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✔ Questions? Call Us: (03) 7037 0931
Reykjavik 1972 is the most watched match in the history of the game, and this is the pattern that sat between Fischer and Spassky for all twenty one games. What arrives here is the complete pairing: the 96mm pieces and a 55cm board cut to the 55mm squares they were designed for.
The pieces are ebonised boxwood against antiqued boxwood. Antiquing matters to the look. Rather than the bright cream of a new boxwood set, the light side carries a warm aged tone that reads much closer to the originals in the photographs from Iceland.
The board is poplar veneer at 55cm square, 13mm thick, matte finished. It sits with the rest of our wood chess sets range.
The same pattern is on the site as pieces on their own, and a great many buyers go that route because they already own a board or want to choose their own timber. That is a perfectly sensible path and the pieces are identical.
What the set solves is square size. A 43mm base wants 55mm squares, and getting that pairing wrong is the single most common mistake in buying a first serious set. Pieces that crowd their squares look cramped and play worse, because you cannot see the shape of the position through the clutter.
The trade is board quality. This is a veneered poplar board, chosen to keep the pairing affordable and the parcel light. If you want a solid timber board with real depth of grain, buy the pieces alone and pick from our chess boards collection instead.
The pieces used in Reykjavik were narrower in the foot than these. The reproduction has been taken out to 43mm on the king, which is a deliberate revision rather than a slip in the copying.
The reason is speed play. A narrow base is fine at classical time controls where pieces are placed rather than dropped, but it topples under a scramble, and the modern buyer plays a good deal more blitz than the 1972 players did. Widening the foot costs a little of the original silhouette and buys a set that survives a time scramble intact.
Natural boxwood is pale, close to cream, and it stays that way for years before it starts to mellow. Antiqued boxwood has that ageing done at the factory, giving a light side that is warmer and slightly browner from the first day.
Against a pitch black ebonised opponent the antiqued side gives noticeably less glare under a bright lamp, which is the practical argument for it. The aesthetic argument is that it looks like a set that has been played rather than a set that has been unboxed.
Poplar veneer, 55cm across, 13mm thick, 2,900g. The playing surface is 55mm squares, so a 43mm base leaves a clean margin of open square around each piece.
Veneer construction keeps the weight and the price down and gives a flat, stable, matte surface. What it does not give you is the mass and the grain figure of a solid board. If that matters to you, our chess boards collection runs from plain veneers up to solid ebony, and these pieces will pair with any of them at 55mm.
The value here is in the pairing rather than in either component. Buying a 96mm set and then guessing at a board is how people end up with pieces that crowd their squares, and this removes that guess entirely at 55mm. The antiqued light side is the right call for the pattern too, and reads far closer to the Reykjavik photographs than a bright new boxwood would. Two things to be clear about. The board is veneered poplar, not solid timber, so it is chosen for flatness and portability rather than presence. And the base has been widened from the 1972 original, which is better for blitz but is not what sat on the table in Iceland.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Yes. The set includes a 55cm poplar veneer board with 55mm squares, 13mm thick, matte finished. That is the correct square size for a 43mm king base.
Yes, identical. If you already own a board at 55mm you can buy the pieces on their own and skip the board entirely.
No. The dark pieces are ebonised boxwood, taken to a deep even black. Genuine ebony options sit across our wood chess pieces range.
Around 4,030g in total. The pieces account for 1,130g of that and the board for roughly 2,900g.
Yes. The pieces are weighted and felted, which is what gives the set its settle on the board and its stability during fast play.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
96mm (3.77 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
43mm (1.70 inch) |
|
Queen height |
77mm (3.02 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
41mm (1.59 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
71mm (2.79 inch) |
|
Knight height |
66mm (2.58 inch) |
|
Rook height |
55mm (2.18 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
37mm (1.45 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
50mm (1.95 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
31mm (1.22 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, with felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
1,130g approximate |
|
Board size |
55cm x 55cm (21.6 inch) |
|
Board square size |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Board thickness |
13mm |
|
Board construction |
Poplar veneer, matte finish |
|
Board weight |
2,900g approximate |
|
Total parcel weight |
4,030g approximate |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One 55cm poplar veneer chess board with 55mm 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.
Reykjavik 1972 is the most watched match in the history of the game, and this is the pattern that sat between Fischer and Spassky for all twenty one games. What arrives here is the complete pairing: the 96mm pieces and a 55cm board cut to the 55mm squares they were designed for.
The pieces are ebonised boxwood against antiqued boxwood. Antiquing matters to the look. Rather than the bright cream of a new boxwood set, the light side carries a warm aged tone that reads much closer to the originals in the photographs from Iceland.
The board is poplar veneer at 55cm square, 13mm thick, matte finished. It sits with the rest of our wood chess sets range.
The same pattern is on the site as pieces on their own, and a great many buyers go that route because they already own a board or want to choose their own timber. That is a perfectly sensible path and the pieces are identical.
What the set solves is square size. A 43mm base wants 55mm squares, and getting that pairing wrong is the single most common mistake in buying a first serious set. Pieces that crowd their squares look cramped and play worse, because you cannot see the shape of the position through the clutter.
The trade is board quality. This is a veneered poplar board, chosen to keep the pairing affordable and the parcel light. If you want a solid timber board with real depth of grain, buy the pieces alone and pick from our chess boards collection instead.
The pieces used in Reykjavik were narrower in the foot than these. The reproduction has been taken out to 43mm on the king, which is a deliberate revision rather than a slip in the copying.
The reason is speed play. A narrow base is fine at classical time controls where pieces are placed rather than dropped, but it topples under a scramble, and the modern buyer plays a good deal more blitz than the 1972 players did. Widening the foot costs a little of the original silhouette and buys a set that survives a time scramble intact.
Natural boxwood is pale, close to cream, and it stays that way for years before it starts to mellow. Antiqued boxwood has that ageing done at the factory, giving a light side that is warmer and slightly browner from the first day.
Against a pitch black ebonised opponent the antiqued side gives noticeably less glare under a bright lamp, which is the practical argument for it. The aesthetic argument is that it looks like a set that has been played rather than a set that has been unboxed.
Poplar veneer, 55cm across, 13mm thick, 2,900g. The playing surface is 55mm squares, so a 43mm base leaves a clean margin of open square around each piece.
Veneer construction keeps the weight and the price down and gives a flat, stable, matte surface. What it does not give you is the mass and the grain figure of a solid board. If that matters to you, our chess boards collection runs from plain veneers up to solid ebony, and these pieces will pair with any of them at 55mm.
The value here is in the pairing rather than in either component. Buying a 96mm set and then guessing at a board is how people end up with pieces that crowd their squares, and this removes that guess entirely at 55mm. The antiqued light side is the right call for the pattern too, and reads far closer to the Reykjavik photographs than a bright new boxwood would. Two things to be clear about. The board is veneered poplar, not solid timber, so it is chosen for flatness and portability rather than presence. And the base has been widened from the 1972 original, which is better for blitz but is not what sat on the table in Iceland.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Yes. The set includes a 55cm poplar veneer board with 55mm squares, 13mm thick, matte finished. That is the correct square size for a 43mm king base.
Yes, identical. If you already own a board at 55mm you can buy the pieces on their own and skip the board entirely.
No. The dark pieces are ebonised boxwood, taken to a deep even black. Genuine ebony options sit across our wood chess pieces range.
Around 4,030g in total. The pieces account for 1,130g of that and the board for roughly 2,900g.
Yes. The pieces are weighted and felted, which is what gives the set its settle on the board and its stability during fast play.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
96mm (3.77 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
43mm (1.70 inch) |
|
Queen height |
77mm (3.02 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
41mm (1.59 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
71mm (2.79 inch) |
|
Knight height |
66mm (2.58 inch) |
|
Rook height |
55mm (2.18 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
37mm (1.45 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
50mm (1.95 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
31mm (1.22 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, with felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
1,130g approximate |
|
Board size |
55cm x 55cm (21.6 inch) |
|
Board square size |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Board thickness |
13mm |
|
Board construction |
Poplar veneer, matte finish |
|
Board weight |
2,900g approximate |
|
Total parcel weight |
4,030g approximate |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One 55cm poplar veneer chess board with 55mm 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.
