ChessUp 2 tips and notes

Sorry the game did not show up. Have other games shown up? All OTB games should sync there. However, there are some settings in the app to start the sync. Please reach out to info@bryghtlabs.com or the ChessUp forum and we can help.

I contacted Bryte Labs and they immediately agreed to send me a replacement board together with a returns label for the faulty device!

Excellent service!!

I have reached out to info@ but they have not been able to help solve this problem.

Ok -sorry for the lost game record. We will note this in the bug reports and see what we can improve about the OTB game storage.

I had a VERY....SLOW....BOARD....recently. It would take like 3 minutes to register my opponents move and oft I would be accused of abandoning game, etc. which was frustrating cuz i went from 1,000+ Elo to 830-luckily, update 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 seemed to have fixed my issues.

I don't own the board but actually found it fascinating to see support delivered straight to the community where they are. Keep the good work going!!

Keep taking your Meds Kevin & count your many invisible chess sets , Are you still selling 2nd rate chess sets on e bay ? Hows your mate DKY

Let's keep this on topic. This thread is for ChessUp2 only. If you want to talk about other eboards, please post under an existing thread or start a new one.

The ChessUp2 has met every single one of my expectations and then some. Their service is incredible, and I pay my respects to BryghtLabs! Keep up the good work-you've made a lot of people happy with your accomplishments! I, for one, am considering buying a second one for my friend's birthday.

ChessUp2 is fantastic, the only thing missing is clear and concise instructions on how to use the fabulous features.

Honestly, it's just something that makes me happy and lets me vent off some steam after being bullied at school and work........It makes me excited to come home, sit in a dark corner, and play chess until 1 am in the morning unintentionally

Seems like Chessup2 is a good pick considering the comments by all those users here. Thank you folks!

Hi there. Just thought I'd share my experience with the ChessUp 2 board to make it easier for those who may be considering getting one.

I’d describe myself as an absolute beginner in chess. I’ve always been interested, but never really got around to playing. Recently, my son developed an interest in the game, which reminded me of myself at that age. At first, I bought a simple chess computer marketed as a teaching tool for kids, but it turned out to be absolute crap — terrible user experience, and now it’s just sitting in a drawer.

Then I installed the Fritz Chess app on his school tablet, which worked fine, but I was hoping to reduce his screen time a bit. That bad chess computer again reminded me of my own childhood experiences, so I looked around and found the ChessUp 2 very intriguing. After several weeks of it sitting in my cart, I finally bit the bullet and bought it.

After some playing and reading, I managed to beat the level 2 bot on the board, which is supposed to be around 500 ELO. I have no idea how ELO ratings are calculated, so I’m trusting the system. I also tried the Chess.com bots and played up to Elani (rated 400), whom I beat several times — so the ELO estimate seems fairly accurate.

I was skeptical at first but ended up pleasantly surprised. It seems the glitches and missing features from early versions are now a thing of the past. Everything worked flawlessly for me so far. All pieces are detected properly, including the extra set I ordered in a bundle. Checkers is also a great experience on the board — I used to play it with my dad a lot as a kid, so I love that it’s supported. Even when I play with my wife or kids, I turn on the device just to enforce the capture rule. It’s a really nice touch.

I like the look and feel of the pieces. The pattern on the white pieces is subtle (almost invisible to my aging eyes), which gives it a vintage feel. I love the weight and tactile feedback of the figures and the satisfying sound when moving them on the board. It all feels very natural to me — although to be fair, I don’t have a fancy wooden board to compare it to.

The built-in screen makes interacting with the board easy, and all features I’ve tried worked well. I especially like the lessons — they helped me understand a few things and opened my eyes to the game’s depth. I’d love to have them available in German for my kids, though. Both of them (5 and 7) were very interested in the board. My son already had an interest in chess, which was part of my motivation to buy it. He still uses the Fritz app now and then to practice rules. He was really impressed with the size and quality of the ChessUp pieces — especially compared to the tiny ones on that old computer where you had to press down hard to register moves.

It would be great if my kids could also do the lessons, but since they haven’t learned English yet, it’s not possible. @CosmoJK: I’d actually be happy to help translate the lessons into German if that would be helpful. I’m a native speaker, and depending on the tools you use, we could make it happen. My kids would really appreciate it.

Overall, I think the purchase was money well spent. Sure, it's a bit pricey, but I’d say it’s worth it. I hope compatibility with Chess.com and Lichess.org continues to work for years.

Minor Issues:One small issue I ran into is with the lessons — occasionally they fall out of sync or the board doesn’t register a move, which means restarting the lesson or the device. Also, when starting a lesson, the first second or so of the video plays, then restarts — maybe due to a delay in connection. These are minor and don't really detract from the overall experience.
If I had one more wish, it would be for brighter (or adjustable) board lights for better visibility in sunlight.

Keep up the great work — and please keep the updates coming!

Just a quick update on my review: I have just tried my first session using Chessconnect and playing a chess.com coach. Absolutely amazing. Its also in German, so I can try this with the kids, too. Works like a charm.

Anyone know who is the voice in the lessons? I thought it sounded a bit like Thalia Cervantes and was curious if that was right.

IM Tatev Abrahamyan: