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Coffee house sets have a look you can identify from across a room, and the numbers explain why. The king here is 107mm and the knight is 64mm. That is a 43mm gap between the king and the knight, where a modern Staunton set of this height would open closer to 30mm.
The result is a board where the royals tower and everything else stays low and squat. It was a practical shape for the Viennese coffee houses these sets are named after, where games ran long, tables were small, and the two kings needed to be findable across a crowded room at a glance.
Ebonised and natural boxwood, weighted, 1,050g across 34 pieces. It sits in our chess pieces collection.
We carry two Old Vienna patterns and they are not the same set at two sizes. This one runs a 107mm king; the V2.0 version runs 98mm. That nine millimetre gap is the obvious difference and it is the one most people choose on.
The less obvious difference is what happens below the royals. This set drops its knight to 64mm where the 98mm version carries a 71mm knight, so the coffee house exaggeration is stronger here despite the two sets being closer in officer height than in king height. The pawns go the other way: 53mm here against 46mm there.
The light sides differ too. This one uses natural boxwood, bright and clean against the ebonised dark side. The 98mm version pairs its ebonised pieces with antiqued boxwood, which is toned down for a more muted, aged board. Both sit in our wood chess pieces range.
Vienna's coffee houses were a serious centre of European chess through the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. Players held tables for hours, games were watched by anyone passing, and the sets that lived in those rooms developed a shape suited to the conditions rather than to a rulebook.
Tall kings and queens made the state of a game readable from a neighbouring table. Low, broad officers were harder to knock over on a small marble top and cheaper to turn. It is a style that grew out of use rather than design, which is exactly why it looks unlike anything produced to a tournament specification.
Ebonised means boxwood that has been dyed and finished black rather than genuine ebony heartwood. It is the traditional treatment for this style of set and it gives an even, uniform black without the faint figure real ebony shows.
Two things follow. It is considerably less expensive than genuine ebony, which is why sets like this remain accessible. And because the colour sits at the surface, a deep chip will show light timber underneath, and years of handling can lighten the high points of a piece. Wiping with a dry cloth rather than a damp one, and keeping the set out of direct sun, is most of what looking after it requires.
The 41mm king base works on anything from 50mm to 60mm squares. Fifty gives a full, traditional coffee house density; sixty gives the low officers more room and makes the height difference between royals and officers even more pronounced.
One thing to expect: with a 64mm knight next to a 53mm rook, the officer rank is flatter than you are used to, and the pawns at 53mm sit level with the rooks. It takes a little adjustment if you read a position partly by piece height. No board is included with these pieces. Square sizes are listed throughout our chess boards collection.
Buy this for the silhouette. The gap between a 107mm king and a 64mm knight is what gives coffee house sets their character, and this pattern pushes it further than most, further even than our 98mm Old Vienna. On a table it looks like the real thing and it costs a fraction of what a comparable genuine ebony set would. The compromises are the ones ebonised timber always brings: uniform black without the figure real ebony shows, and colour that can lighten on the high points after years of handling. There is also a practical adjustment, because the flat officer rank and the pawns sitting level with the rooks remove a height cue most players use without noticing. Give it a couple of games. If you want the Viennese look on a sensible budget, this is the better of our two Old Vienna patterns for it.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Anything from 50mm to 60mm squares. The 41mm king base gives a traditional dense look on 50mm and more room around the low officers on 60mm.
No. The dark pieces are ebonised, meaning boxwood dyed and finished black. That is the traditional treatment for this style and gives an even uniform black rather than the faint figure real ebony shows.
This one has a 107mm king against 98mm, a shorter 64mm knight against 71mm, and taller 53mm pawns against 46mm. This set uses natural boxwood on the light side where the 98mm version uses antiqued boxwood.
It is the coffee house style. Tall royals made a game readable across a busy room and low broad officers were harder to knock over on a small table. The proportions grew out of use rather than a tournament specification.
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 |
107mm (4.2 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
41mm (1.6 inch) |
|
Queen height |
86mm (3.4 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
39mm (1.5 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
74mm (2.9 inch) |
|
Knight height |
64mm (2.5 inch) |
|
Rook height |
53mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
53mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
36mm (1.4 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,050g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 60mm |
|
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.
Coffee house sets have a look you can identify from across a room, and the numbers explain why. The king here is 107mm and the knight is 64mm. That is a 43mm gap between the king and the knight, where a modern Staunton set of this height would open closer to 30mm.
The result is a board where the royals tower and everything else stays low and squat. It was a practical shape for the Viennese coffee houses these sets are named after, where games ran long, tables were small, and the two kings needed to be findable across a crowded room at a glance.
Ebonised and natural boxwood, weighted, 1,050g across 34 pieces. It sits in our chess pieces collection.
We carry two Old Vienna patterns and they are not the same set at two sizes. This one runs a 107mm king; the V2.0 version runs 98mm. That nine millimetre gap is the obvious difference and it is the one most people choose on.
The less obvious difference is what happens below the royals. This set drops its knight to 64mm where the 98mm version carries a 71mm knight, so the coffee house exaggeration is stronger here despite the two sets being closer in officer height than in king height. The pawns go the other way: 53mm here against 46mm there.
The light sides differ too. This one uses natural boxwood, bright and clean against the ebonised dark side. The 98mm version pairs its ebonised pieces with antiqued boxwood, which is toned down for a more muted, aged board. Both sit in our wood chess pieces range.
Vienna's coffee houses were a serious centre of European chess through the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. Players held tables for hours, games were watched by anyone passing, and the sets that lived in those rooms developed a shape suited to the conditions rather than to a rulebook.
Tall kings and queens made the state of a game readable from a neighbouring table. Low, broad officers were harder to knock over on a small marble top and cheaper to turn. It is a style that grew out of use rather than design, which is exactly why it looks unlike anything produced to a tournament specification.
Ebonised means boxwood that has been dyed and finished black rather than genuine ebony heartwood. It is the traditional treatment for this style of set and it gives an even, uniform black without the faint figure real ebony shows.
Two things follow. It is considerably less expensive than genuine ebony, which is why sets like this remain accessible. And because the colour sits at the surface, a deep chip will show light timber underneath, and years of handling can lighten the high points of a piece. Wiping with a dry cloth rather than a damp one, and keeping the set out of direct sun, is most of what looking after it requires.
The 41mm king base works on anything from 50mm to 60mm squares. Fifty gives a full, traditional coffee house density; sixty gives the low officers more room and makes the height difference between royals and officers even more pronounced.
One thing to expect: with a 64mm knight next to a 53mm rook, the officer rank is flatter than you are used to, and the pawns at 53mm sit level with the rooks. It takes a little adjustment if you read a position partly by piece height. No board is included with these pieces. Square sizes are listed throughout our chess boards collection.
Buy this for the silhouette. The gap between a 107mm king and a 64mm knight is what gives coffee house sets their character, and this pattern pushes it further than most, further even than our 98mm Old Vienna. On a table it looks like the real thing and it costs a fraction of what a comparable genuine ebony set would. The compromises are the ones ebonised timber always brings: uniform black without the figure real ebony shows, and colour that can lighten on the high points after years of handling. There is also a practical adjustment, because the flat officer rank and the pawns sitting level with the rooks remove a height cue most players use without noticing. Give it a couple of games. If you want the Viennese look on a sensible budget, this is the better of our two Old Vienna patterns for it.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Anything from 50mm to 60mm squares. The 41mm king base gives a traditional dense look on 50mm and more room around the low officers on 60mm.
No. The dark pieces are ebonised, meaning boxwood dyed and finished black. That is the traditional treatment for this style and gives an even uniform black rather than the faint figure real ebony shows.
This one has a 107mm king against 98mm, a shorter 64mm knight against 71mm, and taller 53mm pawns against 46mm. This set uses natural boxwood on the light side where the 98mm version uses antiqued boxwood.
It is the coffee house style. Tall royals made a game readable across a busy room and low broad officers were harder to knock over on a small table. The proportions grew out of use rather than a tournament specification.
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 |
107mm (4.2 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
41mm (1.6 inch) |
|
Queen height |
86mm (3.4 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
39mm (1.5 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
74mm (2.9 inch) |
|
Knight height |
64mm (2.5 inch) |
|
Rook height |
53mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
53mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
36mm (1.4 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,050g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 60mm |
|
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.
