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The Avant Garde is a bold experiment with the Staunton outline, offered in two timbers, and the shapes are identical whichever one you choose.
The king is the plainest thing on the board here, drawn to a minimalist profile, which leaves the detail to the pieces standing around it.
The queen wears a five pointed crown, the bishop takes a clean mitre cut, the knight has a curled mane, and the rook is finished with distinct turrets.
Even the pawn gets a pointed top rather than a ball, so the front rank belongs to the same drawing as the back one.
The king stands 117mm, which is a large playing size, and every piece is triple weighted. It is shelved with our luxury chess pieces.
Start with what does not change. Both options come off the same pattern, so the height, the weight and the square window are the same in each. The timber decision is about looks alone.
Triple weighting at this height puts a great deal of mass under the army, and you feel it on the first move. A piece is set down and it stays exactly where it was set down.
That matters more on a tall set than a short one, because there is more piece standing above the board and more of it to catch with a sleeve.
The plain king is the thing to look at twice. From a metre away it reads as one clean shape, and the queen's crown and the knight's mane are what your eye actually picks up.
These pieces suit large boards, with squares of 55mm to 65mm, and the upper end is the one to aim for. At the tight end the back rank stands shoulder to shoulder with little board showing around the feet, and below that it will not seat.
Ebony and boxwood suits anyone who wants the drawing to be the thing they see. Against a near black body the crown points, the mitre cut and the turrets show as clean edges, and a gloss finish lifts them under a lamp.
Bud rosewood and boxwood works the other way round. A red brown dark army against a pale one gives the board colour as much as contrast, so the decoration sits inside that colour and the set looks inviting in ordinary room light.
Everything underneath stays put. Both options weigh the same, both are triple weighted, both use the same boxwood light army and both want the same squares.
A minimal king has a cost, though. With the decoration pushed out to the pieces around it, the king itself is the quietest shape in the army, and in a crowded position it takes a moment to locate.
Settle the board before you order. Measure the squares you already own, and budget for a new board if they come up short.
Looking after them is the same simple job whichever you choose. Keep the set out of direct sunlight and away from heaters, which is what makes hardwood check. Dust with a dry soft cloth, and leave oil, polish and solvents alone.
If you would rather have the choice made for you: ebony for contrast that holds at a distance, bud rosewood if you would sooner look at the timber than through it.
The Avant Garde rests on a decision it never announces: the king was left plain on purpose.
Give a king this tall a heavy crown and a busy stem and it starts competing with the queen beside it. This one does not, so the crown, the mitre and the mane land one at a time instead of all at once.
Size is the thing to be honest about. This is a big, heavy army that needs a large square and a table it can stay on, and anyone short of either should be looking across our tournament chess pieces instead.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 55mm to 65mm. Take the upper end if the board is not bought yet: the king stands on a wide foot, so that end leaves a clear ring of board around each piece, while the tight end fills the rank right up.
No. Both options are the same pattern at the same height, the same weight and the same recommended square size. Only the colour and the figure of the dark army change.
2,250 grams, in either timber. The pieces are triple weighted, so they land and stop, and nothing tips over when somebody knocks the table.
The king is deliberately minimal and the detail goes onto the pieces around it: the queen's five pointed crown, the bishop's mitre cut, a curled mane on the knight and distinct turrets on the rook.
34 chess pieces. What is in the box is listed in full below.
No. This listing is the chessmen on their own, and no storage box is included either, so both of those are separate choices.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
117mm high (4.6 inch), 48mm base |
|
Queen |
102mm high (4.0 inch), 44mm base |
|
Bishop |
88mm high (3.5 inch), 42mm base |
|
Knight |
78mm high (3.1 inch), 42mm base |
|
Rook |
72mm high (2.8 inch), 42mm base |
|
Pawn |
62mm high (2.4 inch), 34mm base |
|
Ebony Wood option |
Ebony wood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces, gloss finish |
|
Bud Rosewood option |
Bud rosewood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
King height, both timbers |
117mm |
|
Weighting |
Triple weighted |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm to 65mm (2.16 inch to 2.56 inch) |
|
Total weight of pieces |
2,250 grams (5 lbs) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in the timber option you select
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 Avant Garde is a bold experiment with the Staunton outline, offered in two timbers, and the shapes are identical whichever one you choose.
The king is the plainest thing on the board here, drawn to a minimalist profile, which leaves the detail to the pieces standing around it.
The queen wears a five pointed crown, the bishop takes a clean mitre cut, the knight has a curled mane, and the rook is finished with distinct turrets.
Even the pawn gets a pointed top rather than a ball, so the front rank belongs to the same drawing as the back one.
The king stands 117mm, which is a large playing size, and every piece is triple weighted. It is shelved with our luxury chess pieces.
Start with what does not change. Both options come off the same pattern, so the height, the weight and the square window are the same in each. The timber decision is about looks alone.
Triple weighting at this height puts a great deal of mass under the army, and you feel it on the first move. A piece is set down and it stays exactly where it was set down.
That matters more on a tall set than a short one, because there is more piece standing above the board and more of it to catch with a sleeve.
The plain king is the thing to look at twice. From a metre away it reads as one clean shape, and the queen's crown and the knight's mane are what your eye actually picks up.
These pieces suit large boards, with squares of 55mm to 65mm, and the upper end is the one to aim for. At the tight end the back rank stands shoulder to shoulder with little board showing around the feet, and below that it will not seat.
Ebony and boxwood suits anyone who wants the drawing to be the thing they see. Against a near black body the crown points, the mitre cut and the turrets show as clean edges, and a gloss finish lifts them under a lamp.
Bud rosewood and boxwood works the other way round. A red brown dark army against a pale one gives the board colour as much as contrast, so the decoration sits inside that colour and the set looks inviting in ordinary room light.
Everything underneath stays put. Both options weigh the same, both are triple weighted, both use the same boxwood light army and both want the same squares.
A minimal king has a cost, though. With the decoration pushed out to the pieces around it, the king itself is the quietest shape in the army, and in a crowded position it takes a moment to locate.
Settle the board before you order. Measure the squares you already own, and budget for a new board if they come up short.
Looking after them is the same simple job whichever you choose. Keep the set out of direct sunlight and away from heaters, which is what makes hardwood check. Dust with a dry soft cloth, and leave oil, polish and solvents alone.
If you would rather have the choice made for you: ebony for contrast that holds at a distance, bud rosewood if you would sooner look at the timber than through it.
The Avant Garde rests on a decision it never announces: the king was left plain on purpose.
Give a king this tall a heavy crown and a busy stem and it starts competing with the queen beside it. This one does not, so the crown, the mitre and the mane land one at a time instead of all at once.
Size is the thing to be honest about. This is a big, heavy army that needs a large square and a table it can stay on, and anyone short of either should be looking across our tournament chess pieces instead.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 55mm to 65mm. Take the upper end if the board is not bought yet: the king stands on a wide foot, so that end leaves a clear ring of board around each piece, while the tight end fills the rank right up.
No. Both options are the same pattern at the same height, the same weight and the same recommended square size. Only the colour and the figure of the dark army change.
2,250 grams, in either timber. The pieces are triple weighted, so they land and stop, and nothing tips over when somebody knocks the table.
The king is deliberately minimal and the detail goes onto the pieces around it: the queen's five pointed crown, the bishop's mitre cut, a curled mane on the knight and distinct turrets on the rook.
34 chess pieces. What is in the box is listed in full below.
No. This listing is the chessmen on their own, and no storage box is included either, so both of those are separate choices.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
117mm high (4.6 inch), 48mm base |
|
Queen |
102mm high (4.0 inch), 44mm base |
|
Bishop |
88mm high (3.5 inch), 42mm base |
|
Knight |
78mm high (3.1 inch), 42mm base |
|
Rook |
72mm high (2.8 inch), 42mm base |
|
Pawn |
62mm high (2.4 inch), 34mm base |
|
Ebony Wood option |
Ebony wood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces, gloss finish |
|
Bud Rosewood option |
Bud rosewood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
King height, both timbers |
117mm |
|
Weighting |
Triple weighted |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm to 65mm (2.16 inch to 2.56 inch) |
|
Total weight of pieces |
2,250 grams (5 lbs) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in the timber option you select
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.
