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✔ Questions? Call Us: (03) 7037 0931
Three numbers explain this set. The king is 109mm, the queen is 102mm and the knight is 95mm. On a modern Staunton those would step down by twenty millimetres at a time; here the top three pieces sit within fourteen millimetres of each other, and the knight stands taller than the bishop.
That is what an English pattern looked like before 1849 standardised everything. Tall, closely spaced, with the drama in the upper half of the board and the pawns dropping well back to 55mm. It reads as an antique from across the room, because the shape is one modern sets abandoned.
Genuine ebony heartwood against boxwood, double weighted to 1,800g on narrow 37mm bases. It sits in our chess pieces collection.
A modern 109mm Staunton would sit on a 46mm base, drop its queen to about 90mm and put the knight below the bishop. This set does none of those things, and each departure is deliberate.
The narrow 37mm base is the biggest practical difference. It means the back rank never crowds, and a 109mm set that would normally demand 60mm squares works from 45mm up. That is a real advantage and it is the reason antique patterns fit boards their height suggests they should not.
The height hierarchy is the biggest visual difference. With king, queen and knight all in the top fourteen millimetres, you identify pieces by their heads rather than their stature, which takes a few games. Conventional stepping is what our Staunton chess pieces range gives you.
On virtually every modern set the bishop is the third tallest piece and the knight the fourth. Here it is reversed, and by twenty millimetres: a 95mm knight against a 75mm bishop.
That comes from the antique English habit of carving the knight as a long necked horse head rather than tucking it into a low collar. It gives the piece real presence on the board, and it means the knights are the first thing your eye finds in a crowded position rather than something you hunt for. It is the single most distinctive thing about the pattern.
Eighteen hundred grams across 34 pieces is around 53g each, which is heavy, and heavier than most sets carrying a 37mm base. Double weighting puts an iron stud in each foot under the felt, and here it is doing more work than usual because the base gives it less to sit on.
In practice the pieces are stable in normal play and feel properly dense in the hand. They are still narrower footed than a modern set of the same height, so a knocked table will topple them where a wide based tournament set would ride it out. Weighting is added by hand, so the total can vary by around ten per cent between sets.
The dark side is ebony heartwood rather than ebonised or dyed boxwood. The near black comes from the timber, which shows a faint dark figure under direct light and, more usefully, does not lift off the high points of a piece after years of handling the way a surface dye does.
Ebony is stable but it is not waterproof and it does not like direct sun. Keep the set away from a bright window and wipe it with a dry cloth rather than anything damp. No board is included with these pieces. Square sizes are listed on every board in our chess boards collection.
This is the most interesting shape we carry at this price. A 102mm queen under a 109mm king and a knight that stands twenty millimetres above the bishop give you a board that looks nothing like a modern set, and the genuine ebony and 1,800g of double weighting mean it is a properly made object rather than a novelty. The narrow 37mm base is the thing to think about in both directions: it is why a 109mm set will sit on a 45mm board, which is a real and unusual advantage, and it is also why these pieces are easier to knock over than a modern tournament set. Buy it for a table where it can stay out and be looked at. If you want conventional stepping and a wide, forgiving foot, this is not that set and is not trying to be.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Anything from 45mm to 55mm squares. The narrow 37mm base is what lets a 109mm king sit on a smaller board than its height would normally allow.
No. They are newly made pieces reproducing an English pattern from before the Staunton design was standardised in 1849. The timber is genuine ebony and boxwood.
It is the antique English habit of carving the knight as a long necked horse head rather than tucking it into a low collar. At 95mm against a 75mm bishop it is the most distinctive thing about the pattern.
Genuine ebony heartwood on the dark pieces, not boxwood dyed or stained black. The colour runs through the timber rather than sitting on the surface.
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.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
109mm (4.3 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
37mm (1.5 inch) |
|
Queen height |
102mm (4.0 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
37mm (1.5 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
75mm |
|
Knight height |
95mm |
|
Rook height |
67mm (2.6 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
55mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
33mm (1.3 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Double weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,800g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm to 55mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
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.
Three numbers explain this set. The king is 109mm, the queen is 102mm and the knight is 95mm. On a modern Staunton those would step down by twenty millimetres at a time; here the top three pieces sit within fourteen millimetres of each other, and the knight stands taller than the bishop.
That is what an English pattern looked like before 1849 standardised everything. Tall, closely spaced, with the drama in the upper half of the board and the pawns dropping well back to 55mm. It reads as an antique from across the room, because the shape is one modern sets abandoned.
Genuine ebony heartwood against boxwood, double weighted to 1,800g on narrow 37mm bases. It sits in our chess pieces collection.
A modern 109mm Staunton would sit on a 46mm base, drop its queen to about 90mm and put the knight below the bishop. This set does none of those things, and each departure is deliberate.
The narrow 37mm base is the biggest practical difference. It means the back rank never crowds, and a 109mm set that would normally demand 60mm squares works from 45mm up. That is a real advantage and it is the reason antique patterns fit boards their height suggests they should not.
The height hierarchy is the biggest visual difference. With king, queen and knight all in the top fourteen millimetres, you identify pieces by their heads rather than their stature, which takes a few games. Conventional stepping is what our Staunton chess pieces range gives you.
On virtually every modern set the bishop is the third tallest piece and the knight the fourth. Here it is reversed, and by twenty millimetres: a 95mm knight against a 75mm bishop.
That comes from the antique English habit of carving the knight as a long necked horse head rather than tucking it into a low collar. It gives the piece real presence on the board, and it means the knights are the first thing your eye finds in a crowded position rather than something you hunt for. It is the single most distinctive thing about the pattern.
Eighteen hundred grams across 34 pieces is around 53g each, which is heavy, and heavier than most sets carrying a 37mm base. Double weighting puts an iron stud in each foot under the felt, and here it is doing more work than usual because the base gives it less to sit on.
In practice the pieces are stable in normal play and feel properly dense in the hand. They are still narrower footed than a modern set of the same height, so a knocked table will topple them where a wide based tournament set would ride it out. Weighting is added by hand, so the total can vary by around ten per cent between sets.
The dark side is ebony heartwood rather than ebonised or dyed boxwood. The near black comes from the timber, which shows a faint dark figure under direct light and, more usefully, does not lift off the high points of a piece after years of handling the way a surface dye does.
Ebony is stable but it is not waterproof and it does not like direct sun. Keep the set away from a bright window and wipe it with a dry cloth rather than anything damp. No board is included with these pieces. Square sizes are listed on every board in our chess boards collection.
This is the most interesting shape we carry at this price. A 102mm queen under a 109mm king and a knight that stands twenty millimetres above the bishop give you a board that looks nothing like a modern set, and the genuine ebony and 1,800g of double weighting mean it is a properly made object rather than a novelty. The narrow 37mm base is the thing to think about in both directions: it is why a 109mm set will sit on a 45mm board, which is a real and unusual advantage, and it is also why these pieces are easier to knock over than a modern tournament set. Buy it for a table where it can stay out and be looked at. If you want conventional stepping and a wide, forgiving foot, this is not that set and is not trying to be.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Anything from 45mm to 55mm squares. The narrow 37mm base is what lets a 109mm king sit on a smaller board than its height would normally allow.
No. They are newly made pieces reproducing an English pattern from before the Staunton design was standardised in 1849. The timber is genuine ebony and boxwood.
It is the antique English habit of carving the knight as a long necked horse head rather than tucking it into a low collar. At 95mm against a 75mm bishop it is the most distinctive thing about the pattern.
Genuine ebony heartwood on the dark pieces, not boxwood dyed or stained black. The colour runs through the timber rather than sitting on the surface.
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.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
109mm (4.3 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
37mm (1.5 inch) |
|
Queen height |
102mm (4.0 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
37mm (1.5 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
75mm |
|
Knight height |
95mm |
|
Rook height |
67mm (2.6 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
55mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
33mm (1.3 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Double weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,800g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm to 55mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
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.
