✔ Australian Owned & Operated
✔ FREE Shipping On All Orders
✔ 100 Day FREE Returns
✔ Authorised Australian Dealer
✔ Questions? Call Us: (03) 7037 0931
Knubbel is the German word for a small knob, and it describes this pattern well. The 1930 German Knubbel is a rounded, compact analysis design with a 74mm king and short, softly turned officers, made for working through a position on a small table rather than for holding a room.
The carving, the heights and the board are identical whichever way you buy it. What changes is the dark side of the set: ebonised boxwood, or stained crimson boxwood, both against natural boxwood on the light side. Crimson is the more unusual of the two and reads as a deep oxblood red under a lamp rather than as bright colour.
Either finish arrives with the same 45.7cm board in bud rosewood and maple, 45mm squares and 22mm thick. It sits in our reproduction chess sets collection.
Start with what does not change. Both finishes are the same Knubbel carving at 74mm on a 36mm base, the same 34 pieces with two spare queens, the same 700g, and the same natural boxwood on the light side. The board is the same object too, which is unusual for a set offered in two ways. The choice really is a choice of colour.
Ebonised boxwood is boxwood taken to black by dye. It gives the high contrast most players are used to, and against natural boxwood the position reads cleanly in poor light. Stained crimson boxwood keeps the grain of the timber visible under a deep red, closer to oxblood than to scarlet, and it warms considerably against the bud rosewood of the board. Neither is a harder or softer timber than the other, since both sides start as boxwood.
We also list the Reproduction 1930 Knubbel Analysis set in stained crimson and natural boxwood. It is the same pattern on a different board: that one comes with a light folding notation board, so it packs flat and travels, while this listing pairs the pieces with a 22mm timber board at 3,000g, which stays where you put it. If you already own a board with 45mm squares, the Knubbel pieces on their own are listed separately. All of it sits within our wood chess sets range.
A full size Staunton runs a king around 95mm. At 74mm this one is well under that, and deliberately so. Analysis sets were made to be kept beside a book or a board diagram, set up quickly, moved through a line and reset, without needing half a dining table to do it on. The whole footprint here is 45.7cm square, which fits a side table, a desk corner or a card table with room left for a notebook.
The honest caveat is weight. At 700g across 34 pieces the set is slightly weighted. Pieces this size feel light in the hand and they will slide if the board is knocked, so this is a set for study, for a second board, or for taking to a friend's house, more than a set to leave out as a centrepiece. If you want mass under your fingers, look at a heavier full size set instead.
The heights are worth reading in order, because the Knubbel does not step the way a standard Staunton does. King 74mm, queen 58mm, knight 49mm, rook 41mm, bishop 40mm, pawn 33mm. The bishop sits a millimetre below the rook rather than well above it, so the officers on either side of the royal pair read as a low, even band with the knight standing clear of them.
The bases follow the same logic. King and queen share a 36mm base, all three officers share 30mm, and the pawn sits on 24mm. Two base sizes across the back rank keeps the row tidy and gives the rounded, knobbed profile the pattern is named for. It is a quiet set to look at, which is the point of a design made for working rather than for display.
The board is 45.7cm square with 45mm squares, 22mm thick and around 3,000g, bud rosewood on the dark squares against maple on the light. Bud rosewood is a figured cut with real movement in the grain, and at 22mm this is a substantial surface to sit under a compact set.
Forty five millimetre squares are what these pieces are cut for. A 36mm king base on a 45mm square is a close fit rather than a generous one, so the back rank sits shoulder to shoulder at the start of a game and opens up as pieces come off. Thirty four pieces including two spare queens, plus the board, either way. No storage box is included, and the board is handmade, so the weight varies a little from one to the next. Other sizes sit across our chess boards collection.
The board is the surprise in this listing. A 74mm analysis set would normally arrive on something thin and light, and instead this one comes with 22mm of bud rosewood and maple weighing 3,000g, which is more board than the pieces strictly need and much nicer to play on. The caveat is the other side of the same coin: at 700g the pieces are slightly weighted, so they feel light against a board that heavy, and a 36mm king base on 45mm squares is a snug fit rather than a roomy one. Buy it if you want a compact set for study, for a desk or for a second board that still looks like timber rather than a travel compromise. If you are after a set that commands a dining table, this is not that set.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Only the dark side of the pieces. Ebonised boxwood is dyed black for high contrast; stained crimson boxwood is a deep oxblood red with the grain still visible. The carving, the 74mm king, the 34 pieces and the 45.7cm board are identical either way.
45.7cm x 45.7cm (18 inch) with 45mm squares, 22mm thick and around 3,000g, in bud rosewood and maple. The same board comes with both finishes.
It is smaller than a club standard set, which usually runs around 95mm. The Knubbel is an analysis size pattern, made for study and for small tables, and it plays perfectly well on the 45mm squares supplied. Larger options sit across our chess sets collection.
Around 700g across all 34 pieces, slightly weighted. That is light in the hand compared with a full size weighted set, and it is worth knowing before you order.
They are cut for 45mm squares, with a 36mm king base. On 40mm squares the back rank would crowd badly, so check your square size before assuming they will move across.
No. Either finish is the 34 pieces and one board.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
74mm (2.91 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch) |
|
Queen height |
58mm (2.28 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch) |
|
Knight height |
49mm (1.93 inch) |
|
Rook height |
41mm (1.61 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
33mm (1.30 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
30mm (1.18 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn base diameter |
24mm (0.94 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood, or stained crimson boxwood, by finish |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood (Gardenia latifolia) |
|
Weighting |
Slightly weighted |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
700g approximate |
|
Board size |
45.7cm x 45.7cm (18 inch) |
|
Board square size |
45mm (1.75 inch) |
|
Board thickness |
22mm |
|
Board timbers |
Bud rosewood and maple |
|
Board weight |
3,000g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm |
|
Total set weight |
3,700g approximate |
|
Pieces origin |
Carved in India |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens, in ebonised and natural boxwood or stained crimson and natural boxwood
One 45.7cm bud rosewood and maple chess board with 45mm squares
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.
Knubbel is the German word for a small knob, and it describes this pattern well. The 1930 German Knubbel is a rounded, compact analysis design with a 74mm king and short, softly turned officers, made for working through a position on a small table rather than for holding a room.
The carving, the heights and the board are identical whichever way you buy it. What changes is the dark side of the set: ebonised boxwood, or stained crimson boxwood, both against natural boxwood on the light side. Crimson is the more unusual of the two and reads as a deep oxblood red under a lamp rather than as bright colour.
Either finish arrives with the same 45.7cm board in bud rosewood and maple, 45mm squares and 22mm thick. It sits in our reproduction chess sets collection.
Start with what does not change. Both finishes are the same Knubbel carving at 74mm on a 36mm base, the same 34 pieces with two spare queens, the same 700g, and the same natural boxwood on the light side. The board is the same object too, which is unusual for a set offered in two ways. The choice really is a choice of colour.
Ebonised boxwood is boxwood taken to black by dye. It gives the high contrast most players are used to, and against natural boxwood the position reads cleanly in poor light. Stained crimson boxwood keeps the grain of the timber visible under a deep red, closer to oxblood than to scarlet, and it warms considerably against the bud rosewood of the board. Neither is a harder or softer timber than the other, since both sides start as boxwood.
We also list the Reproduction 1930 Knubbel Analysis set in stained crimson and natural boxwood. It is the same pattern on a different board: that one comes with a light folding notation board, so it packs flat and travels, while this listing pairs the pieces with a 22mm timber board at 3,000g, which stays where you put it. If you already own a board with 45mm squares, the Knubbel pieces on their own are listed separately. All of it sits within our wood chess sets range.
A full size Staunton runs a king around 95mm. At 74mm this one is well under that, and deliberately so. Analysis sets were made to be kept beside a book or a board diagram, set up quickly, moved through a line and reset, without needing half a dining table to do it on. The whole footprint here is 45.7cm square, which fits a side table, a desk corner or a card table with room left for a notebook.
The honest caveat is weight. At 700g across 34 pieces the set is slightly weighted. Pieces this size feel light in the hand and they will slide if the board is knocked, so this is a set for study, for a second board, or for taking to a friend's house, more than a set to leave out as a centrepiece. If you want mass under your fingers, look at a heavier full size set instead.
The heights are worth reading in order, because the Knubbel does not step the way a standard Staunton does. King 74mm, queen 58mm, knight 49mm, rook 41mm, bishop 40mm, pawn 33mm. The bishop sits a millimetre below the rook rather than well above it, so the officers on either side of the royal pair read as a low, even band with the knight standing clear of them.
The bases follow the same logic. King and queen share a 36mm base, all three officers share 30mm, and the pawn sits on 24mm. Two base sizes across the back rank keeps the row tidy and gives the rounded, knobbed profile the pattern is named for. It is a quiet set to look at, which is the point of a design made for working rather than for display.
The board is 45.7cm square with 45mm squares, 22mm thick and around 3,000g, bud rosewood on the dark squares against maple on the light. Bud rosewood is a figured cut with real movement in the grain, and at 22mm this is a substantial surface to sit under a compact set.
Forty five millimetre squares are what these pieces are cut for. A 36mm king base on a 45mm square is a close fit rather than a generous one, so the back rank sits shoulder to shoulder at the start of a game and opens up as pieces come off. Thirty four pieces including two spare queens, plus the board, either way. No storage box is included, and the board is handmade, so the weight varies a little from one to the next. Other sizes sit across our chess boards collection.
The board is the surprise in this listing. A 74mm analysis set would normally arrive on something thin and light, and instead this one comes with 22mm of bud rosewood and maple weighing 3,000g, which is more board than the pieces strictly need and much nicer to play on. The caveat is the other side of the same coin: at 700g the pieces are slightly weighted, so they feel light against a board that heavy, and a 36mm king base on 45mm squares is a snug fit rather than a roomy one. Buy it if you want a compact set for study, for a desk or for a second board that still looks like timber rather than a travel compromise. If you are after a set that commands a dining table, this is not that set.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Only the dark side of the pieces. Ebonised boxwood is dyed black for high contrast; stained crimson boxwood is a deep oxblood red with the grain still visible. The carving, the 74mm king, the 34 pieces and the 45.7cm board are identical either way.
45.7cm x 45.7cm (18 inch) with 45mm squares, 22mm thick and around 3,000g, in bud rosewood and maple. The same board comes with both finishes.
It is smaller than a club standard set, which usually runs around 95mm. The Knubbel is an analysis size pattern, made for study and for small tables, and it plays perfectly well on the 45mm squares supplied. Larger options sit across our chess sets collection.
Around 700g across all 34 pieces, slightly weighted. That is light in the hand compared with a full size weighted set, and it is worth knowing before you order.
They are cut for 45mm squares, with a 36mm king base. On 40mm squares the back rank would crowd badly, so check your square size before assuming they will move across.
No. Either finish is the 34 pieces and one board.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
74mm (2.91 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch) |
|
Queen height |
58mm (2.28 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch) |
|
Knight height |
49mm (1.93 inch) |
|
Rook height |
41mm (1.61 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
33mm (1.30 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
30mm (1.18 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn base diameter |
24mm (0.94 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood, or stained crimson boxwood, by finish |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood (Gardenia latifolia) |
|
Weighting |
Slightly weighted |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
700g approximate |
|
Board size |
45.7cm x 45.7cm (18 inch) |
|
Board square size |
45mm (1.75 inch) |
|
Board thickness |
22mm |
|
Board timbers |
Bud rosewood and maple |
|
Board weight |
3,000g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm |
|
Total set weight |
3,700g approximate |
|
Pieces origin |
Carved in India |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens, in ebonised and natural boxwood or stained crimson and natural boxwood
One 45.7cm bud rosewood and maple chess board with 45mm squares
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.
