Square Off Pro | My Final Thoughts After Extensively Testing The Board

[@Giovanni1972]

Good review. One critical point, on something you said. There is nothing weird about studying chess outside at a park with a chess board--even playing by yourself. Being on your phone hides what you are doing, but why is that better? That's anti-social; in contrast, having an open board invites people to interact with you and you can get a face-to-face game, and make a new friend. Chess connects people from all walks of life together. Your idea of "looking weird" is propaganda we internalize from the ideological wellspring of conformism, and "looking normal," ie. stuck on your phone checking Facebook, etc. Chess will put a checkmate to it!

[@hakki686]

Buddy. I have just enjoyed your vid ! And your humour is just 👍 . Keep it up like you do. Dont remember having that much fun watchin something ;) . I had the pegasus and this board was driving me crazy....like i had to monitor my mobile more than the board/game...was loosing also on time like you on my 10 mins games. ordered now this one in hope that it does not have tooo many glitches.

[@kriswaelput]

It seems like this board isn't flat on the table. I seem to notice some bumps and a sort of ramp towards the computer part.

[@mikebob7184]

Thanks much for this update. I tend to wait about a year or so on things like this, not just chess things, but just about anything really new. ??? Is there a Pause feature on this board? Take Care Everyone!

[@kashishimotohoward]

Yes, there is a pause feature. You can play the A.I. with and without a clock.

[@philtobias4534]

Thanks for the reviews on this board. BTW, not making the first white move happens occasionally in my weekly Square Off Kingdom game also. I assume it's an app issue. I use an android phone.

[@AlSuChess]

Yes, I have been noticing it from time to time! I am glad I am not the only one! Thank you for watching!

[@ariannaarian980]

Can you compare this product with chess up please

[@lisaharris6944]

Thanks for the update- I have one coming for my birthday in April. I’ll be the kid you mentioned, still playing in three days 🤣

[@AlSuChess]

Yay! Hope you got your set, now it being May! Hopefully it works well and you are enjoying every bit of it!

[@lisaharris6944]

@@AlSuChess it came very quickly and yes I’m still playing 🤣. Just love it. Playing AI mostly and it is really helping me learn. Had a couple of games with real people and I learnt A LOT from those games - about learning while you loose. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@AlSuChess]

@@lisaharris6944 really happy for you!!! I am playing many games too! No really getting better, but it's not about the rating, it's about playing!

[@mikethespike7579]

Most chess players will gladly give their ratings simply to make sure they find someone who can offer them a challenge. That at least is how my late dad thought. He would rather have someone stronger than hi than weaker.

[@robertmacpherson9433]

I loved this video 💓 great work ☺️

[@AlSuChess]

Thank you so much!!

[@inerniegarcia6376]

Gracias por tu resumen, me ayudó mucho a saberlo. Thanks for your review, I’ll buy mine!

[@AlSuChess]

Thank you for watching, I am glad that my video was helpful!

[@bobbers1880]

I just got mine two days ago and have given it a workout. I love the size but I've had issues. Usually during a game whether it is with the AI or lichess, the a3, h4, h8 and sometimes a square in the middle of the board will blink. The only way to stop it is to pick up one of my pieces and set it back down. Very frustrating and I am thinking of returning it! This crap always happens! Has anyone had anything like this happen?

[@vanventure4985]

I have experienced the same blinking and find it very annoying! It happens several times per game

[@bobbers1880]

Just an update. Square off has corrected the blinking lights on my board and the constant notification pop up telling me to update the firmware from 2.5 7 to 3.0.4! Way to go Square off! The board works fantastic now! Anyone else seen improvement?

[@ariannaarian980]

Can you compare this product with cheese up please

[@josepholiva3674]

How do you play black with this board?

[@Reformedtousen]

Which dgt board do you recommend for playing online I've been wanting to buy one soon

[@pascalkissling4568]

My problems is if i play white or black against ai for example I have to turn the board very annoying I have the latest firmware I miss something thanks in advance for your help from switzerland

[@ElChronicler]

Is it possible to take over play on your phone after starting the game on the board? Im just thinking about online scenarios when clock is at 20 seconds or less and I want to just finish off on the phone.

[@jeraldmcgowin4162]

mine never worked that well for me.

[@waynec3686]

I just got mine today and had about 9 games so far, it works well with my android phone. it easily detects the moves. Thanks for the great video.

[@AlSuChess]

Thank you Wayne, hope you enjoy your board and play many games on it for years to come!

[@burnts1enna]

Thanks for your excellent review of the Square Off chess set. I am waiting for mine to arrive!

[@joenelson2170]

Did you come up with any trick for fixing invalid moves? Anytime I get any type of error, I put the pieces back, but everything just seems to lock up and I end up having to resign. I try picking them up and putting then back down, nothing. I’m not sure what else to try. These are games against AI. Thanks.

[@AlSuChess]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing! Yeah, from time to time it seems like if a glitch like that comes up it's usually because I bumped the wrong piece somewhere! I usually just put the pieces where the board wants me to put them, works most of the time. These problems aren't frequent on my board though, what I would recommend is call square off directly and talk to them about this, see what they recommend!

[@chriswalker810]

The wires should be okay with continual rolling and unrolling. They are not exposed to the elements. Which degrades the insulation more than anything else. I would not use it as my everyday carry set. Hopefully they come out with a 2 1/4 inch board for tournament play. Thanks for the review.

[@Reloadeez]

That's the reason I still haven't purchased one of their boards. If they made a 21 inch by 21 inch board with 2.25 inch individual squares I would give one a shot.

[@mikethespike7579]

If USB cables last like forever, I think the better protected wiring in this board will last long enough.

[@lampoilcan]

Can I embed this video on my website that sells this? Also I can tell you about becoming an affiliate with me in this board and others if you'd like. Let me know

[@TheDustAutumn]

So, can you play online against players that don't also have a board or not?

[@yanesp6734]

can you please d oa video about the chess sets which are cheap but very high quality?

[@AlSuChess]

Depends a lot on the material, the resin chess set for example isn't super expensive yet the quality is really nice! As far as wooden sets, most of the time quality and price go hand in hand.

[@bychamp]

What do you do with it after 2 or 3 years of use? I'm not talking about the process of it becoming obsolete, but because it breaks, I think you don't understand what I mean, do you? Think for a moment before answering! a square that no longer responds, etc..etc..etc..

[@AlSuChess]

Interesting observation! If it no longer works, then I will use it like a regular chess board! If it stops working, I will be disappointed but not surprised. Nothing lasts forever. I have 1000+ dollar photography lenses that are breaking, what can you do?

[@zsugiart]

Hi, anyone know if SquareOff pro can replay an old game ? say, one of the bobby fischer game. like an 'analysis mode' that allows you to see old game played on the board without having to check notations and just following the moves via the light indicator. that would be a very useful learning tool.

[@MarquisDeSang]

That is a fantastic question. BUMP

[@outdoorswithunclesergey6293]

👍😊

[@hetenbliksem]

Thanks for the review. have two questions about the Square off Pro 1.) Is it possible to play a rematch when you play against someone online or over the board, without having to turn the board, so to just set up the board with the pieces on the other side as like when there would be no coordinates on the board? I know this is possible with the DGT smartboards. 2.) I like my DGT Smarboard and I take it with me to record games played over the board with someone. It works great except if there is some magnetic plate under the board. In many bars or cafés, they have small tables with a messing plate lying on top of a wooden plate. This disturbs the recording of the games; it only works when there is not metal or other magnetic material in on the table. I wonder if this would be different if you want to record the games with Square off Pro? I hope you can help me with these questions. If someone from the developers of Square Off Pro reads this. Keep these request in mind when upgrading the boards and the software please.

[@AlSuChess]

Those are both great questions, I will have to test the board more extensively and see what I can figure out, sorry for the late reply. Cheers!

[@alylyshua74937]

1. When rematching, I just change places with my opponent, this way we don't have to re-setup the boar in a different starting positions. 2. Smart chess boards work in two different ways: a. Each piece has a unique chip/identifiers and the board keeps track of which piece is where by asking the pieces. b. All the pieces are the same and the board only knows when a piece has been moved. Therefore, the board has to keep track of the current position of pieces by knowing which one was moved when. An example of a type A board is the DGT smart board used in tournaments. DGT puts "chips" in each piece so that the board knows what each piece is, which make the pieces expensive but allows us to start the game from any position and the board will recognize every piece. Since DGT doesn't use NFC chips (like your credit card) but antennae resonnance, nearby metal might indeed mess up the detection since it will corrupt the magnetic resonnance of each piece. A type B board is the one reviewed in this video. We have to start the game from a standard position and then the board will retain the current position by keeping track of pieces that have been moved. Detection usually works with a magnetic sensor in the board sensing the metal in the weights of each piece. Metal tables might mess it up, but if the board doesn't move it'll be easier for it to detect piece movement since it only compares two states (before and after each move) and doesn't try to get unique data from each piece like the DGT boards. Not sure if it'll work or not in the end, but I hope the explanation helps! I've been trying to make a smart chess board for some time now but it poses significant challenges and this rollable one seems really really nice since it isn't terribly expensive (less than DGT's 500$ plastic board) and seems to work nicely, on top of being compatible with Lichess and Chesscom. Remember to play on Lichess and to donate money and CPU time (lichess.org/fishnet) whenever possible. Thank you.

[@hetenbliksem]

@@alylyshua74937 Thanks for the explanation. I think it would be easily possible to program a type b board also, so you don't have to turn the board each time you start a new game. This is a must for me for playing blitz games without having to turn the board each time.

[@yukonrick4506]

Can any of Square off chess AI's also play checkers

[@bd47171]

Did you try Millennium Supreme 55? One issue with Squareoff is that it does not recognize pieces. All pieces have same chip. So if you mess up during the play then the board gets confused. With piece recognization this issue does not happen. Also the weight of piece is important. It makes handling better. If you plan to buy Millennium Supreme 55 then do make a review video

[@AlSuChess]

Interesting and I agree with you on piece recognition, I think at this day and age with technology moving forward so much, this type of setup should have piece recognition! I'll loo into the millenium supreme 55, thanks for the suggestion!

[@bd47171]

@@AlSuChess I just got my new Millennium Supreme Tournament 55. It’s is amazing. The only thing is that has modular architecture so you exactly need to know what you need

[@purnendrasahu6633]

What is your chess rating?

[@AlSuChess]

I am not sure at this point, I don't play for a rating so it's usually low! It's not your rating that really matters, everybody's rating is somewhere and maybe not somewhere they want it to be. What is important is percent accuracy per game, on a good day I have an average percent accuracy of about 87 percent, and that tells me that I try, all we can do, is try our best! Cheers!

[@cosmicodysseybr]

wish i had the money to buy one, here in Brazil its almost impossible if you are not rich.. 😢

[@kashishimotohoward]

I always change the screen to board view, just in case I miss the move from the A.I. One thing about playing Square Off, it has been revealed that I'm a much worse player than I thought! Haven't won a game yet.

[@philtobias4534]

Hang in there!

[@barryweaver8833]

I'm guessing this board doesn't also serve as a DGT board?

[@AlSuChess]

Great question! I know if you use the square off app it allows you to choose if you wish to play someone face to face (in the same rood) and then the board basically records you game and allows you to study it later, so that's kind of like DGT but as far as using DGT pieces on this board, probably not.

[@paulanascimento229]

👏🏽👏🏽

[@ingejoroma]

which is better between this and the DGT CENTAUR?.

[@dabougi8063]

What do you want? Centaur is just offline. Or do you mean the pegasus

[@sappypngn]

I have the centaur and enjoy it a lot. Im not big on playing online so don't mind blowing off steam with the ai. It's tough but I've beaten it, I enjoy it over other computers I've played against.

[@AlSuChess]

I am thinking about getting a centaur and giving it a try!

[@MikesPOV]

Are the pieces made from plastic?

[@Gattostrano]

Yes

[@z_dan]

I still do not understand what the point is, why pay 200$ additional on a regular board price so that it lights and tell you where to move, just look at your phone and copy the move from the phone to a dumb board. Especially for this board that has bug and it is forcing you too look at the phone anyway.

[@GT-yw6dg]

I think getting away from the computer is the biggest selling point. I had to stop playing chess online, because of tendonitis in my hands. I'm very excited to have an opportunity to play online again with a real board.

[@Luzuuu]

You'll lose too much time doing that under time pressure.

[@AlSuChess]

Yeah I can see your point! But you know same could be said about just using a regular board and playing online with a computer. It's never fully over the board until you have an actual person playing a game with you, which is not always possible for so many people!

[@GT-yw6dg]

Just wanted to post an update. I ended up getting the Millennium eONE board and LOVE it! I never have any connection problems, and time control is okay for 30 minute games. I do find I have a disadvantage with 15 minute games; however, I have done a few bitz games just for fun.

[@BigDuke6ixx]

I wish it was green and white.

[@bychamp]

ok, a good board, I think it will be fun to play, but the doubt is, it will not survive for many years, like the ones made by mephisto, fidelity, novag, saitek

[@dabougi8063]

Most electonic nowadays is more short-lived than "older" stuff. Think of the lifespan of these fancy 1000 Euro Smartphones people have to change every 1, 2 or 3 years because the battery is dying. But you get a lot more functions that with your old phones. So what is the use comparing an online chess board with old chess computers; they are no use playing online. If you want that, what use is a Saitek, even if it lasts a thousand years... But i get the general point, I like that old ones too.

[@AlSuChess]

I have to agree with both of you! Some people want the certainty that something will last, because longevity is important, some people, like me, understand that everything daily eventually. I guess the real question is where we stand on that spectrum. I have a semi fancy smart phone for 4 years now, I don't like change and willing to keep this phone for another 6 years if I can, but I also understand that the moment it fails, I will get a new one in a heart beat!

[@dabougi8063]

@@AlSuChess I am also happy my Smartphone is turning 4 and still working, I am not fond of having to buy a new one. However, compared to high end smartphones, an "online chess board" is as simple as a flashlight. Battery is not really a problem, and the electronics are very basic. So durability should be possible, if wanted and paid for.

[@darkashes9953]

It's very glitchy and the battery doesn't last long

[@zenrazor659]

The board is not good for 2 reasons. 1. Pieces must be detected immediately and must be a led 2. Must be a display ans an hardware strong dedicated indicating all time included All this is in Chess Phonenix Millenium! The path is this! This is the opponent!

[@alexblue6991]

It's a shame you have to use your mobile phone

[@AlSuChess]

Yeah I agree, would be nice to play without any additional gadgets!

[@romanr.b.7821]

Well you need to talk with your wife about that... its the best solution to that there is nothing to hide there.

[@WaldoWizard]

my personal opinion. I don't like this board . it's way too finicky. Maybe you'll have better luck than I had . Also it plays way too strick and computer like .

[@jesusrios9482]

This guy talks too much this guy likes to hear himself talk... I wanted to see how I actually played a game but believe it or not this entire video is of him talking...

[@raytaylor372]

Jeez, get to the point already...do you really think anyone wants to listen to 37 minutes of you BABBLING? This video should have been 5-6 minutes MAX.

[@aaronhoel8269]

So you play chess in your bed. I am not seeing a true review of the Square Off Pro in this long video.

[@chriszablocki2460]

If I win, this makes this another truly dismal hair brain scheme failure. Try foreplay, dude. This has been too homoerotic for too long.