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✔ Questions? Call Us: (03) 7037 0931
These chessmen are hardwood, and they are made to sit on a Chessnut Air and be read by it. Every base is machined out with a cavity sized to take a chip from the Chessnut sensor chip set.
On the Air the position is read straight off the board while you play on turned hardwood. Chessnut sells those chips on their own and none come with this listing, which is the thing to be certain about before ordering.
Professional Staunton is the pattern, drawn to suit the Air rather than borrowed from a club set. At 76mm the king sits on the playing surface instead of overhanging it.
The outlines are conventional Staunton throughout, and two timbers are offered on the identical shapes: golden rosewood or ebonised boxwood, both against natural boxwood.
It is one of our electronic chess pieces.
Both timbers come off the same pattern, so the only thing you are choosing is the dark side, and colour carries more of the load than usual on a flat sensor surface.
The ebonised option has been brought to a near black. It holds a matt, even tone, the grain stays faintly readable close up, and set against natural boxwood it is the higher contrast of the two.
Golden rosewood runs to a mid brown with the grain left showing, and the step down to boxwood is a gentler one. The board ends up looking more like furniture than hardware.
Whichever way you go, the complete set weighs 300 grams. That is very light for 34 pieces, and it is what happens when a cavity is taken out of the underside of every one of them. A piece goes down almost silently.
These want a small board: 38mm to 45mm squares, which is the sensor scale and well under club sizing. At 45mm there is a clear margin round every foot, and at 38mm the ranks close up and the board looks fuller.
What ships is 34 chessmen and 34 green felts. The chip set is not in the parcel and is bought from Chessnut.
Fitting is one chip to each base, closed over with one of the felts. The felt here is not decorative: it closes the cavity over the chip and holds it in, which is why the felts are counted as part of what ships.
The pawns are the one place that needs a hand. Their cavity is shallower than the one under every other piece, so a pawn sensor has to be eased down before it will seat properly.
The FAQ below says which part of the sensor comes off and which parts must be left alone. It is an unhurried job and not a difficult one, and it goes quickly once the first one is right.
Those cavity figures are in the specifications below. Treat them as approximate: the pieces are made by hand, so small differences from one piece to the next are to be expected.
A set this light wants more care than usual. Keep it away from direct sun, heaters and vents, dust with a dry soft cloth, and skip oil and furniture polish, which yellows boxwood unevenly. Once a chip is in, keep water off the base entirely.
These are wood, and that is the point. Moulded plastic announces itself as gear the moment you touch it; turned timber lets the electronics disappear under a set you would want on the table anyway.
They are drawn for the Air, which is why the proportions look right on the surface and never crowd it.
Anyone whose first requirement is heft under the fingers is buying the wrong thing here. Look through our luxury chess pieces instead, and accept that nothing built that way has any means of speaking to a sensor board.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
No. You get the 34 chessmen and 34 green base felts, and nothing else. The chip set is bought from Chessnut separately, and you will need one before the Air can read a game.
Two figures, both in the specifications below: one for the pawn, which is the shallow one, and one for every other piece. Read them as nominal. Each piece has already been checked to work with a Chessnut sensor.
The pawn cavity is shallower than the others, so a sensor sits proud unless the top rim is trimmed back lightly. Take only the outer rubber or plastic lip; leave the centre disc and the flat underside alone, because those are what the sensor reads through. Try it in the base after each pass. There are sixteen pawns in all, eight a side.
Each one seals a base over the chip inside it, so the chip cannot work loose and the piece has something to stand on. They are made for these bases and ship with the set.
300 grams for the whole set, which is very light. There is far less timber in the foot of each piece than the outline suggests, because every base has a cavity taken out of it.
34 chess pieces and 34 green base felts, one felt to each piece. No board is included. The Chessnut Air board and the sensor chip set are both bought from Chessnut.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
76mm high (3.0 inch), 29.5mm base |
|
Queen |
66mm high (2.6 inch), 29.5mm base |
|
Bishop |
59mm high (2.3 inch), 28.5mm base |
|
Knight |
54mm high (2.1 inch), 28.5mm base |
|
Rook |
48mm high (1.9 inch), 28.5mm base |
|
Pawn |
41mm high (1.6 inch), 26mm base |
|
Ebonised option |
Ebonised boxwood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Golden Rosewood option |
Golden rosewood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Recommended square size |
38mm to 45mm (1.5 inch to 1.76 inch) |
|
Total weight of pieces |
300 grams (0.66 lbs) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Sensor cavity, all pieces except pawn |
12mm diameter, 16mm depth |
|
Sensor cavity, pawn |
10mm diameter, 10.5mm depth |
|
Compatibility |
Chessnut sensor chip set, for the Chessnut Air |
|
Chessnut sensor chip set |
Not included |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in the timber option you select
34 green base felts, sized to these piece bases
Chessnut sensor chip set not included
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.
These chessmen are hardwood, and they are made to sit on a Chessnut Air and be read by it. Every base is machined out with a cavity sized to take a chip from the Chessnut sensor chip set.
On the Air the position is read straight off the board while you play on turned hardwood. Chessnut sells those chips on their own and none come with this listing, which is the thing to be certain about before ordering.
Professional Staunton is the pattern, drawn to suit the Air rather than borrowed from a club set. At 76mm the king sits on the playing surface instead of overhanging it.
The outlines are conventional Staunton throughout, and two timbers are offered on the identical shapes: golden rosewood or ebonised boxwood, both against natural boxwood.
It is one of our electronic chess pieces.
Both timbers come off the same pattern, so the only thing you are choosing is the dark side, and colour carries more of the load than usual on a flat sensor surface.
The ebonised option has been brought to a near black. It holds a matt, even tone, the grain stays faintly readable close up, and set against natural boxwood it is the higher contrast of the two.
Golden rosewood runs to a mid brown with the grain left showing, and the step down to boxwood is a gentler one. The board ends up looking more like furniture than hardware.
Whichever way you go, the complete set weighs 300 grams. That is very light for 34 pieces, and it is what happens when a cavity is taken out of the underside of every one of them. A piece goes down almost silently.
These want a small board: 38mm to 45mm squares, which is the sensor scale and well under club sizing. At 45mm there is a clear margin round every foot, and at 38mm the ranks close up and the board looks fuller.
What ships is 34 chessmen and 34 green felts. The chip set is not in the parcel and is bought from Chessnut.
Fitting is one chip to each base, closed over with one of the felts. The felt here is not decorative: it closes the cavity over the chip and holds it in, which is why the felts are counted as part of what ships.
The pawns are the one place that needs a hand. Their cavity is shallower than the one under every other piece, so a pawn sensor has to be eased down before it will seat properly.
The FAQ below says which part of the sensor comes off and which parts must be left alone. It is an unhurried job and not a difficult one, and it goes quickly once the first one is right.
Those cavity figures are in the specifications below. Treat them as approximate: the pieces are made by hand, so small differences from one piece to the next are to be expected.
A set this light wants more care than usual. Keep it away from direct sun, heaters and vents, dust with a dry soft cloth, and skip oil and furniture polish, which yellows boxwood unevenly. Once a chip is in, keep water off the base entirely.
These are wood, and that is the point. Moulded plastic announces itself as gear the moment you touch it; turned timber lets the electronics disappear under a set you would want on the table anyway.
They are drawn for the Air, which is why the proportions look right on the surface and never crowd it.
Anyone whose first requirement is heft under the fingers is buying the wrong thing here. Look through our luxury chess pieces instead, and accept that nothing built that way has any means of speaking to a sensor board.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
No. You get the 34 chessmen and 34 green base felts, and nothing else. The chip set is bought from Chessnut separately, and you will need one before the Air can read a game.
Two figures, both in the specifications below: one for the pawn, which is the shallow one, and one for every other piece. Read them as nominal. Each piece has already been checked to work with a Chessnut sensor.
The pawn cavity is shallower than the others, so a sensor sits proud unless the top rim is trimmed back lightly. Take only the outer rubber or plastic lip; leave the centre disc and the flat underside alone, because those are what the sensor reads through. Try it in the base after each pass. There are sixteen pawns in all, eight a side.
Each one seals a base over the chip inside it, so the chip cannot work loose and the piece has something to stand on. They are made for these bases and ship with the set.
300 grams for the whole set, which is very light. There is far less timber in the foot of each piece than the outline suggests, because every base has a cavity taken out of it.
34 chess pieces and 34 green base felts, one felt to each piece. No board is included. The Chessnut Air board and the sensor chip set are both bought from Chessnut.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
76mm high (3.0 inch), 29.5mm base |
|
Queen |
66mm high (2.6 inch), 29.5mm base |
|
Bishop |
59mm high (2.3 inch), 28.5mm base |
|
Knight |
54mm high (2.1 inch), 28.5mm base |
|
Rook |
48mm high (1.9 inch), 28.5mm base |
|
Pawn |
41mm high (1.6 inch), 26mm base |
|
Ebonised option |
Ebonised boxwood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Golden Rosewood option |
Golden rosewood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Recommended square size |
38mm to 45mm (1.5 inch to 1.76 inch) |
|
Total weight of pieces |
300 grams (0.66 lbs) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Sensor cavity, all pieces except pawn |
12mm diameter, 16mm depth |
|
Sensor cavity, pawn |
10mm diameter, 10.5mm depth |
|
Compatibility |
Chessnut sensor chip set, for the Chessnut Air |
|
Chessnut sensor chip set |
Not included |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in the timber option you select
34 green base felts, sized to these piece bases
Chessnut sensor chip set not included
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.
