Chessnut Move – Robotic Chessboard with Plastic Pieces, Self-Moving Pieces Simultaneously, Full Piece Recognition, Built-in Chess Engine, Voice Control & Video Integration

Ive only had the chessnut move for a few weeks, but sofar its worked flawlessly. After the novelty of the pieces moving themselves wares off you're left with a chess partner ready for a great game any time you are. Its been very satisfying to play.

Pros: Very fun and impressive—watching the pieces move automatically is fascinating. My son enjoys it a lot. Cons: No ChessKid.com support. It integrates with Lichess and Chess.com, but ChessKid is what my kids use most often, so this was very disappointing. If Chessnut adds ChessKid support to the Chessnut Move (I believe Evo supports ChessKid—so why the Move doesn’t??), I’ll be happy to update this to a 5-star rating.

This looks like it’s going to be such a great gift. I got it for my little one’s upcoming birthday, so I haven’t used it yet, but first impressions are very positive The board is a nice size and feels sturdy, which gives me confidence . It already feels like a more advanced and engaging version of a traditional set, especially with the automated movement and built-in features. I’m really looking forward to setting it up and playing together. It seems like a fun and interactive way to enjoy chess, who wants a more modern experience

The Chessnut Move is a revolutionary step up from traditional smart boards, replacing slow mechanical arms with individually motorized pieces that "scurry" across the board simultaneously. It delivers a seamless over-the-board (OTB) feel that helps bridge the gap between online play and physical tournaments. Key Highlights: Revolutionary Movement: Unlike older robotic boards that move one piece at a time, this board can reposition all pieces at once. This makes resetting the board or jumping between complex puzzles incredibly fast and effortless. Flawless Recognition: The Full Piece Recognition (AFPR) is highly accurate, tracking positions within 1mm. It immediately detects illegal moves and can even highlight AI trajectories before they happen. Strong Online Integration: It connects reliably via Bluetooth to the Chessnut App for play on Chess.com and Lichess. Playing against built-in engines like Stockfish 18 or Maya feels immersive since you never have to look at a screen. Quiet & Efficient: The motors are surprisingly quiet, producing only a subtle whirring that doesn't distract from deep calculation. Points to Consider: Not for Blitz: While fast for a robot (moves usually take 1–3 seconds), it isn't suitable for bullet or fast blitz games where a human can move much faster. It shines most in Rapid (15+10) or Classical formats. Battery Life: Because every piece is motorized, you’ll get about 8 hours of active playtime per charge via USB-C. Design Compromises: The pieces are lightweight to preserve battery and motor life, which might feel different if you're used to heavily weighted tournament sets. Verdict: If you want a distraction-free training tool that handles all the "grunt work" of setting up positions and moving opponent pieces, this is currently the best robotic board on the market.

I had high hopes for the Chessnut Move, and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations in almost every way. Setup was surprisingly simple. After charging the board and pieces, I was playing within about 15 minutes. It was essentially plug-and-play — set up the board, connect the app, and you’re off to the races. There was no frustrating troubleshooting, no confusing instructions. It felt intuitive right from the start. What really impressed me was the performance. The automated piece movement is smooth and precise — and importantly, it’s not slow. Even during blitz games through the app, the pieces moved confidently and kept up with the pace without hesitation. That was a huge deal for me because speed matters. The full piece recognition worked flawlessly during my games, and I never experienced misreads or awkward resets. I haven’t tried it with Chess.com yet (that’s next on my list), but the app integration so far has been solid and reliable. The built-in engine is strong and responsive, making it feel like you always have a capable opponent ready to go. Voice control works well too, though I do wish you could say the actual piece names (like “Knight to f3”) instead of strictly using grid coordinates. That’s a small improvement I’d love to see, but it doesn’t take away from the experience. Build quality is where this board really shines. It’s beautiful. The board itself is heavy, sturdy, and feels substantial — almost like a piece of furniture you’d proudly display in a study or living room. It doesn’t feel like a gadget; it feels permanent. I chose the plastic pieces, and while I originally wanted wood, I have to admit the plastic pieces are immaculate. No flaws, no rough edges — the craftsmanship is clean and polished. They feel premium despite not being wood. Is it pricey? Yes. But if chess is more than just a casual pastime for you — if it’s something you truly love — this doesn’t feel like an expense. It feels like an investment. You’re paying for innovative technology, thoughtful design, and a board that genuinely enhances the way you play and practice. What I love most is that this board works for almost anyone. Beginners can learn and improve. Enthusiasts can grind games anytime. Experienced players can analyze and practice seriously. And even if you just want a constant “chess buddy” available whenever you sit down, this delivers. At the end of the day, this board blends the traditional feel of physical chess with modern technology in a way that feels natural, not gimmicky. It’s immersive, reliable, and beautifully made. **Final Verdict:** If you love chess and want a premium, interactive experience that you’ll actually use regularly, this is absolutely worth it. A fantastic investment for anyone serious about the game.

I returned it, it was to hard to set it up

Was looking for a good full size chessboard so I picked this up as something fun to level up my game at home and it honestly blew me away. Watching the pieces move on their own never gets old. Whether I’m squeezing in a quick match early morning before the kids are up or winding down at night, it makes practice way more engaging. The built-in engine is legit too. You can actually feel yourself improving because it forces you to think through moves instead of just playing casually. Even had my kids sitting there watching it like it’s magic, which turned into a cool way to get them interested in chess. It’s not a cheap toy, but it’s well worth it. Even though the pieces are plastic they have a good weight to them and feel durable. Setup was straightforward, and once you get going, it’s smooth and responsive. Definitely one of those purchases that makes you want to use it every day. Overall, 5 stars because it’s innovative, addictive, and turns a classic game into something seriously next level.

This is a pretty cool idea, and the self-moving pieces are definitely interesting to watch. It works as intended, and the automation side of it is what makes it stand out. That said, I don’t find myself using it very often. It’s one of those things that feels impressive at first, but the novelty wears off pretty quickly, especially if you don’t have others around who are also into it. Most of the time, you’re either playing solo or using it with the built-in features rather than with another person in the room. For the price, I was expecting something that felt more high-end. The board itself feels okay, but the pieces are lightweight plastic and come across a bit cheap compared to what you’d expect at this price point. Overall, it’s an interesting piece of tech with a unique feature set.... but between the cost, build feel, and limited day-to-day use, it may not be for everyone.

J’hésitais entre les pièces bois et les pièces plastiques. En les découvrant à réception, les pièces plastiques sont de qualité, et aspect mat et bien finies. Tout fonctionne à merveille, simple d’utilisation. L’autonomie des pièces est excellente et celle du plateau très correcte. L’IA utilisée est suffisamment dosée. Une super expérience pour un set hors norme.

Dieses Roboter-Schachbrett war ein ganz besonderes Geburtstagsgeschenk für meinen Mann. Aufgrund des höheren Anschaffungspreises hätte er es sich selbst wahrscheinlich nie gegönnt – umso größer war die Freude und die gelungene Überraschung beim Auspacken! Die Technik des Chessnut Move ist einfach faszinierend und zieht jeden sofort in ihren Bann: Dass sich die gegnerischen Figuren wie von Geisterhand völlig selbstständig über das Brett bewegen, sorgt auch nach Tagen noch für absolute Begeisterung. Man hat das Gefühl, gegen einen echten, unsichtbaren Gegner am Tisch zu sitzen. Ein riesiger Pluspunkt, der uns erst nach dem Auspacken so richtig bewusst wurde: Man ist absolut nicht auf ein Smartphone oder eine App angewiesen! Das Brett hat einen eingebauten Schachcomputer (KI-Engines wie Stockfish). Mein Mann kann das Handy also komplett ausschalten, sich an den Tisch setzen und direkt gegen das Brett spielen. Das ist perfekt, um einfach mal ganz ohne Bildschirm und digitale Ablenkung abzuschalten. Wenn er die App doch mal nutzt (z. B. für Online-Partien), klappt die technische Umsetzung im Hintergrund ebenfalls absolut fehlerfrei. Die Verbindung steht stabil, die Züge werden blitzschnell übertragen und das Zusammenspiel funktioniert einwandfrei. Ja, das Brett ist eine Investition, aber die Verarbeitung, die durchdachte Technik und das einzigartige Spielerlebnis rechtfertigen den Preis vollkommen. Wer einem Schachfan eine unvergessliche Freude machen möchte, liegt hier absolut richtig. Von uns gibt es eine klare Kaufempfehlung und verdiente 5 Sterne!

This is absolutely incredible and works as advertised. The whole family enjoys it and I'm able to play with my son and grandsons.

Excellent et incroyable ! Il faut cependant trouver des vidéos YouTube pour comprendre car la notice n'est pas en français et très succincte. Je ne regrette pas mon achat !

Unglaublich, tut genau was es soll, spielt Recht gut, faszinierend zuzuschauen und zu spielen.