orders
Shipping is FREE on all Sterling Chess orders.
We ship quickly from local and international warehouses, so you’re not waiting weeks to get your game on.
Most orders are packed and sent within 24–48 hours. Plus, you’ll get tracking updates every step of the way.
4. Customer support that actually helps
Have a question? Need help choosing a set? Our friendly team is ready to help—no scripts, no bots, just real people who care about your experience.
You can call our team anytime between business hours on (03) 7037 0931 or email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au. Alternatively, you can use our live chat during business hours to contact our helpful support team.
5. Thousands of happy customers
Don't just take our word for it—our reviews speak for themselves. Sterling Chess is trusted by thousands of players who keep coming back for more. Great products. Great service. No hassle.
6. Classic games, too
We're all about chess—but we also carry backgammon, checkers, poker and other timeless strategy games. If you love the classics, you’ll feel right at home.
Ready to make your move?
Choose a chess set that fits your style, skill level, and space—and enjoy the Sterling Chess difference. You’ll love how it looks. You’ll love how it plays. And you’ll love buying from a team that loves the game just as much as you do.
The Chavet pattern was designed in France and reached its widest audience at the 1990 World Championship in Lyon, where it was the approved playing equipment. This is a faithful reproduction of that design, and it sits squarely in our tournament chess pieces collection rather than on a display shelf.
What marks a Chavet out is the knight. It is turned and carved as a single piece with no joins, which is harder to make and far less common than the glued two part knights used on most sets at this size. Around it sit the details the pattern is known for: collar rings under the crowns, a rook with four turret cuts, and pawns on a deliberately wide base.
Choose bud rosewood for a deep reddish brown dark side with visible figuring, or sheesham for a lighter, warmer brown with more open grain. Both pair with natural boxwood, and both share the same 93mm king on a 40mm base.
Tournament sets tend to be judged on two things: whether the proportions suit real play, and whether the carving survives close inspection. Plenty of sets at this size get the first right and quietly give up on the second, using a two part knight because it is quicker to produce.
The Chavet keeps both. The one piece knight is the clearest signal, but the collar rings and the turret cuts on the rook are the same story: shapes that take longer on the lathe and by hand. The 40mm base under a 93mm king gives a low, planted stance that suits a set intended to be moved quickly under a clock.
What it is not is a heavyweight. If you want the mass of a triple weighted competition set, look higher up our wood chess pieces range. This is a set built around geometry and carving rather than sheer heft.
Both editions come from the same moulds and the same carver, so the choice is entirely about the dark side of the board.
Bud rosewood is the deeper and more figured of the two. It reads as a dark reddish brown with visible movement in the grain, and it gives the stronger contrast against the boxwood. It is also the heavier set at 1,250g, which is worth knowing if you prefer a piece that stays put.
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) is lighter in both senses. The colour is a warmer mid brown with a more open, striped grain, and the set weighs 1,010g. Against boxwood the contrast is gentler, which some players find easier on the eye across a long session.
Everything else is identical: 93mm king, 40mm base, 34 pieces, the same one piece knight, and thick green felt under every base.
A 40mm base under a 93mm king puts this set at a ratio built for play rather than display. The piece sits low enough to stay stable when knocked by a sleeve, and narrow enough that a crowded centre does not become a guessing game about which square a piece is actually on.
The felt matters more than it sounds. Thick green felt rather than thin baize means the piece slides rather than scrapes, and it protects a lacquered timber board from the ring marks that hard base edges leave over a few hundred games. Set weight is applied by hand, so the maker notes a tolerance of around ten percent between sets.
The 40mm king base is what sets your board size, not the 93mm height. At roughly 78 percent coverage that puts these pieces on 50mm to 55mm squares, which is standard tournament sizing and the easiest range to buy into.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size, so you can match the 50mm to 55mm requirement directly rather than working it back from the overall board dimensions.
The one piece knight is the reason to choose this over other sets at the same height, and it is a real manufacturing difference rather than a marketing line. The honest caveat is weight: at 1,250g in bud rosewood and 1,010g in sheesham, across 34 pieces, this is a moderately weighted set rather than a heavy one, so anyone coming from a triple weighted competition set will notice the difference immediately. We would put it in front of a club player who wants a proper tournament pattern with carving worth looking at, rather than someone chasing maximum mass.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Both are identical in size, carving and felt. Bud rosewood is darker, more figured and heavier at 1,250g, giving stronger contrast against the boxwood. Sheesham is a warmer mid brown with more open grain and weighs 1,010g. It is purely a question of how you want the dark side to read.
Squares of 50mm to 55mm. That comes from the 40mm king base rather than the 93mm height, and it is standard tournament sizing, so most competition boards will suit.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately and no storage box ships with the set.
It is turned and carved as a single piece with no joins, where most sets at this size use a two part knight that is assembled. It takes longer to produce and it is the detail the Chavet pattern is best known for.
Yes. The pattern was the approved equipment at the 1990 World Championship in Lyon, and the proportions suit standard tournament boards. If you want a heavier set for the same use, browse the full chess pieces collection and compare set weights.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
93mm (3.66 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Queen height |
81mm (3.18 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
69mm (2.71 inch) |
|
Knight height |
68mm (2.67 inch) |
|
Rook height |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
49mm (1.92 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Bud rosewood, or sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo), by edition |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood (Gardenia latifolia) |
|
Knight construction |
Turned and carved as a single piece, no joins |
|
Base finish |
Thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,250g in bud rosewood, 1,010g in sheesham, hand weighted to about ten percent tolerance |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 55mm |
|
Design origin |
Chavet pattern, approved equipment at the 1990 Lyon World Championship |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the timber edition you select
2 spare queens, one per colour
Chess board not included
Storage box not included
All products sold by Sterling Chess are backed by a 12 month limited manufacturer warranty. This covers manufacturing defects and cracking, and ensures every product is 100% genuine. If you need assistance, our team is only a call or email away.
Is shipping really free?
Yes — we offer free standard shipping on all orders across Australia, with no minimum spend. The price you see at checkout is the price you pay.
Are there any exceptions to free shipping?
No exceptions. Every order ships free, regardless of size, weight, or order value.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Orders are typically dispatched within 1–2 business days, with delivery times depending on your location. You'll receive tracking details by email once your order is on its way.
Do you ship to all areas of Australia?
Yes, we deliver Australia-wide, including regional and remote areas — all at no shipping cost to you.
Can I track my order?
Absolutely. As soon as your order ships, we'll email you a tracking number so you can follow its journey to your door.
What if I need my order quickly?
Get in touch before ordering and we'll do our best to help. Standard shipping is free, and we'll advise on the fastest available option for your area. To contact us, simply email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au, call (03) 7037 0931 or open the live chat.
Changed your mind? You can return unused, unopened items within 100 days of your order date, provided they’re in original packaging and resaleable condition. Sterling Chess will cover the cost of shipping return items under our 100-day free returns policy.
All Sterling Chess products are backed by Australian Consumer Law and include a minimum 12-month Australian warranty. If there’s an issue with your product, our team is here to help and will work to make it right.
Click here to view our full returns policy.
If you're shopping for a new chess set, you're in the right place—and here's why.
1. We know chess inside and out
At Sterling Chess, we're not just another online store. We’re chess lovers, players, collectors, and game night fanatics.
That means we care about quality, balance, and feel—and we only stock sets we’d use ourselves. From tournament-grade boards to handcrafted wooden pieces, we’ve got what real players want.
2. Unmatched variety for every player
Whether you're just learning or a lifelong grandmaster, we have something for you.
Looking for a folding set for travel? A stunning showpiece for your home? A kid-friendly set for your budding chess champion? We’ve got it all—and more.
3. Fast and FREE shipping on all orders
Shipping is FREE on all Sterling Chess orders.
We ship quickly from local and international warehouses, so you’re not waiting weeks to get your game on.
Most orders are packed and sent within 24–48 hours. Plus, you’ll get tracking updates every step of the way.
4. Customer support that actually helps
Have a question? Need help choosing a set? Our friendly team is ready to help—no scripts, no bots, just real people who care about your experience.
You can call our team anytime between business hours on (03) 7037 0931 or email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au. Alternatively, you can use our live chat during business hours to contact our helpful support team.
5. Thousands of happy customers
Don't just take our word for it—our reviews speak for themselves. Sterling Chess is trusted by thousands of players who keep coming back for more. Great products. Great service. No hassle.
6. Classic games, too
We're all about chess—but we also carry backgammon, checkers, poker and other timeless strategy games. If you love the classics, you’ll feel right at home.
Ready to make your move?
Choose a chess set that fits your style, skill level, and space—and enjoy the Sterling Chess difference. You’ll love how it looks. You’ll love how it plays. And you’ll love buying from a team that loves the game just as much as you do.
