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Indian rosewood is the reason to look at this board. The dark squares are Dalbergia latifolia, a dark brown timber with a purple undertone and a long, open figure, set against maple (Acer oblongum) on the light squares. The board is 53.3cm across with 55mm squares, and eight of them make a playing grid 44cm across.
What that pairing gives you is a softer contrast than a black and white tournament board. Rosewood is unmistakably dark without being flat, so the grain stays visible under a lamp and the board keeps some warmth in it. It is the choice for a room where the board is going to be looked at as often as it is played on.
The section is 20mm and the squares are cut for a king base of 40mm to 45mm, which is where the heavier weighted patterns sit. Other timbers at the same size, and every other size we carry, run across our chess boards collection.
This footprint and these 55mm squares turn up elsewhere on the site in different timbers, so the useful comparison is colour. The 53cm board with 55mm squares runs ebony against maple with a sheesham frame around the play, a harder contrast and a deeper section at 25mm. The Player's Choice board in sheesham and maple runs sheesham against maple, warmer and lighter in tone than either. This one sits between those two: dark enough to read as a proper dark square, with a red brown warmth that neither of them has.
The practical differences are section and edge. This board is 20mm through, against 25mm on the ebony board, so if depth is what you are buying then that one is the comparison to make. What this board offers instead is the timber itself: Indian rosewood has a longer, more open figure than sheesham and far more visible grain than ebony, and it deepens in colour as it ages rather than fading.
Against the boards that arrive bundled underneath a set of pieces, all three of these are a different proposition. Those are built to a package and to a price. A board bought on its own is chosen for the timber and the square size, and it stays when the pieces standing on it are replaced.
The number that decides the fit is the diameter of the king's base, not the height of the king. This board is cut for a king base of 40mm to 45mm.
The window follows a simple proportion. A king base that covers roughly three quarters of its square leaves a visible margin of timber all round, and three quarters of 55mm is about 41mm. Above 45mm the bases begin to meet at the corners of a full back rank and the square edges disappear behind them. Below 40mm the set starts to look small against the squares, with more board showing than army, particularly once material comes off.
Weighted patterns with a king around 95mm to 105mm are the natural pairing. The Fierce Knight Staunton 103mm pieces stand on a 45mm base and are drawn for 55mm squares, at the top of the window. The Modern Staunton Genuine Ebony 95mm pieces sit on a 43mm base, also cut for 55mm squares, and their genuine ebony reads strongly against rosewood squares in a way an ebonised set does not. More sets at this scale sit in our Staunton range.
Dalbergia latifolia is the timber the trade calls Indian rosewood, and its character is a dark chocolate brown shot through with a purple cast, carrying long straight figure that runs across a square rather than clouding inside it. Cut into 55mm squares and alternated with maple, it gives a board with genuine depth of colour instead of a flat dark tone.
That matters more than it sounds at a normal seated distance. A near black board reads as pure graphic, two tones at maximum contrast and little to look at in between. Rosewood keeps enough grain visible that the surface stays interesting between moves, while still separating cleanly from the maple so a position never becomes hard to read. It is the middle path between a tournament board built purely for legibility and a decorative board built purely to look at.
Plan the table before the board. A 53.3cm board needs room beside it for captured pieces and, if you use one, a clock, so a dining table or a games table rather than a side table. Around a metre of width is where two players stop competing for elbow room.
Care is straightforward and worth doing. Keep it out of direct sunlight, which will lift the colour out of rosewood faster than anything else, and away from heaters and vents. Wipe it with a dry or barely damp soft cloth and never stand a glass on the playing area. Each board is finished by hand, so the grain pattern on the one that arrives will be its own rather than a match for the photography.
The argument for this board is the timber. Indian rosewood at 55mm squares gives a dark side with visible figure and a red brown warmth that ebony cannot produce, and the 40mm to 45mm base window takes the weighted tournament patterns most serious players already own. The honest caveat is section: at 20mm it is the slimmer board against the 53cm board with 55mm squares at 25mm in the same size, so if you are buying depth and mass rather than colour, that one is the better answer. It suits a player who wants a permanent surface with some character in the grain, and it suits anyone after maximum black and white legibility rather less. Pieces are chosen separately, which is a feature if you already own a set and a small extra step if you do not.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
No. This listing is the board on its own. It is cut for a king base of 40mm to 45mm, which is where most weighted tournament patterns with a king around 100mm sit.
A king base between 40mm and 45mm. Measure the widest part of the base rather than going by the height of the set, because height alone will mislead you by several millimetres.
Rosewood is a dark chocolate brown with a purple cast and clearly visible grain. Ebony is closer to black and much flatter in figure, so it gives a harder contrast against maple while rosewood keeps more warmth and more to look at.
Same 53cm class of footprint and the same 55mm squares. The ebony board is deeper at 25mm and carries a sheesham border around the play, where this one is 20mm and puts the rosewood grain front and centre.
Yes, with room to spare on most. Allow space beside the board for captured pieces and a clock, which in practice means a table around a metre wide for two players.
Keep it out of direct sunlight, which fades rosewood faster than anything else, and away from heat vents. Wipe it with a dry or barely damp cloth and avoid standing drinks on the surface.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
Board size |
53.3cm x 53.3cm (21 inch) |
|
Square size |
55mm (2.2 inch) |
|
Board thickness |
20mm (0.78 inch) |
|
Dark squares |
Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) |
|
Light squares |
Maple (Acer oblongum) |
|
Recommended king base |
40mm to 45mm (1.5 inch to 1.8 inch) |
|
Chess pieces |
Not included |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
One 53.3cm Indian rosewood and maple chess board with 55mm squares
Playing pieces are sold separately and are not part of this listing
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.
Indian rosewood is the reason to look at this board. The dark squares are Dalbergia latifolia, a dark brown timber with a purple undertone and a long, open figure, set against maple (Acer oblongum) on the light squares. The board is 53.3cm across with 55mm squares, and eight of them make a playing grid 44cm across.
What that pairing gives you is a softer contrast than a black and white tournament board. Rosewood is unmistakably dark without being flat, so the grain stays visible under a lamp and the board keeps some warmth in it. It is the choice for a room where the board is going to be looked at as often as it is played on.
The section is 20mm and the squares are cut for a king base of 40mm to 45mm, which is where the heavier weighted patterns sit. Other timbers at the same size, and every other size we carry, run across our chess boards collection.
This footprint and these 55mm squares turn up elsewhere on the site in different timbers, so the useful comparison is colour. The 53cm board with 55mm squares runs ebony against maple with a sheesham frame around the play, a harder contrast and a deeper section at 25mm. The Player's Choice board in sheesham and maple runs sheesham against maple, warmer and lighter in tone than either. This one sits between those two: dark enough to read as a proper dark square, with a red brown warmth that neither of them has.
The practical differences are section and edge. This board is 20mm through, against 25mm on the ebony board, so if depth is what you are buying then that one is the comparison to make. What this board offers instead is the timber itself: Indian rosewood has a longer, more open figure than sheesham and far more visible grain than ebony, and it deepens in colour as it ages rather than fading.
Against the boards that arrive bundled underneath a set of pieces, all three of these are a different proposition. Those are built to a package and to a price. A board bought on its own is chosen for the timber and the square size, and it stays when the pieces standing on it are replaced.
The number that decides the fit is the diameter of the king's base, not the height of the king. This board is cut for a king base of 40mm to 45mm.
The window follows a simple proportion. A king base that covers roughly three quarters of its square leaves a visible margin of timber all round, and three quarters of 55mm is about 41mm. Above 45mm the bases begin to meet at the corners of a full back rank and the square edges disappear behind them. Below 40mm the set starts to look small against the squares, with more board showing than army, particularly once material comes off.
Weighted patterns with a king around 95mm to 105mm are the natural pairing. The Fierce Knight Staunton 103mm pieces stand on a 45mm base and are drawn for 55mm squares, at the top of the window. The Modern Staunton Genuine Ebony 95mm pieces sit on a 43mm base, also cut for 55mm squares, and their genuine ebony reads strongly against rosewood squares in a way an ebonised set does not. More sets at this scale sit in our Staunton range.
Dalbergia latifolia is the timber the trade calls Indian rosewood, and its character is a dark chocolate brown shot through with a purple cast, carrying long straight figure that runs across a square rather than clouding inside it. Cut into 55mm squares and alternated with maple, it gives a board with genuine depth of colour instead of a flat dark tone.
That matters more than it sounds at a normal seated distance. A near black board reads as pure graphic, two tones at maximum contrast and little to look at in between. Rosewood keeps enough grain visible that the surface stays interesting between moves, while still separating cleanly from the maple so a position never becomes hard to read. It is the middle path between a tournament board built purely for legibility and a decorative board built purely to look at.
Plan the table before the board. A 53.3cm board needs room beside it for captured pieces and, if you use one, a clock, so a dining table or a games table rather than a side table. Around a metre of width is where two players stop competing for elbow room.
Care is straightforward and worth doing. Keep it out of direct sunlight, which will lift the colour out of rosewood faster than anything else, and away from heaters and vents. Wipe it with a dry or barely damp soft cloth and never stand a glass on the playing area. Each board is finished by hand, so the grain pattern on the one that arrives will be its own rather than a match for the photography.
The argument for this board is the timber. Indian rosewood at 55mm squares gives a dark side with visible figure and a red brown warmth that ebony cannot produce, and the 40mm to 45mm base window takes the weighted tournament patterns most serious players already own. The honest caveat is section: at 20mm it is the slimmer board against the 53cm board with 55mm squares at 25mm in the same size, so if you are buying depth and mass rather than colour, that one is the better answer. It suits a player who wants a permanent surface with some character in the grain, and it suits anyone after maximum black and white legibility rather less. Pieces are chosen separately, which is a feature if you already own a set and a small extra step if you do not.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
No. This listing is the board on its own. It is cut for a king base of 40mm to 45mm, which is where most weighted tournament patterns with a king around 100mm sit.
A king base between 40mm and 45mm. Measure the widest part of the base rather than going by the height of the set, because height alone will mislead you by several millimetres.
Rosewood is a dark chocolate brown with a purple cast and clearly visible grain. Ebony is closer to black and much flatter in figure, so it gives a harder contrast against maple while rosewood keeps more warmth and more to look at.
Same 53cm class of footprint and the same 55mm squares. The ebony board is deeper at 25mm and carries a sheesham border around the play, where this one is 20mm and puts the rosewood grain front and centre.
Yes, with room to spare on most. Allow space beside the board for captured pieces and a clock, which in practice means a table around a metre wide for two players.
Keep it out of direct sunlight, which fades rosewood faster than anything else, and away from heat vents. Wipe it with a dry or barely damp cloth and avoid standing drinks on the surface.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
Board size |
53.3cm x 53.3cm (21 inch) |
|
Square size |
55mm (2.2 inch) |
|
Board thickness |
20mm (0.78 inch) |
|
Dark squares |
Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) |
|
Light squares |
Maple (Acer oblongum) |
|
Recommended king base |
40mm to 45mm (1.5 inch to 1.8 inch) |
|
Chess pieces |
Not included |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
One 53.3cm Indian rosewood and maple chess board with 55mm squares
Playing pieces are sold separately and are not part of this listing
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.
