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The king is 85mm and the queen is 80mm. Five millimetres between them, on a shared 32mm base, which makes the two royal pieces very nearly a matched pair rather than a monarch and a consort.
That compression runs through the whole design. There is no carving anywhere, no collar rings, no castellation on the rook worth the name. Each piece is a turned profile reduced to the minimum that still says what it is, which is where the Midnight name comes from: this is a set of silhouettes.
Ebonised against natural boxwood, iron weighted to 846g, on a compact 45mm board. It sits among the modern shapes in our chess pieces collection.
Minimalist sets usually go abstract, replacing the pieces with geometry and asking you to learn a new vocabulary. The Bauhaus and Lanier Graham reproductions in our reproduction chess pieces both do exactly that.
This one keeps the Staunton vocabulary and just removes everything inessential from it. A bishop is still a mitre, a rook is still a tower, a knight is still a horse's head. They are simply stated with as few cuts as possible, so the set reads instantly to anyone who has played chess while still looking contemporary.
It is the easier minimalist set to live with, and the less interesting one to think about. At 846g and 85mm it is also small and light, which is either the point or a limitation depending on what you want.
There is a real difference between simplifying a form and replacing it. Abstract sets replace: a cube stands in for a rook and you learn the substitution. Minimal sets simplify: the rook is still a tower, but the battlements are suggested with two shallow cuts instead of eight deep ones.
The advantage of simplifying is that nobody has to be taught. Hand this set to someone who has never seen it and they will set it up correctly without asking, which is not true of the Bauhaus pieces. The disadvantage is that it makes no argument; it is a quiet set rather than a provocative one.
Five millimetres between king and queen is very tight. Most sets use fifteen or more, so the king reads as clearly dominant. Here the two share a base diameter as well as a similar height, and the effect is a centre of the back rank that reads as a unit.
Whether that is a feature depends on how you play. It looks balanced and modern, and it is consistent with a design that has stripped out hierarchy elsewhere. In a fast game it does mean the two pieces are distinguished by finial alone, which is a moment longer than a height cue would take.
The 32mm king base puts this set on 45mm squares, which is small. That suits the design: these are compact, slim pieces and a tight board keeps them looking deliberate rather than stranded. A 50mm board will also work and will feel airier.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size so you can find the smaller boards directly.
This is the minimalist set for someone who wants to play rather than to make a point. Keeping the Staunton vocabulary and simply stating it with fewer cuts means nobody needs the design explained, which is a real advantage over the abstract sets. Iron weighting at 846g is respectable for the size. Two limits worth naming. It is small at 85mm on a 45mm board, so it will not have presence on a table. And the five millimetre gap between king and queen means you read those two by finial rather than by height, which costs a beat in a fast game.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 45mm, from the 32mm king base. A 50mm board also works and feels airier, but 45mm suits the compact design better.
Those replace the traditional forms with geometry and have to be learned. This one keeps the Staunton shapes and simply states them with fewer cuts, so anyone can set it up without explanation. Both approaches are represented in our reproduction chess pieces.
Only five millimetres separate them and they share a 32mm base, which gives the centre of the back rank a paired, balanced look consistent with the stripped back design. The trade is that you distinguish them by finial rather than by height.
846g across 34 pieces, around 25g a piece, weighted with an iron stud in each base. It is a light, compact set rather than a substantial one.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately and no storage box ships with the set.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
85mm (3.34 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
32mm (1.25 inch) |
|
Queen height |
80mm (3.14 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
32mm (1.25 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
70mm (2.75 inch) |
|
Knight height |
62mm (2.44 inch) |
|
Rook height |
52mm (2.04 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
29mm (1.14 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
43mm (1.69 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
26mm (1.00 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted with an iron stud in each base, thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
846g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm |
|
Origin |
Hand turned in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in ebonised and natural boxwood
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.
The king is 85mm and the queen is 80mm. Five millimetres between them, on a shared 32mm base, which makes the two royal pieces very nearly a matched pair rather than a monarch and a consort.
That compression runs through the whole design. There is no carving anywhere, no collar rings, no castellation on the rook worth the name. Each piece is a turned profile reduced to the minimum that still says what it is, which is where the Midnight name comes from: this is a set of silhouettes.
Ebonised against natural boxwood, iron weighted to 846g, on a compact 45mm board. It sits among the modern shapes in our chess pieces collection.
Minimalist sets usually go abstract, replacing the pieces with geometry and asking you to learn a new vocabulary. The Bauhaus and Lanier Graham reproductions in our reproduction chess pieces both do exactly that.
This one keeps the Staunton vocabulary and just removes everything inessential from it. A bishop is still a mitre, a rook is still a tower, a knight is still a horse's head. They are simply stated with as few cuts as possible, so the set reads instantly to anyone who has played chess while still looking contemporary.
It is the easier minimalist set to live with, and the less interesting one to think about. At 846g and 85mm it is also small and light, which is either the point or a limitation depending on what you want.
There is a real difference between simplifying a form and replacing it. Abstract sets replace: a cube stands in for a rook and you learn the substitution. Minimal sets simplify: the rook is still a tower, but the battlements are suggested with two shallow cuts instead of eight deep ones.
The advantage of simplifying is that nobody has to be taught. Hand this set to someone who has never seen it and they will set it up correctly without asking, which is not true of the Bauhaus pieces. The disadvantage is that it makes no argument; it is a quiet set rather than a provocative one.
Five millimetres between king and queen is very tight. Most sets use fifteen or more, so the king reads as clearly dominant. Here the two share a base diameter as well as a similar height, and the effect is a centre of the back rank that reads as a unit.
Whether that is a feature depends on how you play. It looks balanced and modern, and it is consistent with a design that has stripped out hierarchy elsewhere. In a fast game it does mean the two pieces are distinguished by finial alone, which is a moment longer than a height cue would take.
The 32mm king base puts this set on 45mm squares, which is small. That suits the design: these are compact, slim pieces and a tight board keeps them looking deliberate rather than stranded. A 50mm board will also work and will feel airier.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size so you can find the smaller boards directly.
This is the minimalist set for someone who wants to play rather than to make a point. Keeping the Staunton vocabulary and simply stating it with fewer cuts means nobody needs the design explained, which is a real advantage over the abstract sets. Iron weighting at 846g is respectable for the size. Two limits worth naming. It is small at 85mm on a 45mm board, so it will not have presence on a table. And the five millimetre gap between king and queen means you read those two by finial rather than by height, which costs a beat in a fast game.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 45mm, from the 32mm king base. A 50mm board also works and feels airier, but 45mm suits the compact design better.
Those replace the traditional forms with geometry and have to be learned. This one keeps the Staunton shapes and simply states them with fewer cuts, so anyone can set it up without explanation. Both approaches are represented in our reproduction chess pieces.
Only five millimetres separate them and they share a 32mm base, which gives the centre of the back rank a paired, balanced look consistent with the stripped back design. The trade is that you distinguish them by finial rather than by height.
846g across 34 pieces, around 25g a piece, weighted with an iron stud in each base. It is a light, compact set rather than a substantial one.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately and no storage box ships with the set.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
85mm (3.34 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
32mm (1.25 inch) |
|
Queen height |
80mm (3.14 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
32mm (1.25 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
70mm (2.75 inch) |
|
Knight height |
62mm (2.44 inch) |
|
Rook height |
52mm (2.04 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
29mm (1.14 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
43mm (1.69 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
26mm (1.00 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted with an iron stud in each base, thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
846g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm |
|
Origin |
Hand turned in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in ebonised and natural boxwood
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.
