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✔ Questions? Call Us: (03) 7037 0931
Hermann Ohme's designs strip a chess piece back to the turned form. There is no carved knight head, no collar rings, no finial detail: each piece is a sequence of clean profiles that reads by silhouette alone. Either that appeals immediately or it does not.
The proportions are unusually tight. A 95mm king, an 88mm queen and an 81mm bishop sit within fourteen millimetres of each other, and even the pawn comes up to 58mm. The whole board sits high and close.
Ebonised against boxwood, weighted, with a choice of two boards, both cut for 45mm squares and genuinely different objects. It sits in our minimalist range within the wider chess pieces collection.
The pieces do not change and both boards are cut for 45mm squares, so either is a correct fit for the 35mm king base. What differs is construction, and the two are not variations on a theme.
The 43cm board is solid, made in India: ebony on the dark squares, maple on the light, framed by a sheesham border, 15mm thick and around 2,100g. Three timbers where most boards use two, and the border gives the playing field a defined edge that suits a set with this little decoration on the pieces.
The 45cm board is a Spanish veneer: black anigre against maple, 12mm thick and 1,900g, with no border. It is the plainer of the two and the larger overall, so the squares sit inside a wider clean margin. Both sit alongside the rest of our chess boards collection.
Almost every set gives you the knight as a landmark. Take the carving away and you have to read the board differently: by height and by the shape of each profile rather than by picking out a horse's head.
It sounds harder than it is. The forms are distinct enough once your eye adjusts, and there is a real payoff, because nothing on the board is competing for attention. A position on an Ohme set reads as structure rather than as a collection of objects. Give it a couple of games before deciding.
Fourteen millimetres separates the king from the bishop. On a conventional Staunton that gap would be closer to twenty five, with the pawns falling well back. Here the pawns reach 58mm, more than half the king height.
The result is a board that sits high and dense, with far less of the descending ladder most players are used to. It is the same instinct behind the minimalist forms: strip out hierarchy and let the position itself carry the information.
Take the 43cm if you want the board to be an object in its own right. Solid ebony and maple inside a sheesham border at 2,100g has real presence, and it frames a minimalist set well. Take the 45cm if you want the board to disappear and the pieces to do all the work: it is plainer, lighter and slightly larger.
Thirty four pieces including two spare queens, plus the board you choose. No storage box is included with either. Weighting is added by hand and the boards are handmade, so weights vary by around ten per cent. Conventional carved patterns sit across our Staunton chess pieces range.
Minimalist sets divide people and this one will too. What I like about it is that the restraint is genuine rather than decorative: the pieces are turned forms with nothing added, and the tight fourteen millimetre spread from king to bishop makes the board read as a single structure rather than a hierarchy of objects. On the board choice, I would take the 43cm. Solid ebony and maple inside a sheesham border is a better object than a veneer sheet, and on a set this plain the board is doing half the work visually. The 45cm is the right answer if you specifically want the board to recede. Two honest points either way. Without a carved knight you lose the landmark most players navigate by, and it takes a few games to stop hunting for it. And at 45mm squares this is a compact set on the table, not a commanding one.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Construction and size. The 43cm board is solid: ebony dark squares, maple light squares, a sheesham border, 15mm thick and around 2,100g. The 45cm board is a veneer in black anigre and maple, 12mm thick, 1,900g, with no border. Both have 45mm squares and both suit the pieces equally.
The 43cm if you want the board to be a substantial object in its own right. The 45cm if you would rather it stayed quiet and let the pieces carry the set.
Yes. Same 95mm king on a 35mm base, same ebonised and boxwood, same 750g. Only the board changes.
The pieces are ebonised, meaning boxwood dyed and finished black. The 43cm board option does use genuine ebony for its dark squares.
No. Both options include the 34 pieces and the board only. Storage boxes are sold separately.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
95mm (3.74 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch) |
|
Queen height |
88mm (3.46 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
81mm (3.18 inch) |
|
Knight height |
76mm (3.0 inch) |
|
Rook height |
64mm (2.51 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
58mm (2.28 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
32mm (1.25 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
750g approximate |
|
Board size |
43cm or 45cm square, depending on option |
|
Board square size |
45mm on both options |
|
Board thickness |
15mm on the 43cm option, 12mm on the 45cm option |
|
Board construction |
Solid ebony and maple with a sheesham border, or black anigre and maple veneer |
|
Board weight |
2,100g on the 43cm option, 1,900g on the 45cm option |
|
Pieces origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One chess board with 45mm squares, in your chosen size and construction
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.
Hermann Ohme's designs strip a chess piece back to the turned form. There is no carved knight head, no collar rings, no finial detail: each piece is a sequence of clean profiles that reads by silhouette alone. Either that appeals immediately or it does not.
The proportions are unusually tight. A 95mm king, an 88mm queen and an 81mm bishop sit within fourteen millimetres of each other, and even the pawn comes up to 58mm. The whole board sits high and close.
Ebonised against boxwood, weighted, with a choice of two boards, both cut for 45mm squares and genuinely different objects. It sits in our minimalist range within the wider chess pieces collection.
The pieces do not change and both boards are cut for 45mm squares, so either is a correct fit for the 35mm king base. What differs is construction, and the two are not variations on a theme.
The 43cm board is solid, made in India: ebony on the dark squares, maple on the light, framed by a sheesham border, 15mm thick and around 2,100g. Three timbers where most boards use two, and the border gives the playing field a defined edge that suits a set with this little decoration on the pieces.
The 45cm board is a Spanish veneer: black anigre against maple, 12mm thick and 1,900g, with no border. It is the plainer of the two and the larger overall, so the squares sit inside a wider clean margin. Both sit alongside the rest of our chess boards collection.
Almost every set gives you the knight as a landmark. Take the carving away and you have to read the board differently: by height and by the shape of each profile rather than by picking out a horse's head.
It sounds harder than it is. The forms are distinct enough once your eye adjusts, and there is a real payoff, because nothing on the board is competing for attention. A position on an Ohme set reads as structure rather than as a collection of objects. Give it a couple of games before deciding.
Fourteen millimetres separates the king from the bishop. On a conventional Staunton that gap would be closer to twenty five, with the pawns falling well back. Here the pawns reach 58mm, more than half the king height.
The result is a board that sits high and dense, with far less of the descending ladder most players are used to. It is the same instinct behind the minimalist forms: strip out hierarchy and let the position itself carry the information.
Take the 43cm if you want the board to be an object in its own right. Solid ebony and maple inside a sheesham border at 2,100g has real presence, and it frames a minimalist set well. Take the 45cm if you want the board to disappear and the pieces to do all the work: it is plainer, lighter and slightly larger.
Thirty four pieces including two spare queens, plus the board you choose. No storage box is included with either. Weighting is added by hand and the boards are handmade, so weights vary by around ten per cent. Conventional carved patterns sit across our Staunton chess pieces range.
Minimalist sets divide people and this one will too. What I like about it is that the restraint is genuine rather than decorative: the pieces are turned forms with nothing added, and the tight fourteen millimetre spread from king to bishop makes the board read as a single structure rather than a hierarchy of objects. On the board choice, I would take the 43cm. Solid ebony and maple inside a sheesham border is a better object than a veneer sheet, and on a set this plain the board is doing half the work visually. The 45cm is the right answer if you specifically want the board to recede. Two honest points either way. Without a carved knight you lose the landmark most players navigate by, and it takes a few games to stop hunting for it. And at 45mm squares this is a compact set on the table, not a commanding one.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Construction and size. The 43cm board is solid: ebony dark squares, maple light squares, a sheesham border, 15mm thick and around 2,100g. The 45cm board is a veneer in black anigre and maple, 12mm thick, 1,900g, with no border. Both have 45mm squares and both suit the pieces equally.
The 43cm if you want the board to be a substantial object in its own right. The 45cm if you would rather it stayed quiet and let the pieces carry the set.
Yes. Same 95mm king on a 35mm base, same ebonised and boxwood, same 750g. Only the board changes.
The pieces are ebonised, meaning boxwood dyed and finished black. The 43cm board option does use genuine ebony for its dark squares.
No. Both options include the 34 pieces and the board only. Storage boxes are sold separately.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
95mm (3.74 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch) |
|
Queen height |
88mm (3.46 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
81mm (3.18 inch) |
|
Knight height |
76mm (3.0 inch) |
|
Rook height |
64mm (2.51 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
58mm (2.28 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
32mm (1.25 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
750g approximate |
|
Board size |
43cm or 45cm square, depending on option |
|
Board square size |
45mm on both options |
|
Board thickness |
15mm on the 43cm option, 12mm on the 45cm option |
|
Board construction |
Solid ebony and maple with a sheesham border, or black anigre and maple veneer |
|
Board weight |
2,100g on the 43cm option, 1,900g on the 45cm option |
|
Pieces origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One chess board with 45mm squares, in your chosen size and construction
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.
