DGT Play is Enabled in chess.com Beta

They announced it in the morning, I was fiddling with it since. First, the good news:

It works on both Windows AND the Apple mac! This is due to the fact that interfacing is done via DGT's LiveChess software and *not* via usual Rabbit Plugin windoze driver. LiveChess is done in Java, hence compatible with macs for years now. Oh happiness, oh joy! The interface works fast and it's robust. If you fudge a move, it will resync and pick up the position as soon as you fix and sync your pieces with the Live Chess display.

 

The bad news:

It only works with Chrome and Microsoft Edge. No Safari, no Firefox. Took me hours to figure this one out.

DGT 3000 clock (nor the old XT) is not supported! So, there is no way to see the opponent's moves except for looking at the screen. But we wanted to use the DGT board because we *didn't* want to look at the screen. Right? RIGHT?

 

You wish.

 

Anyway, a few tips how to connect:

You need to be a beta tester, turn this on in your settings (bottom left), then click Play:

A chessboard will pop up. Good. We're getting somewhere.

Go to your Live Chess settings here:

Enable DGT Smart Board at the bottom and save:

 

Connect your board ether via USB or Bluetooth. If you used a DGT board before, you are on Windows and you are already set. But do you know how to do this on an Apple mac? With USB you simply plug & go, with Bluetooth you need to pair your board first. Go to your BT system preferences NOW!

Turn on your board (check if green light is blinking) and wait a few seconds. It will connect to the mac and show up like so:

Set up your pieces. Almost there.

Fire up DGT's LiveChess software that you downloaded and installed before. (Right? Or did you?) A big empty non-resizable window opens. Sayz e-Boards & Games at the top left underwhelmingly. Click on e-Boards.

It will start searching for connected hardware and your board will show up. Click on the line on the right, it will highlight and show position on your board on bottom left:

You are all set. Switch back to Crome, issue a chalenge. Or simply hit Play, as you would yesterday, but don't start a five minute blitz game or less, you are not ready yet. I suggest 15 mins, 10 sec increment, it's just about right.

Keep your fingers crossed, if you stepped in poo recently, the challenge will be accepted with proper board orientation, you lucky bastard. Usually, one needs to do the first move, then quickly turn the board around or switch seats if at the kitchen table.

This is a problem.

There is no way to issue a challenge on this site asking for preferred black or white so one could set up the board right as per one's black or white preference before the game starts.

Do your and your opponent's moves keeping an eye on the computer screen, as there is no other way to see the opponent's moves. A connected DGT clock wishing to display the moves as God intended will not react and keep the display blank. Sux.

Deeply.

-Izmet Fekali

http://bestchessmenever.com

 

 

Unrated games allow chosing color.

You can also select colors for a rated game if challenging a specific player, rather than an open seek. This works well for playing with a friend or playing arranged games.

I can confirm @ifekali
I was able to play games without any significant issue. DGT LiveChess is unfortunately not perfect ( it would be better to use RabbitPlugin instead ), and sometimes position will be corrupted ( and You have to repair it )

I am super happy with that, and for sure in the future games I will use DGT board!

What makes me slightly unhappy, is that it doesn't have support to DGT clock yet, which forces us to have opened computer screen regardless. I hope this will be added by chess.com team as well.

What is the update on this? Who is using their DGT boards for chess.com and which time controls does the set up work well for and which time controls are challenging (if any)?

@Rubicon0367, I just played a 10 minute game with my DGT board. I have to say, the setup worked well. No errors moving. the ONLY thing i miss is not having the clock to watch moves. I didn't like having to look at the screen for my opponents move. I may play more on here now.

Simonespe reminded us on a different thread that the DGT pi and smart board combo offers voice move announcement and of course is also a chess clock.

My understanding is that Chess.com cannot be routed through the Pi to take advantage of these two functionalities during online play and that is a shame.

Voice move announcement through Chess.com could go some way to solving the annoyance you mentioned.

Thank for the reply. It is a promising result. I had assumed that having to make your opponent’s move and your reply during your move time would have notably created time pressures.

I'm happy to see this, but is there any chance that chess.com will work with the Millenium Exclusive board?

Both the Millennium Exclusive and the Millennium King Performance use the ChessLink device to allow play online so Chess.com would only have to create a protocol to communicate with ChessLink rather than each of the two computers. This is a smart move by Millennium.

My thinking is that Chess.com presumes that a greater population within its user base own a DGT board than a Millennium (via ChessLink) board so that’s why they chose to move towards DGT.

There is a static locked thread over on General Chess Discussion titled “How To Contact Support”. Within the post there is a section describing how to submit suggestions. In theory, if enough people make the request for a ChessLink protocol then Chess.com should be motivated to create one.

I posted a new topic in the Site Feedback forum, if you wanted to jump in an add your voice to it.  I'm not sure if you already own one of these boards, but I love the Millenium Exclusive.  Being able to play OTB on Chess.com would be amazing.

I don’t personally own a chessboard or chess computer that is capable of communicating outside of its own technological bubble.

I think it is good that you have got the ball rolling as apathy never brings about change. Hopefully, other owners of the ChessLink device will add weight to your request.

If Chess.com were smart, they would have designed their own physical plug and play chessboard to work within their ecosystem. I am sure they would make a pretty penny in the process.

The ChessLink API interface does not support browser-based programming. The DGT LiveChess interface offers this possibility. That's why it was relatively easy to include DGT boards in Chess.com.

 

I expect 2022 as the release date.

How much you think the price will be? Under or over $1k?

 

Here an interview with Hans from DGT about prices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0szepB5S5fk

Chessvideoclub_com, if the limitation of the Millenium ChessLink is true (you claim that it cannot be used for "browser-based programming"), I think you're ignoring the fact that most users of electronic boards would not be put off downloading the Chess.com app.  The ChessLink can definitely communicate with any device that uses an app, such as a tablet, cell-phone, or computer, so it would be relatively simple for the Chess.com app developers to integrate the Millenium products.  As a case-in-point, SquareOff boards can be played on chess.com through the SquareOff app already - I was just hoping that Chess.com would add the functionality directly into their app as opposed to an external organization developing a middle-man app.

Also, it was not easy to support DGT chess boards.  DGT support took more than 2 years to add to chess.com, and to be frank, the integration leaves a lot to be desired.  That's why it's still in beta.  But, if chess.com is interested in using the electronic boards as input devices, then Millenium would make an excellent addition to their compatibility list.

As an aside, I listened to the DGT interview.  I got some key points from it: 1) cheaper DGT boards will be plastic (like Centaur or their live board) - but at that price point, the fit and finish of competing Millenium products appear superior.  2) DGT is developing some major features for live tournament organizers.

That goes hand-in-hand with what I believe has been DGT's target focus: tournaments.  There's a reason that they are the market leader in tournaments, and that's also the reason that they are so expensive.  A home user doesn't necessarily need the additional DGT functions coming.  Millenium boards, however, serve the home user and student very well.  As chess.com is often used by home players to play online in lieu of tournaments, integrating the Millenium boards makes sense.

 

Are you associated with this? I see you posting a lot about this board both here and on the chess subreddit

Nope. Not at all. I'm just excited by it. That's all

Any new reports from chess.com or DGT users on how well Beta testing is going?

Works well, but don´t really see the point if i have to look at the monitor. Move announcements would be great.