Finally, a good honest review for this product. I have one coming tomorrow in the mail. This video would have helped me a lot with my choice. I found most of the videos were just trying to sell it without the details.
I have one, too, and I really like it. The Friendly mode and Challenging mode work really well. I love how you can play dozens of games on a full charge, and how light and portable it is. I do wish it had more levels, especially some constant strength modes, like maybe ELO levels like some PC chess games and bots have.
Hi Tracy I just ordered mine. Yes I would like it to use the USB for a back up to a iOS android app so if buttons fail DGT have you covered or if led goes out. Still covered.
Chess newbie here. Thanks for the video! Like you, my friends don't play and my one experience at a local club wasn't great. I just ordered this board and looking forward to play somewhere besides online.
Hi Ray, did you know, as long as your OWN chess pieces have some weight to them, you can use a foil dot or square as little as 5mm stuck to the bottom of them , and then the centaur still works .
That is truly wonderful ! I want to buy a ‘Centaur’ but was put off by the pieces. I’m a great lover of Lewis pieces. So, if I do the above, they should work ? ! Thank you so much 👍
@@steve5073 Now you've had it awhile, what do you think? I like what I see in this video a lot but the DGT Pi setup is way more flexible, though you certainly pay for that. But I think this looks easier to play the computer's moves. I only wish it could be used online and/or with other chess engines. I think some LC0 models are more human-like than Stockfish.
Hi Ray I’ve ordered my DGT Centaur Set. Looking forward to its arrival. Excited. I like how it doesn’t have printer notation on the board. Helps us think to finally remember the grids. Has anyone worked out how to offer a draw ? I also heard Centaur one guy said his Centaur didn’t acknowledge En passant so check on your board I will on mine when it arrives also.
I reckon the reason why it doesn't have the numbers/letters at the edge is because, when you play as black, you still play from the same side (so that you can see the little electronic display). Although I guess that, at more expense and size of board, they could maybe have put an 'electronic ink' strip along three sides to do that.
Great video! It's clear you find pleasure in the game, and that in itself is worth the price. However, I am keen to learn if this board has helped improve your strength. Can you let us know? Thank you!
Seemed to take half a minute to decide it's next move (around 8'30") - can that be adjusted? I'd find it frustrating waiting for a computer to take that long to decide its next move!
Would metal construction under table of DGT Centaur be a problem? I know that would be an issue for the Wenge DGT and I guess because of magnetic system. The Centaur pieces appear to be detected by magnetic system. While manual does state issue with Wenge DGT, it doesn't with this Centaur. Possibly a manual omission error?
Maybe it's too late to ask a question here about this board, but I'm really wondering about if it doesn't get into problems with the friendly mode if I would have a friend play a game on it against the computer?
@@g0tueSWL Hi Ray, I am still weighing up the pros and cons....too many choices...anyway recently i have been looking at the DGT usb - i have seen at a similar price to the Centaur on ebay....but i do still like the simplicity and portability aspect of the small all in ones too. I am only going to buy one (for now!) From your vid you seem very happy with the Centaur. Would you still say its your fave? and how would you compare it to your full size DGT board?? cheers
Thanks for the review. I prefer moving and seeing real pieces vs playing on my laptop or PC. I was going to go with the Square Off but I keep getting the feeling from other reviews that it is problematic. This appears not to be as there are no moving parts so I may go with this set. Can you tell me what the battery life is like? How long before recharging required?
Good choice! I have a square off board also, it's very good, prefer this one though, Battery life lasts for days/weeks, but a charger is also close to hand.
Great review. I've heard that this learns your level as you play so gives a fairly even game. What if two people want to use the board on separate occasions? ie. If I played on this for a while and then my wife started learning the game and wanted to practise. Is there anyway to tell it who's playing?
Hi, Did you try a reset, whilst the leds are lighting press the ? mark 4 or 5 times quickly. You will see the test data in the window, after the rows have lit one by one, press and hold the ? mark for 3 seconds, this will allow you to test all the other functions.
Hi Ray I’ve ordered my DGT Centaur Set. Looking forward to its arrival. Excited. I like how it doesn’t have printed notation on the board. Helps us think to finally remember the grids. Has anyone worked out how to offer a draw ? I also heard Centaur one guy said his Centaur didn’t acknowledge En passant so check on your board I will on mine when it arrives also. Ray I know you would prefer DGT factory board notation. But you could use nice black sicker transfers in bottom your left corner of each cell grid required
I just got mine yesterday. I played a few games in friendly mode and got my ass kicked to the curb. I thought I could beat it, since I used to play chess regularly when I was young(er). I kept trying hard to fork and in the end, it forked me
I ordered it from amazon.ca which was shipped from the chechz. It was 550 CAD with a carry bag. They have dropped their price to 500 CAD. The product plays great chess. It feels almost seemless. Best part is I can play a game against a friend who needs help once in a while in analyze mode. Evens the playing field.
@@paul8093 I know it's not glass. I was making a comparison. I guess the lights on this board wouldn't light up on darker squares, that's the only reason I can think of for having the shades on the squares so similar.
@@Sassonic ik this but glass chess boards are dif for one the black sqaures on glass one is clear and very hard to tell the difference if you don't sit the board on right platform This board I can easily tell difference because it's a solid color color reminds me of play Magnus theme But anyways some folks have dif taste so I agree they should add dif themes I myself personally like the grey and white theme I also like the Green and white
22:18 reccomends H4 because it gives and escape square for Bishop, Plus sets a trap if black takes with bishop the Qh5 threaten mate and blacks bishop at same time Plus in London it's not uncommon to not castle as white and instead make a king side Pawn storm U taking knight with knight would of just gained Black a temp with an attack on ur white sqaure bishop Anyways good video I have ordered mine today Of course if black moves to Nf6 it stops and defends, both mate and and bishop So instead of Q H5 first bishop takes knight then after black recaptures then Qh5 and both attacks can't be stopped so u either get mate or gain a bishop 👍
I would love to know how this compares to millennium the king chess computer, in terms of human like play. I also wonder if it is worth getting because I play chess.com computer personalities.
I have both. The Centaur's top mode "expert" is stronger than the Millennium King Performance's top level, by 200-300 points I'd estimate. The Millennium computer has many more features, many more levels to choose from, and is more of a hardcore device. Unlike the Centaur, the Millennium has a pressure-sensitive board, such that you have to press down on the origin and destination squares, so in that respect the Centaur is more natural to play against. The Centaur has two adaptive levels "Friendly" and "Challenging". The Millennium, after the latest update, now has four adaptive levels. The Millennium comes with wood pieces, and is a smaller board than the Centaur. The Millennium runs on an adapter, so must be plugged in to play against, so the Centaur is more portable because once it's charged it can play dozens of games. You can adjust the clock speed of the Millennium from its top speed of 300 Mhz all the way down to 10 Mhz, in 10 MHz increments, so that's another way you can adjust the strength of its play.
@@chessguy21 They issued an update last month that added some cool features, the most important of which was four adaptive levels, and 8 ELO levels ranging from 1150 to 2050.
You say there are not many chess clubs. I have to disagree. Whatever area you are from there will be a chess league lurking behind the scenes. My local chess league is the Cleveland Chess Association - and they are nothing but full of friendly, helpful to any level of chess players members. I hate to think there is an enthusiastic chess player not having their potential fulfilled. Well done on your review, thank you.
The electronic chess set I have is so hard, on the easiest level I can't win a single game. I have literally never beat the computer. This may be better.
It's not really about winning tho You learn more losing then u do winning as long as u look back to see where u went wrong good way to play chess computers is not turning down the level but to leave on strongest level and remove some of the pieces from the computer Example : remove computer Queen if u can beat it easily then try only removing computers Rook and so on Not saying this chess computer is not worth buying because I'm getting one lol I like how u don't have to push down on every move
@@paul8093 On the electronic chess board I have, it has many levels. On Level 1, I can never beat the game. The closest I got was a tie but I have yet to win even once. If I can't beat it at level 1, Level 10 must be a complete blood bath. To me, it seems this problem is something the DGT Centaur took into consideration when designing their electronic chess set. To be honest, I am not really that good at chess
@@Acujeremy We all start somewhere but we don't get good by playing someone or something easy to beat we get better by going thru our games and seeing where we could do better I suggest starting with end games this is much more important then learning openings When u know how to win a certain end game then ur entire play will improve because u will know what end games to aim for that u can win You will learn the pawn structures that lead to them certain end games If ur interested I have some good links to end game play And they are completely free no adds or nagging screens to buy something
@@paul8093 I understand, but you are missing my point. The point is the computer for the electronic chess game I have is way too high and perfect. It does not have a level low enough to begin with. This Centaur is deigned to have levels not so perfect so you can actually win a few games. It is still challenging though but more realistic. It is no fun to lose every single time over and over again. This is not realistic in life either unless you are playing real pros. I mean, if you play your friends in chess, you aren't going to lose every single time. Your friends will occasionally slip up sometimes. But if it is too perfect, its just disheartening. I think this Centaur is deigned to have settings that are closer to real life.
I love the Centaur. I purchased a nice wood chess set and applied ready cut metal adhesive disks. Works great and so much better. Regarding the DGT Pi and e-board, however, these are sadly going back
