✔ Australian Owned & Operated
✔ FREE Shipping On All Orders
✔ 100 Day FREE Returns
✔ Authorised Australian Dealer
✔ Questions? Call Us: (03) 7037 0931
Soviet club sets were not designed to be admired. They were turned in quantity, handled roughly, and judged on whether a player could read the board at speed. Strip the ornament out of a Staunton and you are left with something close to this.
The set is deliberately plain. A 93mm king on a 39mm base, officers that step down cleanly, and a pawn at 50mm that is barely more than a turned dome on a collar. Nothing is carved except the knight, and even that is cut short and forward rather than reared up.
At 730g across 34 pieces it is the lightest set in this part of our chess pieces collection, and that is the design working as intended rather than a corner being cut.
Almost everything else in our range is heavier than this, and most of it is heavier by a factor of two. A double weighted tournament set of the same king height will run past 1,300g. This one stops at 730g.
That is a real difference in the hand. These pieces lift and set down quickly, which is what you want in a blitz session or on a board you are moving pieces across for hours. What you give up is the settled thud of a heavy set and some resistance to a knocked table.
If mass is what you are after, look at the double and triple weighted options across the wood chess pieces range. If you want something quick, plain and honest, this is the cheapest way into a real timber set.
The Staunton pattern carries a lot of information in ornament: rings under the crown, a collar on the bishop, a castellated top on the rook. Soviet workshops kept the identifying features and dropped everything decorative, because every extra cut is time on the lathe and time is what made a set affordable.
The result is a piece defined by its silhouette. The king is a plain shaft under a cross, the bishop a smooth dome with a single mitre cut, the rook a short cylinder with a shallow castellation. From a seated position the shapes separate cleanly, which is the only test that matters during a game.
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) is a mid brown Indian rosewood with visible grain and a warm tone that varies noticeably from piece to piece. Against boxwood the contrast is moderate rather than stark, and the set reads as two shades of timber rather than as black and white.
The ebonised option takes boxwood to a deep near black finish. Contrast against the light side is much higher, the grain largely disappears, and the set looks closer to a conventional tournament set at a glance. Dimensions, weight and carving are identical between the two.
The 39mm king base puts this set on 50mm squares. That is standard tournament sizing at the smaller end and by far the most widely available board dimension, so if you already own a wooden board it will very likely suit.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection can be filtered by square size to match the 50mm requirement directly.
This is the set we point people to when they want real timber and a Soviet silhouette without spending much. The proportions are honest, the shapes read cleanly, and the 39mm base on a 50mm square is correct. The caveat is unavoidable and worth stating plainly: at 730g across 34 pieces this is a light set, roughly 21g a piece, and anyone expecting the weight of a tournament set will be disappointed the moment they pick up a pawn. Buy it for the look and the speed, not for the heft.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 50mm. That comes from the 39mm king base rather than the 93mm height, and 50mm is the most common wooden board size in circulation.
730g across all 34 pieces, roughly 21g a piece. They are weighted and felted but genuinely light compared with a double weighted tournament set of the same height.
Dimensions and carving are identical. Sheesham is a warm mid brown Indian rosewood with visible grain and moderate contrast. Ebonised is near black with high contrast and very little visible grain.
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.
Yes, the sizing is standard and the shapes read clearly. Players who prefer more mass under the hand should look at the double weighted sets in the Staunton chess pieces range instead.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
93mm (3.68 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
39mm (1.53 inch) |
|
Queen height |
83mm (3.26 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
36mm (1.43 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
75mm (2.96 inch) |
|
Knight height |
69mm (2.73 inch) |
|
Rook height |
55mm (2.17 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
50mm (1.99 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) or ebonised boxwood, by option |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood (Gardenia latifolia) |
|
Weighting |
Weighted and felted |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
730g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in 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.
Soviet club sets were not designed to be admired. They were turned in quantity, handled roughly, and judged on whether a player could read the board at speed. Strip the ornament out of a Staunton and you are left with something close to this.
The set is deliberately plain. A 93mm king on a 39mm base, officers that step down cleanly, and a pawn at 50mm that is barely more than a turned dome on a collar. Nothing is carved except the knight, and even that is cut short and forward rather than reared up.
At 730g across 34 pieces it is the lightest set in this part of our chess pieces collection, and that is the design working as intended rather than a corner being cut.
Almost everything else in our range is heavier than this, and most of it is heavier by a factor of two. A double weighted tournament set of the same king height will run past 1,300g. This one stops at 730g.
That is a real difference in the hand. These pieces lift and set down quickly, which is what you want in a blitz session or on a board you are moving pieces across for hours. What you give up is the settled thud of a heavy set and some resistance to a knocked table.
If mass is what you are after, look at the double and triple weighted options across the wood chess pieces range. If you want something quick, plain and honest, this is the cheapest way into a real timber set.
The Staunton pattern carries a lot of information in ornament: rings under the crown, a collar on the bishop, a castellated top on the rook. Soviet workshops kept the identifying features and dropped everything decorative, because every extra cut is time on the lathe and time is what made a set affordable.
The result is a piece defined by its silhouette. The king is a plain shaft under a cross, the bishop a smooth dome with a single mitre cut, the rook a short cylinder with a shallow castellation. From a seated position the shapes separate cleanly, which is the only test that matters during a game.
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) is a mid brown Indian rosewood with visible grain and a warm tone that varies noticeably from piece to piece. Against boxwood the contrast is moderate rather than stark, and the set reads as two shades of timber rather than as black and white.
The ebonised option takes boxwood to a deep near black finish. Contrast against the light side is much higher, the grain largely disappears, and the set looks closer to a conventional tournament set at a glance. Dimensions, weight and carving are identical between the two.
The 39mm king base puts this set on 50mm squares. That is standard tournament sizing at the smaller end and by far the most widely available board dimension, so if you already own a wooden board it will very likely suit.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection can be filtered by square size to match the 50mm requirement directly.
This is the set we point people to when they want real timber and a Soviet silhouette without spending much. The proportions are honest, the shapes read cleanly, and the 39mm base on a 50mm square is correct. The caveat is unavoidable and worth stating plainly: at 730g across 34 pieces this is a light set, roughly 21g a piece, and anyone expecting the weight of a tournament set will be disappointed the moment they pick up a pawn. Buy it for the look and the speed, not for the heft.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 50mm. That comes from the 39mm king base rather than the 93mm height, and 50mm is the most common wooden board size in circulation.
730g across all 34 pieces, roughly 21g a piece. They are weighted and felted but genuinely light compared with a double weighted tournament set of the same height.
Dimensions and carving are identical. Sheesham is a warm mid brown Indian rosewood with visible grain and moderate contrast. Ebonised is near black with high contrast and very little visible grain.
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.
Yes, the sizing is standard and the shapes read clearly. Players who prefer more mass under the hand should look at the double weighted sets in the Staunton chess pieces range instead.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
93mm (3.68 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
39mm (1.53 inch) |
|
Queen height |
83mm (3.26 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
36mm (1.43 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
75mm (2.96 inch) |
|
Knight height |
69mm (2.73 inch) |
|
Rook height |
55mm (2.17 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
50mm (1.99 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) or ebonised boxwood, by option |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood (Gardenia latifolia) |
|
Weighting |
Weighted and felted |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
730g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in 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.
