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Three timbers, one design, and the heaviest of the three is the one you would not expect. The sheesham option runs to 1,480g; the bud rosewood and ebonised options both come in at 1,350g, despite bud rosewood being the denser wood.
That is base ballast, not timber, and it is an honest reminder of how these sets are actually made. The weight is added by hand, piece by piece, and it varies between production runs more than the species does.
What does not vary is the design: a 106mm king on a 43mm base, a bishop and knight sitting level at 79mm and 77mm, and a knight cut by the carvers of Amritsar. It sits in our Staunton chess pieces.
Most Staunton sets step the bishop clearly above the knight, usually by five millimetres or more, so the officer rank reads as a staircase. This one keeps them within two millimetres of each other on identical 38mm bases, which pairs them instead.
The effect on a board is that the four minor officers read as two matched pairs flanking the royals, rather than as a graded descent. Some players find that cleaner; others find a stepped rank quicker to scan in a crowded middlegame.
On weight this sits in the middle of the Staunton chess pieces range. At 1,350g to 1,480g it is double weighted rather than triple, which suits fast handling more than absolute stability.
The obvious assumption is that a denser timber gives a heavier set. It does contribute, but on a set this size the ballast set into the bases contributes more, and that ballast is added by hand.
Here the sheesham option is the heaviest at 1,480g even though bud rosewood is the denser wood, which means the sheesham run simply received more lead. Supplier figures carry a stated tolerance of plus or minus ten percent for exactly this reason. Treat the numbers as a guide to what a set feels like rather than as a specification you could hold anyone to.
The knights on this pattern are carved in Amritsar, which has been a centre for this work for generations. The head is cut with clear detail around the mane, the muzzle and the ears, and the profile is squarer through the jaw than a classical Staunton knight.
Because it is hand work, the four knights in a set will not be identical to each other. Every turned piece is guided by a metal profile and will match its counterpart precisely, particularly the pawns. Variation between knights is the signal that the carving is genuine rather than moulded, and it is expected on any set in this range.
The 43mm king base puts this set on 55mm squares, standard tournament sizing. The officers all share a 38mm base, so the back rank fills evenly and no single piece crowds its neighbours.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size so you can match the 55mm requirement directly.
This is a sound mid range club set with one design decision worth noticing: pairing the bishop and knight at nearly the same height rather than stepping them. Whether you like that is a matter of taste and worth thinking about before you buy. Two honest caveats. The three timbers are not the same weight, and not in the direction you would guess, so if heft matters take the sheesham. And the bud rosewood option has only four supplier photographs rather than six, so the gallery on that variant is shorter than the others.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 55mm, standard tournament sizing. That comes from the 43mm king base rather than the 106mm height.
Sheesham, at around 1,480g, against 1,350g for bud rosewood and ebonised. That is the opposite of what timber density alone would suggest, and it comes down to how much ballast each production run receives.
Design and carving are the same. Sheesham is a warm mid brown with visible grain and is the heaviest option. Bud rosewood is deeper and more figured. Ebonised is near black with the highest contrast against the boxwood.
No, and they should not. Turned pieces are guided by metal profiles and match precisely; knights are carved by hand in Amritsar, so small differences between them are normal and expected.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately across our chess boards collection and no storage box ships with the set.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
106mm (4.1 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
43mm (1.7 inch) |
|
Queen height |
84mm (3.3 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
41mm (1.6 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
79mm (3.1 inch) |
|
Knight height |
77mm (3.0 inch) |
|
Rook height |
65mm (2.5 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
38mm (1.5 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
57mm (2.2 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
32mm (1.2 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Sheesham, bud rosewood or ebonised wood, by option |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Double weighted with an iron stud in each base, thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,480g in sheesham, 1,350g in bud rosewood and ebonised |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in Amritsar, India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the timber option 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.
Three timbers, one design, and the heaviest of the three is the one you would not expect. The sheesham option runs to 1,480g; the bud rosewood and ebonised options both come in at 1,350g, despite bud rosewood being the denser wood.
That is base ballast, not timber, and it is an honest reminder of how these sets are actually made. The weight is added by hand, piece by piece, and it varies between production runs more than the species does.
What does not vary is the design: a 106mm king on a 43mm base, a bishop and knight sitting level at 79mm and 77mm, and a knight cut by the carvers of Amritsar. It sits in our Staunton chess pieces.
Most Staunton sets step the bishop clearly above the knight, usually by five millimetres or more, so the officer rank reads as a staircase. This one keeps them within two millimetres of each other on identical 38mm bases, which pairs them instead.
The effect on a board is that the four minor officers read as two matched pairs flanking the royals, rather than as a graded descent. Some players find that cleaner; others find a stepped rank quicker to scan in a crowded middlegame.
On weight this sits in the middle of the Staunton chess pieces range. At 1,350g to 1,480g it is double weighted rather than triple, which suits fast handling more than absolute stability.
The obvious assumption is that a denser timber gives a heavier set. It does contribute, but on a set this size the ballast set into the bases contributes more, and that ballast is added by hand.
Here the sheesham option is the heaviest at 1,480g even though bud rosewood is the denser wood, which means the sheesham run simply received more lead. Supplier figures carry a stated tolerance of plus or minus ten percent for exactly this reason. Treat the numbers as a guide to what a set feels like rather than as a specification you could hold anyone to.
The knights on this pattern are carved in Amritsar, which has been a centre for this work for generations. The head is cut with clear detail around the mane, the muzzle and the ears, and the profile is squarer through the jaw than a classical Staunton knight.
Because it is hand work, the four knights in a set will not be identical to each other. Every turned piece is guided by a metal profile and will match its counterpart precisely, particularly the pawns. Variation between knights is the signal that the carving is genuine rather than moulded, and it is expected on any set in this range.
The 43mm king base puts this set on 55mm squares, standard tournament sizing. The officers all share a 38mm base, so the back rank fills evenly and no single piece crowds its neighbours.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size so you can match the 55mm requirement directly.
This is a sound mid range club set with one design decision worth noticing: pairing the bishop and knight at nearly the same height rather than stepping them. Whether you like that is a matter of taste and worth thinking about before you buy. Two honest caveats. The three timbers are not the same weight, and not in the direction you would guess, so if heft matters take the sheesham. And the bud rosewood option has only four supplier photographs rather than six, so the gallery on that variant is shorter than the others.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 55mm, standard tournament sizing. That comes from the 43mm king base rather than the 106mm height.
Sheesham, at around 1,480g, against 1,350g for bud rosewood and ebonised. That is the opposite of what timber density alone would suggest, and it comes down to how much ballast each production run receives.
Design and carving are the same. Sheesham is a warm mid brown with visible grain and is the heaviest option. Bud rosewood is deeper and more figured. Ebonised is near black with the highest contrast against the boxwood.
No, and they should not. Turned pieces are guided by metal profiles and match precisely; knights are carved by hand in Amritsar, so small differences between them are normal and expected.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately across our chess boards collection and no storage box ships with the set.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
106mm (4.1 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
43mm (1.7 inch) |
|
Queen height |
84mm (3.3 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
41mm (1.6 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
79mm (3.1 inch) |
|
Knight height |
77mm (3.0 inch) |
|
Rook height |
65mm (2.5 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
38mm (1.5 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
57mm (2.2 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
32mm (1.2 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Sheesham, bud rosewood or ebonised wood, by option |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Double weighted with an iron stud in each base, thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,480g in sheesham, 1,350g in bud rosewood and ebonised |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in Amritsar, India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the timber option 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.
