DGT Boards, noob level

So, I'm a pretty tech savvy fellow but when it comes to chess I'm pretty lost. I don't have database software or top end chess analysis engines. I've been looking to get a chess table or a new board. The DGT boards blow my mind. Mostly because I see a big gap in my otb play compared to my online play. I think it would be awesome to be able to play on chess.com against opponents with a real board. My question is, what all does it take to get a dgt board to operate with chess programs/ online browser play? Any advice would be well appreciated. (I'm looking at buying the set and board used at the channai Championship.)

Certain available software has built in support for the board.  Fritz(most versions) supports the DGT board out of the box.  Babaschess - a FICS client - supports the DGT board.  DGTprojects also offer support for developers and though it's been some years since investigating (http://www.dgtprojects.com/site/index.php/dgtsupport/developer-info/information), I imagine the resources are quite substantive.

Using the board was at one point the only way my wife could enjoy playing chess since her eyesight is only nominal at best. 

It truly does feel like you're playing OTB and making the move for the software on the board becomes second nature after a while.  If you can afford it, it's a great investment and will start conversations any time you mention it. 

If you decide on one - I would recomend getting the latest edition of Fritz as well or investigate with your retailer for other alternative playing programs.

I have no personal experience with the DGT board although I admit that were it more reasonably priced, I'd buy one in a flash.  So far as I know though, based on reading previous threads, chess.com doesn't support the board. Maybe it has something to do with this being a browser based application?  And who knows, maybe the upcoming all new version of chess.com will...

EDIT: Quick search of the archives revealed this exchange (and the person answering is a well known chess equipment reviewer and chess set designer)

• Dirtalot  

  Hi,

  Can I use a dgt e board to play live chess/ chess mentor on chess.com?

• 5 months ago · Quote · #2

  ifekali  

  No.

• 5 months ago · Quote · #3
• 
  

The DGT e-board allows you to view an actual board and then make your move on that board. Ideally, in some sci-fi world, when your opponent moves, his move would magically show up on the physical board (something would move his pieces).

However, you have to move your opponent's pieces manually when you're informed by the computer what move he made.

Does anyone actually have experience playing like this?  Is having to move the opponent's pieces yourself a real obstacle to the flow of the game or take a lot of extra time on the clock? I'd like to know what the playing experience really is.

Thanks!

Since you have to move your opponent's piece, I don't find the experience much different than just setting up a board and keeping it in synch with the position on the screen, which I do all the time for long games.

This setup cost less than $20 total ($11.99 set on chesscafe.com and $7 mousepad board) and isn't all that different from using a DGT board.  And it works on all sites.

The DGT e-board allows to move without haveing to worrying about mouse slips.

True, but I mostly play on sites where you can type your moves (and double-check before hitting enter) so that isn't a problem for me.  Also, click and click move entry instead of click and drag does a pretty good job of avoiding that problem, too.

Moving your opponents pieces isnt really that big of a deal when the board lights up, and shows you the move.  In theory you never have to look at the screen.

What software is that there Paw?

Babaschess.  You can set it up to announce the moves verbally, too, so not much need to look at the screen there, either.

pawpatrol is right that for average people that his setup is most decidedly the way to go.  One thing with the DGT board is that for someone visually challenged is that your move on the board is played on screen as well.  This is crucial for someone that basically needs to get up to within an inch of the screen in order to see what's happening.

@hicks83: The DGT board doesn't light up.  It's a regulation tournament board that's used by all elite players and it sends the moves to into both an onboard file and to whatever tournament software the site is using. 

Our model is quite old and is fixed with a serial port but these days there's the option for wireless and bluetooth (if I'm not mistaken) and a USB interface as well.

In order to have a more OTB experience whereby the opponent actually can move the pieces - a proof of concept video was published some time ago utilising an "off the shelf" robotic arm -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YulpXW6mZpg

I'd like to see some further development of the arduino chess playing board where the pieces "move themselves" .  This would be very cool indeed.

The Excaliber Phantom Force Chess Computer is still available at some sources but unfortunately play is only against the onboard software which limits it's functionality.

Cool stuff.

If you want a DGT board with light, you can use Revelation II board by Phoenix chess system, and connect it to PC with bluetooth. I have it and it works very good.With the latest software v3.14 , the opponents moves will be seen on the board by LED lights, when playing for example Fritz on internet.

DGT BOARDS - BE WARNED - THEY DON'T WORK WELL VIA THE INTERNET AND ARE NOT SUPPORTED AT ALL BY chess.com

Hi, My friend and I both have recently purchased DGT boards, relatively new, purchased in the past few months, the USB versions. We have had nothing but head aches so far trying to play games with each other or other people across ICC.com and playchess.com (chessbase site). Chess.com does not support the DGT board at this time also, which is quite sad. We have done all that DGT support told us to do, downloaded and installed all their recommended drivers and software on now 5 Windows based computers, both 64 bit and 32 bit versions, loaded all their latest Rabbit plugins, and sent their support logs for analysis. We barely can get through a single game before the overall system stops working, either the ICC or playchess sites stop talking to the driver software (their Rabbit plugin) or the rabbit plugin stops communicating with the USB drivers (and sometimes unplugging the USB and plugging it back in will kick start the rabbit software again but other times it crashes and locks the computers up mid game. We have had to adjourn or abort more games then we can get through using the DGT boards via the Internet. While the boards seem much more stable using Fritz software directly, our primary goal was to use the boards via the Internet to play other people and gain practice for tournament play. Unfortunately, the software and websites interfacing with it don't seem to make DGT connectivity a priority, as for example chess.com does not even support them, and we are greatly disspointed in the overall experience so far. We are actively communicating with DGT support, sending them logs, doing what they tell us, but no luck in getting a reliable or enjoyable DGT based experience for either of us so far. So far, the DGT board is almost a big paperweight and waste of money for what we can do with it. We are hoping they and the sites get together and fix their software and drivers, but it appears DGT board owners are a minority and not important overall.