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A small timber board built to the same standard as a full size one. It measures 37cm across with 38mm squares, in sheesham on the dark squares and maple on the light, and it comes in two options: plain, or with algebraic notation for the player who reads and records games.
Eight squares at 38mm come to 30.4cm, which leaves a little over 3cm of timber on each side of the playing area. That border is what stops a board this size from looking cramped, and it is part of why 12mm and 1,100g feels more considered than the footprint suggests.
Both options are the same board underneath: same timbers, same 37cm face, same thickness and the same weight. What changes is whether the coordinates are there. Larger surfaces sit across our chess boards collection, and this one exists for the tables that will not take them.
Nearly every timber board on this site is drawn for 45mm squares or larger, because that is what a club standard set needs. Our 43cm ebony board with 45mm squares is a good example: 43cm across with 45mm squares, cut for pieces that most players already own. This board is drawn smaller, at 38mm, and that changes who it is for rather than simply how much room it takes.
The trade is honest in both directions. A 38mm square will not take a full size tournament set, so this is not a substitute for a larger board. What it gives back is a timber playing surface that fits on a side table, a bedside table or a desk with a laptop still on it, in sheesham and maple rather than something disposable.
If portability matters more than a fixed board, our folding board with 40mm squares is the alternative worth looking at: smaller squares again, three timber pairings, and it folds away. This one stays flat and stays put, which most players prefer if the board has somewhere to live.
Base diameter decides fit, not king height. The measurement that matters is the widest point of the king's foot, because that is the part sharing a 38mm square with the pieces beside it. As a working rule the base wants to sit at around three quarters of the square width, which puts this board at roughly 28mm to 32mm.
In practice that means the compact Staunton patterns, travel scale sets and the smaller reproduction ranges. A set turned for 50mm or 55mm squares will physically stand on this board, but the bases will touch through the opening and a crowded middlegame becomes hard to read. Base figures are quoted against every pattern in our Staunton chess pieces.
If you already own the set you intend to use, measure it before ordering rather than working from the height on the packaging. Two patterns that stand within a millimetre of each other at the crown can differ by ten millimetres at the foot.
The notation option carries the a to h and 1 to 8 coordinates. The plain option does not. Everything else about the two is the same board.
Coordinates earn their place when you are writing games down, working through a book or an engine line, or teaching. A learner who has to count files across the board every move spends attention on bookkeeping instead of on the position, and having the letters and numbers in front of them shortens that considerably. The same applies to anyone replaying annotated games, where every move arrives as a coordinate rather than a picture.
The plain board is the better looking of the two when it is not being played on, which matters if it lives out on a side table. Strong players who no longer need the reference tend to prefer it. Neither is the upgrade; they answer different questions, and the price difference between them is small enough that the decision can be made on preference.
The practical case for this size is that it goes where a larger board cannot. A 37cm square face sits on a side table, a bedside table, a nest of tables or a desk corner without pushing everything else off, and two players can sit either side of it without a dining table between them.
At 12mm thick and 1,100g it has enough substance to stay flat and stay put through a game, and little enough that shelving it between games is a one handed job. That combination is what separates it from a rolled mat, which packs smaller but never feels like a board, and from a heavy panel, which feels like a board but has to be left where it is.
Care is the same as any timber board. Out of direct sun, away from heat vents, wiped with a dry soft cloth, and no drinks on the playing surface. These are handmade items, so the finished weight can vary by up to 10 percent either way.
Sheesham and maple at 38mm squares is a genuinely useful size, because it gives you a real timber board with a proper border in a footprint that fits where a 50cm board will not. The caveat is that the square size rules out most club standard sets, so this is a board you buy pieces for rather than one you buy to go with pieces you already have, and buyers regularly get that the wrong way round. It suits a student annotating games, a small flat, or anyone who wants a second board that does not need a table cleared for it.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
No. This listing is the board on its own, so the playing set is chosen and bought separately.
One carries the algebraic notation and one does not. Both are 37cm across with 38mm squares, 12mm thick and 1,100g, in sheesham and maple.
Aim for a king base of roughly 28mm to 32mm, which keeps the king at about three quarters of the square and leaves the pawns a clear margin. Measure the widest part of the base rather than going by the height of the set.
No. Sets turned for 50mm or 55mm squares are too large for 38mm squares and will crowd each other. For those, look at a board cut to the same square size as the pieces, such as our 53cm sheesham and maple board with its 55mm squares.
The notation option, in most cases. Having the coordinates in front of you makes reading a book, following an engine line or writing a game down much quicker to learn.
Keep it out of direct sun and away from heat, wipe it with a dry soft cloth, and avoid standing drinks on the playing surface.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
Board size |
37cm x 37cm (14.5 inch) |
|
Square size |
38mm (1.49 inch) |
|
Playing area |
30.4cm across eight squares |
|
Board thickness |
12mm (0.5 inch) |
|
Weight |
1,100g |
|
Timbers |
Sheesham (Dalbergia Sissoo) and maple (Acer oblongum) |
|
Options |
Plain, or with algebraic notation |
|
Suggested king base (our guidance for 38mm squares) |
Around 28mm to 32mm |
|
Weight tolerance |
Handmade, up to 10 percent either way |
|
Chess pieces |
Not included |
One 37cm sheesham and maple chess board with 38mm squares
In your choice of plain or notation
Playing sets are sold separately and are not part of this listing
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.
A small timber board built to the same standard as a full size one. It measures 37cm across with 38mm squares, in sheesham on the dark squares and maple on the light, and it comes in two options: plain, or with algebraic notation for the player who reads and records games.
Eight squares at 38mm come to 30.4cm, which leaves a little over 3cm of timber on each side of the playing area. That border is what stops a board this size from looking cramped, and it is part of why 12mm and 1,100g feels more considered than the footprint suggests.
Both options are the same board underneath: same timbers, same 37cm face, same thickness and the same weight. What changes is whether the coordinates are there. Larger surfaces sit across our chess boards collection, and this one exists for the tables that will not take them.
Nearly every timber board on this site is drawn for 45mm squares or larger, because that is what a club standard set needs. Our 43cm ebony board with 45mm squares is a good example: 43cm across with 45mm squares, cut for pieces that most players already own. This board is drawn smaller, at 38mm, and that changes who it is for rather than simply how much room it takes.
The trade is honest in both directions. A 38mm square will not take a full size tournament set, so this is not a substitute for a larger board. What it gives back is a timber playing surface that fits on a side table, a bedside table or a desk with a laptop still on it, in sheesham and maple rather than something disposable.
If portability matters more than a fixed board, our folding board with 40mm squares is the alternative worth looking at: smaller squares again, three timber pairings, and it folds away. This one stays flat and stays put, which most players prefer if the board has somewhere to live.
Base diameter decides fit, not king height. The measurement that matters is the widest point of the king's foot, because that is the part sharing a 38mm square with the pieces beside it. As a working rule the base wants to sit at around three quarters of the square width, which puts this board at roughly 28mm to 32mm.
In practice that means the compact Staunton patterns, travel scale sets and the smaller reproduction ranges. A set turned for 50mm or 55mm squares will physically stand on this board, but the bases will touch through the opening and a crowded middlegame becomes hard to read. Base figures are quoted against every pattern in our Staunton chess pieces.
If you already own the set you intend to use, measure it before ordering rather than working from the height on the packaging. Two patterns that stand within a millimetre of each other at the crown can differ by ten millimetres at the foot.
The notation option carries the a to h and 1 to 8 coordinates. The plain option does not. Everything else about the two is the same board.
Coordinates earn their place when you are writing games down, working through a book or an engine line, or teaching. A learner who has to count files across the board every move spends attention on bookkeeping instead of on the position, and having the letters and numbers in front of them shortens that considerably. The same applies to anyone replaying annotated games, where every move arrives as a coordinate rather than a picture.
The plain board is the better looking of the two when it is not being played on, which matters if it lives out on a side table. Strong players who no longer need the reference tend to prefer it. Neither is the upgrade; they answer different questions, and the price difference between them is small enough that the decision can be made on preference.
The practical case for this size is that it goes where a larger board cannot. A 37cm square face sits on a side table, a bedside table, a nest of tables or a desk corner without pushing everything else off, and two players can sit either side of it without a dining table between them.
At 12mm thick and 1,100g it has enough substance to stay flat and stay put through a game, and little enough that shelving it between games is a one handed job. That combination is what separates it from a rolled mat, which packs smaller but never feels like a board, and from a heavy panel, which feels like a board but has to be left where it is.
Care is the same as any timber board. Out of direct sun, away from heat vents, wiped with a dry soft cloth, and no drinks on the playing surface. These are handmade items, so the finished weight can vary by up to 10 percent either way.
Sheesham and maple at 38mm squares is a genuinely useful size, because it gives you a real timber board with a proper border in a footprint that fits where a 50cm board will not. The caveat is that the square size rules out most club standard sets, so this is a board you buy pieces for rather than one you buy to go with pieces you already have, and buyers regularly get that the wrong way round. It suits a student annotating games, a small flat, or anyone who wants a second board that does not need a table cleared for it.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
No. This listing is the board on its own, so the playing set is chosen and bought separately.
One carries the algebraic notation and one does not. Both are 37cm across with 38mm squares, 12mm thick and 1,100g, in sheesham and maple.
Aim for a king base of roughly 28mm to 32mm, which keeps the king at about three quarters of the square and leaves the pawns a clear margin. Measure the widest part of the base rather than going by the height of the set.
No. Sets turned for 50mm or 55mm squares are too large for 38mm squares and will crowd each other. For those, look at a board cut to the same square size as the pieces, such as our 53cm sheesham and maple board with its 55mm squares.
The notation option, in most cases. Having the coordinates in front of you makes reading a book, following an engine line or writing a game down much quicker to learn.
Keep it out of direct sun and away from heat, wipe it with a dry soft cloth, and avoid standing drinks on the playing surface.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
Board size |
37cm x 37cm (14.5 inch) |
|
Square size |
38mm (1.49 inch) |
|
Playing area |
30.4cm across eight squares |
|
Board thickness |
12mm (0.5 inch) |
|
Weight |
1,100g |
|
Timbers |
Sheesham (Dalbergia Sissoo) and maple (Acer oblongum) |
|
Options |
Plain, or with algebraic notation |
|
Suggested king base (our guidance for 38mm squares) |
Around 28mm to 32mm |
|
Weight tolerance |
Handmade, up to 10 percent either way |
|
Chess pieces |
Not included |
One 37cm sheesham and maple chess board with 38mm squares
In your choice of plain or notation
Playing sets are sold separately and are not part of this listing
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.
