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The Candidates Series is a playing set before it is anything else, and the useful thing to know about it is what has been left off.
There are no delicate finials, no thin projecting edges and no fragile detail anywhere on the army, because every one of those is a part that snaps in a bag or chips against a rim.
What is left is a clean turned outline that survives being used. The king stands 96mm, inside FIDE regulation sizing, and the finish is satin rather than gloss, which gives the shank something to hold on to.
Two timber pairings are offered on the identical shapes, and both are playing sets.
It is listed among our minimalist chess pieces.
This set is not sold on its knight, and pretending otherwise would do it a disservice. It answers a different question: what an army looks like once everything that can break has been designed out of it.
The knight is a rounded, robust head with no sharp projecting edges, the bishop mitre is a clean cut, and the finials are short and blunt.
Beside a heavily carved club set it looks plain. Beside the same set after two years in a bag, it looks intact. The pieces step down in small increments and three of them share one base width, so the silhouettes do the identifying work.
The surface is the quiet decision that matters more than it sounds. A glossy shank moves under the fingers when a move is made quickly. Satin gives the grip back, which matters far more in play than the shine does.
The board wants 50mm to 55mm squares, and 55mm is the more comfortable of the two. Treat 50mm as the floor rather than a suggestion: below it the set genuinely crowds and the first two ranks stop reading as separate pieces.
Mahogany stained boxwood against natural boxwood is the sharper of the two. The dark army is boxwood carried to a warm red brown by stain, so the grain stays legible under the colour.
That gives the pieces more life in them than a flat dark army has, and against untreated boxwood the two sides separate cleanly enough to read from across a room.
It is worth knowing that a deep knock which goes through the colour will show paler timber underneath. That is the trade that comes with a stain, and it is not a fault in this set.
Rosewood against antiqued boxwood is the quieter pairing, and it changes both armies at once. The dark side is naturally dark timber with open grain and real variation piece to piece, so there is no colour layer to break through.
The light side is antiqued, which takes the glare off it and leaves a mellowed tone. Neither army shouts, and the whole thing looks settled.
The two sides are still perfectly distinct in play, because the difference in tone reads instantly. Everything else about the options is identical: same shapes, same dimensions, same weight, same square window.
Looking after it is straightforward. Keep the set out of direct sunlight and away from heaters and vents, which is what makes turned hardwood check. Dust with a dry soft cloth, skip oil and furniture polish, which yellows boxwood unevenly, and keep solvent based cleaners away from the stained option, because they lift colour.
This is a set for somebody who is going to play with it. The minimalist drawing is a durability decision first and a style one second, and every place a conventional Staunton carries a thin edge, this one carries a blunt one instead.
Put that with the satin finish and a sensible 1,050 grams and you get an army that handles quickly, tells itself apart by shape under a clock, and survives being carried around every week.
The caveat is what you give up. There is no showpiece knight here and there is not meant to be. If the reason you buy chess sets is a carved mane worth turning over in your hand, look at our staunton chess pieces instead.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
50mm to 55mm, and 55mm is the more comfortable of the two. The bishop, knight and rook share one base width, so the middle of the army takes up more room than the king height suggests, and at 50mm the opening ranks stand shoulder to shoulder.
It means the delicate detail has been designed out on purpose. No thin projecting edges, no fine finials, and a rounded robust knight head, so there is very little on the army that can chip or snap in normal use.
It was drawn with competitive play in mind and the 96mm king sits inside FIDE regulation sizing. The even footprint, the satin grip and the plain silhouettes all work in favour of reading a position quickly under a clock.
Every dimension, the weight and the square window are identical. What changes is both armies. Mahogany stained boxwood against natural boxwood is the sharper pairing; rosewood against antiqued boxwood is quieter and more settled.
34 chess pieces, which is two more than a game actually uses. Which timber sits on the dark side and which on the light depends on the option you select.
No. This is a pieces only listing, so the board is a separate choice and can be matched to the square window given in the specifications below.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
96mm high (3.8 inch), 39mm base |
|
Queen |
79mm high (3.1 inch), 38mm base |
|
Bishop |
73mm high (2.9 inch), 35mm base |
|
Knight |
68mm high (2.7 inch), 35mm base |
|
Rook |
59mm high (2.3 inch), 35mm base |
|
Pawn |
51mm high (2.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Mahogany Stained Boxwood option |
Mahogany stained boxwood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Rosewood & Antiqued Boxwood option |
Rosewood dark pieces, antiqued boxwood light pieces |
|
Finish |
Satin |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 55mm (1.96 inch to 2.16 inch) |
|
Total weight of pieces |
1,050 grams (2.3 lbs) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in the timber pairing you select
Two pieces more than a standard game array uses
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 Candidates Series is a playing set before it is anything else, and the useful thing to know about it is what has been left off.
There are no delicate finials, no thin projecting edges and no fragile detail anywhere on the army, because every one of those is a part that snaps in a bag or chips against a rim.
What is left is a clean turned outline that survives being used. The king stands 96mm, inside FIDE regulation sizing, and the finish is satin rather than gloss, which gives the shank something to hold on to.
Two timber pairings are offered on the identical shapes, and both are playing sets.
It is listed among our minimalist chess pieces.
This set is not sold on its knight, and pretending otherwise would do it a disservice. It answers a different question: what an army looks like once everything that can break has been designed out of it.
The knight is a rounded, robust head with no sharp projecting edges, the bishop mitre is a clean cut, and the finials are short and blunt.
Beside a heavily carved club set it looks plain. Beside the same set after two years in a bag, it looks intact. The pieces step down in small increments and three of them share one base width, so the silhouettes do the identifying work.
The surface is the quiet decision that matters more than it sounds. A glossy shank moves under the fingers when a move is made quickly. Satin gives the grip back, which matters far more in play than the shine does.
The board wants 50mm to 55mm squares, and 55mm is the more comfortable of the two. Treat 50mm as the floor rather than a suggestion: below it the set genuinely crowds and the first two ranks stop reading as separate pieces.
Mahogany stained boxwood against natural boxwood is the sharper of the two. The dark army is boxwood carried to a warm red brown by stain, so the grain stays legible under the colour.
That gives the pieces more life in them than a flat dark army has, and against untreated boxwood the two sides separate cleanly enough to read from across a room.
It is worth knowing that a deep knock which goes through the colour will show paler timber underneath. That is the trade that comes with a stain, and it is not a fault in this set.
Rosewood against antiqued boxwood is the quieter pairing, and it changes both armies at once. The dark side is naturally dark timber with open grain and real variation piece to piece, so there is no colour layer to break through.
The light side is antiqued, which takes the glare off it and leaves a mellowed tone. Neither army shouts, and the whole thing looks settled.
The two sides are still perfectly distinct in play, because the difference in tone reads instantly. Everything else about the options is identical: same shapes, same dimensions, same weight, same square window.
Looking after it is straightforward. Keep the set out of direct sunlight and away from heaters and vents, which is what makes turned hardwood check. Dust with a dry soft cloth, skip oil and furniture polish, which yellows boxwood unevenly, and keep solvent based cleaners away from the stained option, because they lift colour.
This is a set for somebody who is going to play with it. The minimalist drawing is a durability decision first and a style one second, and every place a conventional Staunton carries a thin edge, this one carries a blunt one instead.
Put that with the satin finish and a sensible 1,050 grams and you get an army that handles quickly, tells itself apart by shape under a clock, and survives being carried around every week.
The caveat is what you give up. There is no showpiece knight here and there is not meant to be. If the reason you buy chess sets is a carved mane worth turning over in your hand, look at our staunton chess pieces instead.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
50mm to 55mm, and 55mm is the more comfortable of the two. The bishop, knight and rook share one base width, so the middle of the army takes up more room than the king height suggests, and at 50mm the opening ranks stand shoulder to shoulder.
It means the delicate detail has been designed out on purpose. No thin projecting edges, no fine finials, and a rounded robust knight head, so there is very little on the army that can chip or snap in normal use.
It was drawn with competitive play in mind and the 96mm king sits inside FIDE regulation sizing. The even footprint, the satin grip and the plain silhouettes all work in favour of reading a position quickly under a clock.
Every dimension, the weight and the square window are identical. What changes is both armies. Mahogany stained boxwood against natural boxwood is the sharper pairing; rosewood against antiqued boxwood is quieter and more settled.
34 chess pieces, which is two more than a game actually uses. Which timber sits on the dark side and which on the light depends on the option you select.
No. This is a pieces only listing, so the board is a separate choice and can be matched to the square window given in the specifications below.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
96mm high (3.8 inch), 39mm base |
|
Queen |
79mm high (3.1 inch), 38mm base |
|
Bishop |
73mm high (2.9 inch), 35mm base |
|
Knight |
68mm high (2.7 inch), 35mm base |
|
Rook |
59mm high (2.3 inch), 35mm base |
|
Pawn |
51mm high (2.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Mahogany Stained Boxwood option |
Mahogany stained boxwood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Rosewood & Antiqued Boxwood option |
Rosewood dark pieces, antiqued boxwood light pieces |
|
Finish |
Satin |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 55mm (1.96 inch to 2.16 inch) |
|
Total weight of pieces |
1,050 grams (2.3 lbs) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in the timber pairing you select
Two pieces more than a standard game array uses
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.
