Although it’s among the most standardized and ubiquitous games in the world, chess is far from simple. It takes hundreds of hours of practice just to train your mind to be sufficient enough to compete — years if you want to reach the highest levels in the world. However, there is the occasional prodigy that pops up now and again. But for the rest of us, chess requires training and strategy repetition. Now, there’s a tool to make it even easier to hone our craft right from home. It’s called GoChess.
While the scientific approach to chess only really began in the late 19th century, the board game had been around for over 1,000 years by that point. Thought to have originated as early as the 7th century, based on early Persian texts, chess was then modified some 600 years later in Europe with the introduction of the checkered board and new piece movement. The rules were refined in the following centuries to be closer to how we know it today.
On the surface, literally, GoChess is an AI-powered chess board that features magnetic robots underneath to move your pieces across the board after you’ve selected your next move on your smart device or via voice control. This tech can be used to play against another person, the computer, or even somebody across the globe, and can save your progress if you walk away. However, what makes GoChess so cool is how it transcends the potential novelty of a high-tech chess board to become a legitimate learning tool. It features light-up squares to show you possible move options, with different colors that can change according to the usefulness of the suggested move. As you advance in experience level, the board’s tech advances with you to provide new strategies. You can even replay, watch, and analyze past games. It can also set up pre-arranged puzzles for you to try and solve.
Level up your chess skills with GoChess, which is currently being funded on Kickstarter, with early bird prices starting at $259.
