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This is a licensed reproduction of the Lanier Graham chess set, an abstract army in which every piece is stripped back to pure form and the whole set nests together into a plain rectangle.
F. Lanier Graham was a recognised modern art expert and a chess player, and the idea running through his design is that a piece should show you how it moves.
The knights are smooth L shapes, which is the knight's move rendered as an object. The bishops slope diagonally. The rooks stand as rectangles, for the straight lines they travel on.
Nothing here is a stylised crown or a mitre. The army whittles down in scale from king to pawn, so the royal pair reads tallest and the pawns lowest.
The king stands 69mm, which makes this a compact set as well as an unusual one.
The organising principle is that a piece should describe its own movement, and it is carried through the whole army. You will find the set in our minimalist chess pieces.
The knight is the clearest case. Two squares one way and one the other, resolved into a single continuous L. The bishop leans along the line it travels. The rook is square edged and upright for the files and ranks it runs on.
Once you have played a game with them these read very quickly. You are not translating a symbol into a rule; you are looking at the rule.
That the whole army then interlocks into one clean rectangle is not a storage convenience. It is the proof that the shapes are complementary, and it makes a puzzle to solve alongside the game.
These pieces suit small boards, with squares of 40mm. Every foot in the army is the same width, so the board stays even and open however crowded the position gets, and the shapes keep a clear margin all round.
The two options share every dimension, the same thirty two figures and the same boxwood light army. Only the dark side changes, and on a set built entirely from clean geometric forms that change matters more than it would elsewhere.
The golden rosewood option puts two natural timbers on the board. Grain is the only surface interest an abstract set has, and rosewood supplies it: the figure runs across a flat face uninterrupted by relief.
The ebonised boxwood option brings the dark army to a near black, and that is the choice if you want the design read as pure form. What you notice then is silhouette and edge.
It is arguably the closer reading of what an abstract set is for. The shapes were drawn to be seen as shapes, and a dark army that reads as one flat colour puts nothing in the way.
At 306 grams for the complete army this is a light set, which follows from the scale and from how little timber each shape contains. It will not hold a position against a serious knock, and it is not trying to.
Keep the set out of direct sun and away from a heater, dust with a dry soft cloth, and leave oil, furniture polish and solvent based cleaners alone. Flat faces and clean edges show a mark more readily than a rounded surface does.
What you are buying is a design that was thought through, not decoration with a story attached. A knight drawn as an L and a rook standing as a rectangle are the rules of the game made into objects.
That the whole army nests into a plain rectangle is the proof the shapes were worked out rather than assembled. It is a licensed reproduction of the official set, which matters where proportion is the whole content.
The caveats are real. Thirty two pieces means no spare queen, so a promotion needs an upturned rook or a captured piece stood aside. The bishop and the knight are told apart purely by shape. For a traditional army, our Staunton chess pieces is where to look.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
40mm, and it is a single figure rather than a range. Every piece stands on the same foot, so the whole army sits to one even margin, and the square is worth matching closely.
An abstract chess set by F. Lanier Graham, a recognised modern art expert and chess player, in which each shape describes how the piece moves. This is a licensed reproduction of the official design.
Yes. The whole army nests together into a rectangular formation. It is part of the design instead of a storage feature, and it works as a puzzle in its own right.
The figures interlock into the rectangle, and a spare queen would have nowhere to sit in that formation. The count is exactly the game array, so a promotion needs an upturned rook or a captured piece.
By shape alone. Both stand level on the same base, so there is no step between them. The knight is the smooth L and the bishop is the diagonal slope, which is unambiguous after a game or two.
Only the dark side. Every dimension and the piece count are identical, and the light army is boxwood in both cases. Golden rosewood shows grain across the flat faces; ebonised boxwood is brought to a near black.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
69mm high (2.7 inch), 20mm base |
|
Queen |
61mm high (2.4 inch), 20mm base |
|
Bishop |
40mm high (1.6 inch), 20mm base |
|
Knight |
40mm high (1.6 inch), 20mm base |
|
Rook |
39mm high (1.5 inch), 20mm base |
|
Pawn |
20mm high (0.8 inch), 20mm base |
|
Golden Rosewood option |
Golden rosewood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Ebonised Boxwood option |
Ebonised boxwood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Total weight |
306 grams (0.67 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Piece count |
32 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the timber chosen
All 32 figures interlock into a rectangular formation
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.
This is a licensed reproduction of the Lanier Graham chess set, an abstract army in which every piece is stripped back to pure form and the whole set nests together into a plain rectangle.
F. Lanier Graham was a recognised modern art expert and a chess player, and the idea running through his design is that a piece should show you how it moves.
The knights are smooth L shapes, which is the knight's move rendered as an object. The bishops slope diagonally. The rooks stand as rectangles, for the straight lines they travel on.
Nothing here is a stylised crown or a mitre. The army whittles down in scale from king to pawn, so the royal pair reads tallest and the pawns lowest.
The king stands 69mm, which makes this a compact set as well as an unusual one.
The organising principle is that a piece should describe its own movement, and it is carried through the whole army. You will find the set in our minimalist chess pieces.
The knight is the clearest case. Two squares one way and one the other, resolved into a single continuous L. The bishop leans along the line it travels. The rook is square edged and upright for the files and ranks it runs on.
Once you have played a game with them these read very quickly. You are not translating a symbol into a rule; you are looking at the rule.
That the whole army then interlocks into one clean rectangle is not a storage convenience. It is the proof that the shapes are complementary, and it makes a puzzle to solve alongside the game.
These pieces suit small boards, with squares of 40mm. Every foot in the army is the same width, so the board stays even and open however crowded the position gets, and the shapes keep a clear margin all round.
The two options share every dimension, the same thirty two figures and the same boxwood light army. Only the dark side changes, and on a set built entirely from clean geometric forms that change matters more than it would elsewhere.
The golden rosewood option puts two natural timbers on the board. Grain is the only surface interest an abstract set has, and rosewood supplies it: the figure runs across a flat face uninterrupted by relief.
The ebonised boxwood option brings the dark army to a near black, and that is the choice if you want the design read as pure form. What you notice then is silhouette and edge.
It is arguably the closer reading of what an abstract set is for. The shapes were drawn to be seen as shapes, and a dark army that reads as one flat colour puts nothing in the way.
At 306 grams for the complete army this is a light set, which follows from the scale and from how little timber each shape contains. It will not hold a position against a serious knock, and it is not trying to.
Keep the set out of direct sun and away from a heater, dust with a dry soft cloth, and leave oil, furniture polish and solvent based cleaners alone. Flat faces and clean edges show a mark more readily than a rounded surface does.
What you are buying is a design that was thought through, not decoration with a story attached. A knight drawn as an L and a rook standing as a rectangle are the rules of the game made into objects.
That the whole army nests into a plain rectangle is the proof the shapes were worked out rather than assembled. It is a licensed reproduction of the official set, which matters where proportion is the whole content.
The caveats are real. Thirty two pieces means no spare queen, so a promotion needs an upturned rook or a captured piece stood aside. The bishop and the knight are told apart purely by shape. For a traditional army, our Staunton chess pieces is where to look.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
40mm, and it is a single figure rather than a range. Every piece stands on the same foot, so the whole army sits to one even margin, and the square is worth matching closely.
An abstract chess set by F. Lanier Graham, a recognised modern art expert and chess player, in which each shape describes how the piece moves. This is a licensed reproduction of the official design.
Yes. The whole army nests together into a rectangular formation. It is part of the design instead of a storage feature, and it works as a puzzle in its own right.
The figures interlock into the rectangle, and a spare queen would have nowhere to sit in that formation. The count is exactly the game array, so a promotion needs an upturned rook or a captured piece.
By shape alone. Both stand level on the same base, so there is no step between them. The knight is the smooth L and the bishop is the diagonal slope, which is unambiguous after a game or two.
Only the dark side. Every dimension and the piece count are identical, and the light army is boxwood in both cases. Golden rosewood shows grain across the flat faces; ebonised boxwood is brought to a near black.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
69mm high (2.7 inch), 20mm base |
|
Queen |
61mm high (2.4 inch), 20mm base |
|
Bishop |
40mm high (1.6 inch), 20mm base |
|
Knight |
40mm high (1.6 inch), 20mm base |
|
Rook |
39mm high (1.5 inch), 20mm base |
|
Pawn |
20mm high (0.8 inch), 20mm base |
|
Golden Rosewood option |
Golden rosewood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Ebonised Boxwood option |
Ebonised boxwood dark pieces, boxwood light pieces |
|
Total weight |
306 grams (0.67 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Piece count |
32 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the timber chosen
All 32 figures interlock into a rectangular formation
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.
