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This is the pattern that displaced the standard FIDE rosewood set across Hungarian and Romanian tournament halls, reproduced with chess collector Michael Ladzinski. It arrives here as a complete set, pieces and board together.
The proportions are unusual and worth noticing before anything else. The bishop stands at 77mm and the queen at 76mm, so the bishop is fractionally the taller of the two. That is not an error in the reproduction. It is how the original ran, and it gives the back rank a flatter, more even skyline than a conventional Staunton.
Ebonised boxwood against natural boxwood, weighted, 1,100g of pieces. It sits with the rest of our reproduction chess sets.
Against a standard FIDE set the difference is the silhouette. A conventional Staunton steps down cleanly from king to queen to bishop, so you can identify a piece from its height alone at a glance across the table. This pattern flattens that ladder, putting bishop and queen within a millimetre of each other.
Players who came up on this set describe it as easier on the eye over a long session, because the back rank reads as one horizontal band rather than a staircase. The cost is that you identify the bishop by its mitre rather than by its height, which takes a few games to become automatic.
The same pieces are available in a rosewood version of these pieces if you prefer the warmer timber, and the wider tournament chess pieces range covers the conventional patterns.
An earlier run of this reproduction went out on a narrower king and queen foot, and collectors said plainly that it was not enough. The base was taken out to 40mm on the king and 39mm on the queen in response.
The gain is stability under speed play, which is the whole point of a tournament pattern. A 98mm piece is tall, and tall pieces on narrow feet do not survive a blitz scramble. At 40mm the king has a genuinely planted feel, and the queen is only a millimetre behind it.
Three things identify this set at a distance. The rook turrets carry four cuts rather than the usual three or five. The balls on the bishops are finished in the opposing colour, a Soviet and eastern European convention rather than an English one. And every king, queen, bishop and pawn wears a turned collar ring.
The knights are the piece to look at closely. They are hand carved rather than turned, so no two are quite identical, and the lathe work on the curve of the neck is the clearest evidence of who made the set.
Most reproduction sets in this price band arrive lacquered. Lacquer gives an immediate high gloss and a hard shell, and it chips at the edges over a few years of handling.
These are buff polished in multiple layers instead. The finish is lower in sheen and it wears rather than chips, which suits a set intended to be played several times a week rather than displayed. Pieces alone, without the board, are covered across our Staunton chess pieces range.
The bishop standing taller than the queen is the thing to decide about, and it is a real decision rather than a quirk. It gives a calmer back rank that many players prefer over a long session, but it removes a height cue you have been using unconsciously since you learned the game, so expect a few sessions of adjustment. The widened base is a straightforward improvement and makes this genuinely viable for blitz at 98mm. One point of transparency: the supplier does not publish the board dimensions for this pairing beyond confirming a board is included and recommending 50mm to 60mm squares, so we have listed what we can verify and left the rest out rather than guessing.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Yes, a wooden board is supplied with the set. The supplier has not published its exact dimensions, so we have not listed a size we cannot verify. The pieces suit squares of 50mm to 60mm.
Because that is how the original pattern ran. It gives a flatter back rank, which many players find easier over long sessions, at the cost of the height cue you would normally use to tell a bishop from a queen.
No. The dark pieces are ebonised boxwood taken to a deep black. Genuine ebony sets sit across our wood chess pieces range.
Yes. The same pattern is on the site as a rosewood version of these pieces, sold as pieces only.
The pieces are around 1,100g and the complete parcel with the board is around 4,100g.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
98mm (3.85 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Queen height |
76mm (2.99 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
39mm (1.53 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
77mm (3.03 inch) |
|
Knight height |
68mm (2.67 inch) |
|
Rook height |
53mm (2.08 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
49mm (1.92 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
31mm (1.22 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, with thick green felt on every base |
|
Finish |
Buff polished in multiple layers |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
1,100g approximate |
|
Board |
Included with the set |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 60mm |
|
Total parcel weight |
4,100g approximate |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One wooden chess board
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 the pattern that displaced the standard FIDE rosewood set across Hungarian and Romanian tournament halls, reproduced with chess collector Michael Ladzinski. It arrives here as a complete set, pieces and board together.
The proportions are unusual and worth noticing before anything else. The bishop stands at 77mm and the queen at 76mm, so the bishop is fractionally the taller of the two. That is not an error in the reproduction. It is how the original ran, and it gives the back rank a flatter, more even skyline than a conventional Staunton.
Ebonised boxwood against natural boxwood, weighted, 1,100g of pieces. It sits with the rest of our reproduction chess sets.
Against a standard FIDE set the difference is the silhouette. A conventional Staunton steps down cleanly from king to queen to bishop, so you can identify a piece from its height alone at a glance across the table. This pattern flattens that ladder, putting bishop and queen within a millimetre of each other.
Players who came up on this set describe it as easier on the eye over a long session, because the back rank reads as one horizontal band rather than a staircase. The cost is that you identify the bishop by its mitre rather than by its height, which takes a few games to become automatic.
The same pieces are available in a rosewood version of these pieces if you prefer the warmer timber, and the wider tournament chess pieces range covers the conventional patterns.
An earlier run of this reproduction went out on a narrower king and queen foot, and collectors said plainly that it was not enough. The base was taken out to 40mm on the king and 39mm on the queen in response.
The gain is stability under speed play, which is the whole point of a tournament pattern. A 98mm piece is tall, and tall pieces on narrow feet do not survive a blitz scramble. At 40mm the king has a genuinely planted feel, and the queen is only a millimetre behind it.
Three things identify this set at a distance. The rook turrets carry four cuts rather than the usual three or five. The balls on the bishops are finished in the opposing colour, a Soviet and eastern European convention rather than an English one. And every king, queen, bishop and pawn wears a turned collar ring.
The knights are the piece to look at closely. They are hand carved rather than turned, so no two are quite identical, and the lathe work on the curve of the neck is the clearest evidence of who made the set.
Most reproduction sets in this price band arrive lacquered. Lacquer gives an immediate high gloss and a hard shell, and it chips at the edges over a few years of handling.
These are buff polished in multiple layers instead. The finish is lower in sheen and it wears rather than chips, which suits a set intended to be played several times a week rather than displayed. Pieces alone, without the board, are covered across our Staunton chess pieces range.
The bishop standing taller than the queen is the thing to decide about, and it is a real decision rather than a quirk. It gives a calmer back rank that many players prefer over a long session, but it removes a height cue you have been using unconsciously since you learned the game, so expect a few sessions of adjustment. The widened base is a straightforward improvement and makes this genuinely viable for blitz at 98mm. One point of transparency: the supplier does not publish the board dimensions for this pairing beyond confirming a board is included and recommending 50mm to 60mm squares, so we have listed what we can verify and left the rest out rather than guessing.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Yes, a wooden board is supplied with the set. The supplier has not published its exact dimensions, so we have not listed a size we cannot verify. The pieces suit squares of 50mm to 60mm.
Because that is how the original pattern ran. It gives a flatter back rank, which many players find easier over long sessions, at the cost of the height cue you would normally use to tell a bishop from a queen.
No. The dark pieces are ebonised boxwood taken to a deep black. Genuine ebony sets sit across our wood chess pieces range.
Yes. The same pattern is on the site as a rosewood version of these pieces, sold as pieces only.
The pieces are around 1,100g and the complete parcel with the board is around 4,100g.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
98mm (3.85 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
40mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Queen height |
76mm (2.99 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
39mm (1.53 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
77mm (3.03 inch) |
|
Knight height |
68mm (2.67 inch) |
|
Rook height |
53mm (2.08 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
49mm (1.92 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
31mm (1.22 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebonised boxwood |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, with thick green felt on every base |
|
Finish |
Buff polished in multiple layers |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
1,100g approximate |
|
Board |
Included with the set |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 60mm |
|
Total parcel weight |
4,100g approximate |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One wooden chess board
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.
