Staunton pieces: the standard chess design

What is Staunton?

You’ve surely heard the term Staunton design whenever someone recommended buying your first chess pieces. But what does it actually mean?

Staunton is the official chess standard. It’s the piece design recognized by FIDE and every organization in the world. If you play in a tournament, at a club, or simply want to learn with the right pieces, this is what you need.

The Staunton classification is based on a single criterion: the height of the king. Color, material, or base don’t count. Only the king’s height determines the size number.

Origin of the Staunton design

The design is named after Howard Staunton, one of the best chess players of the 19th century. Staunton was the one who popularized this model and turned it into the world standard.

Why does this matter? Because before this standard existed, every manufacturer made pieces their own way. Imagine trying to play a game when your king has the same shape as your opponent’s queen. Total chaos. The Staunton design put an end to that.

Today, more than 170 years later, it’s still the only design recognized in official competition.

Staunton classification by size

Let’s look at the sizes. The Staunton series has six numbers, from 3 to 8. The higher the number, the taller the piece.

Which one do you need? It depends on the board you have. The general rule is that the king’s base should cover between 75% and 85% of a square. If the king wobbles around the square, the board is too big; if it barely fits, it’s too small.

Here are the sizes:

• Staunton 3: king height between 50–70 mm
• Staunton 4: king height between 70–90 mm
• Staunton 5: king height between 90–110 mm
• Staunton 6: king height between 110–130 mm
• Staunton 7: king height between 130–150 mm
• Staunton 8: king height above 150 mm

The Staunton 4 is the most common in school and club tournaments. If you’re just starting out and don’t know which one to choose, that’s your number.