DGT Centaur Chess Computer

My first impression was that Centaur was bigger than expected - even though I had measured it size against a chess set before I made the purchase. It is unusual underneath (transparent showing the lights) - the opening sequence must be impressive on a glass table! All this is fine, but a slight drawback is that the pieces easily slip across the surface when the board is moved. The pieces are nicely sized but are lighter than weighted wooden pieces of the same height - though I do not consider this a significant problem. There is a small lcd display to the side of the board which is too small for my eyes at standard sized text. It is possible to make the text bigger but very little is displayed as a result. I would like the lcd display to be bigger (though it would make the device wider). It would ideally be twice the length and breadth. Having said all the above its easy to make the moves and to follow / make the moves the computer indicates - this is excellent. It is so much more pleasant than playing on a tablet or computer - I find it much easier to ‘see’ moves on a real board. I should mention that the LCD provides a view of the board so if the board is knocked its easy to replace the pieces. Clock times and a list of moves made are also shown, though as the latter only shows a few moves scrolling is necessary. Menu options allow hints to be displayed, playing black, selecting one of three levels, setting up a position and various display, sound, light and language options. It is possible to take back moves though there is no take back mode you just have to reverse the move sequence using the move list if necessary. Not ideal if you need to go back a long way. The Centaur has no connectivity so it can not be used to play games on the internet or against chess engines apart from the inbuilt Stockfish 9 engine. Of course Stockfish is one of the world’s strongest chess engines. On the Centaur the Stockfish engine reputedly delivers above 3000 ELO which means it’s good enough to win matches against the best players in the world. It has 3 levels ‘Expert’ which delivers the full power of the machine and two levels based on its in game assessment of your play. The ‘Friendly’ level might be about 200 ELO points below the player’s level while the ‘Challenge’ level might be 200 points above. This is based on my estimate of scoring 75% against the former and 25% against the latter. I have not played enough games to be sure of this for the challenge mode as I normally play at the friendly mode to get an enjoyable game with a good chance of winning! A point made in other reviews that I would agree with is that it would be better if in addition the Centaur had inbuilt levels say at 100 ELO point intervals. As always when a chess engine is ‘slugged’ to reduce its standard of play the moves it plays at times are strange (very poor) most noticeably in the end game. Having said that I never complained when a human opponent made a loosing move!

The DGT Centaur has three levels of play, a friendly level, a challenging level and finally an expert level. It’s very strong even on the friendly level, and is Grand Master strength on the expert level, it does not have 60+ levels like other chess computers because DGT wanted to make it simple and easy to use. It has a very nice setup feature, when you enter setup mode you can just remove the pieces you don’t need from the board and the display updates itself automatically, then you can just move the pieces you have left to the problem solving position you want, or a previously played position you want, and start it playing, really simple, you can of course clear the board and select the pieces you want to place from the menu. In setup mode it will not allow more than one king per side (duh) … but it did allow a maximum of fifteen queens per side (it should technically be eight with all pawns promoted), and it would play it … go figure. The board is sensitive, so you don’t have to press at all, just move the piece, and when the DGT makes a move, it lights up the ‘from’ and ‘to’ squares and you just move the piece. Despite claims on youtube about the pieces being chipped and are automatically recognised when you place them, this is not accurate, it remembers where a piece is, and when you move it to another square it will automatically update the display, but if you remove a knight from the board and replace it with a pawn, the display will still show a knight on that square, so the pieces are definitely not chipped. It’s nearly the full size of a tournament board, the board and pieces are plastic but are of very high quality, the King is about 3 1/2 inches tall. All in all a very nice chess computer … a snip at £316.95 (what I paid) including delivery.

I love this chess computer. Haven’t tried it on expert yet, can’t beat it on challenging! Make no mistake this thing would make a Chess Master cry. I was however a bit gutted because the price dropped significantly just after I bought it.

The computer is larger than I had expected. The chessmen, while not weighted, are sturdy and well made. The display is clear though a little small. It is a shame there is not a small screen the other end of the board so when it is used for a two player game, both players can see their clock times. I own a small collection of chess computers that require the user to press a square on the chessboard to enter a move. It is no biggie for me. I would have to say that not having to press squares on the Centaur makes for much more natural play. The LED effects work very well and it is nice to be able to play a game without having to look at the screen or move coordinates. It is also nice that the Centaur does not beep with every move. Some reviewers have been saying that the computer does not understand some move inputs or keeps flashing “random” squares. The issue is that those reviewers are not familiar with how moves should be entered into a traditional chess computer like the Centaur. Additionally, some reviews may be unaware of all of the rules of chess. Two examples are: 1) en passant: You must move your pawn diagonally first, then remove the opponent’s pawn. 2) castling: Provided it is legal to perform castling, you must move your king first, then your rook. DGT could have helped themselves and their customers here by including a more thorough manual for those not familiar with computer chess. You can find manuals for chess computers via a search engine that will explain how moves such as captures, en passant and Castling should be entered into a chess computer. Some have pointed out that while the Centaur does offer timed games, it does not offer tournament timed settings. This is true. It is also true that the computer does not offer increments either. To be fair, the most traditional chess computers did not offer increment or tournament times either (only a few high end models did). I have noticed that the Centaur seems to take longer than it needs to when deciding its move during a timed game. I presume DGT programmed the Centaur to burn some time so that the game feels more natural like playing a human. The Centaur departs from the usual level system one would find on traditional chess computers and instead opted for a self adjusting system. It would be easy to criticise this system from the point of view of not understanding it. My experience has been mixed. Friendly mode sometimes results in the computer playing tough in the opening through to the mid game but then plays daft in the end game in a way that is overt. I would have preferred DGT to have included a standard level system alongside their own. The two other modes are Challenge and Expert with the latter not including the self adjusting system. The chess computer’s playing ability is very capable and fast even in its strongest level. Some have raised concerns about the lack of a base on the computer. Because the unit is large, I use it on a table. I do not think the unit is especially fragile though I do handle it with due care. A clumsy drop could damage one or two of the sixty-four domes underneath which would mean those squares will lose their lighting ring effect. It is true too that I haven’t used this computer on my lap or any soft surface as I have my other chess computers. Additionally, the computer needs to be fairly level for the chess pieces to not slide about. I like the fact that one can slide chessmen to their new location. Again, it gives a very natural feel of play. The Centaur has an internal non-removable rechargeable battery that is capable of powering the computer through several games of chess before it requires recharging. Not leaving the centaur discharged for a period of time would avoid any battery issues. The Centaur can be charged while it is in use and while it is in standby. Overall, I very much enjoy using the Centaur for a quiet natural game of chess. The computer looks and feels elegant to use. A choice of level system and a dialogue confirmation for starting a new game (so you don’t accidentally delete the previous game you forgot you wanted to continue) are the two things I think are missing.

Great pre-sale support. I had some question that Steve from LIBRIUM kindly answered before the transaction. The chessboard is of good quality. Very nice, practical design. Yes, all plastic but lightweight and clear to read. The e-paper is great. The display could be better but anyway is readable after some tweaks in the settings. The engine is strong, could be a bit more forgiving, especially in friendly mode :-). I played several games so far and never won but last few games were really great with the score +/- 0.10 ... till mat :-). Also my kids like it very much. They were never interested in chess before! This is an extra value that I didn't expect.

TLDR: Photo 1 shows the computer choosing to open with e4 under Queenside Odds (check the display bottom-right). Queenside is one of the more extreme Odds options. There are others to explore and/or you can invent your own (within reason). These can all be set up using the Set Pieces menu option. Top tip: Download the instruction manual from DGT - for free - and read section 6 for more details on Set Pieces. The Centaur’s advantages are… Ease of use: anyone can follow the information shown on the e-paper screen and press the❓(Hint) button if they don’t know what to do next. It’s a standalone device: It does not use or need to be connected to an external computer or mobile app, sparing you the inevitable specification-matching, connection troubleshooting and upgrade wrangling. The USB socket is for recharging only. The Hint button: displays a list of numerically graded moves (courtesy of the Stockfish Chess Engine) with the topmost move shown in lights on the chessboard, either for a single player playing against the computer or for each player in turn (when the computer is set to Analyse a two-player game - although in practice just put the less-experienced player in charge of the Hint button since they are likely to use it more frequently). You can choose to play any one of the listed moves or something else entirely (movement rules permitting) for your current move. When you play against the Centaur it usually plays as Black and, on its turn, it will accept any legal move you play in place of its own requested move and continue the game as if it meant to do that. For example, in Photo 1, I could ignore the computer’s request for e4 and play, say, Knight to f3 instead. Set Pieces: When all the pieces are in their normal starting positions, selecting the Set Pieces menu option allows you to change the setup of the board to any middle or endgame you may wish to study. Obviously, for newer players, you can also use this option to introduce restrictions (a.k.a. odds chess) - making the computer start a game without key pieces such as a Queen or Rook, and/or giving a less-experienced player a one, two or three move head-start. Once the board is set you can select: the direction of play (for White), the side which is about to move and the role of the computer (plays Black, plays White or Analyses play). Then press the Play/Pause button (not the Back button). The computer will play one side or analyse each players’ moves and provide hints as usual, as the game progresses from this unconventional starting point. Over time, the aim is to gradually reduce the severity of any odds used - but entirely at your own pace. Find what works for you. Launching any game from the Set Pieces menu does not seem to influence Adaptive Play - see below. Take Back: You can undo as many moves as you like. Scroll up the move list shown on the e-paper screen if needed and simply return pieces to where they came from, in the correct reverse order. The computer will automatically recognise these reversals and will modify the move list accordingly. Adaptive play: whenever you feel confident to move on from Odds Chess, then if you play a full 32-piece game in Friendly mode the computer will adapt its level of play to match yours. However, your grading will be skewed by friends and/or family members also playing full, 32-piece games against the computer in this mode. If the thought of this keeps you awake at night, simply hold down the Play/Pause button for ten seconds to restore the original factory settings. BTW like Friendly mode, the Challenge mode also plays at the current assessed level while mixing in some stronger moves. Expert mode goes full Stockfish. Customised chess pieces: If you want to use your preferred chess pieces with this board, first check to see if the board can detect any metal weights they may contain. Otherwise just buy and apply thin, self-adhesive metal foil discs to the bases of the pieces. Size them for the pawns and stack them if necessary. The base diameter of the King should not exceed 42mm otherwise it will start to cover the onboard lights. And on the other hand… E-paper ghosting: As you can see in photo 2, the e-paper screen displays information on your current game (until you choose to return all the chess pieces to their starting positions; the Centaur interprets this as a Reset). However, although e-paper screens extend battery life, you can see that faint images of playing pieces from other points in the move list are scattered across the diagram, making the screen look as though it has some sort of old tech Cathode Ray Tube burn-in problem. This has been implemented deliberately in order to speed up the e-paper response time (which would otherwise take a few seconds). This doesn’t bother me but YMMV. The Centaur is not for everyone: chess ninjas will prefer something with connectivity and more settings to adjust - and absolute beginners do need to know how all the pieces move, including castling, en passant and promotion. So…in conclusion: The Centaur is very easy to use: Turn it on, arrange the pieces - to disadvantage the computer/stronger player if necessary - play the game, take back moves, use the Hints (and gradually learn to anticipate them). Worth it? Well, the price of some chess sets can creep into exclusive wristwatch territory, so I guess the madness is relative. Just make sure that you are clear about what the Centaur can and cannot do.

I bought this chess board because I was sick of using my computer to play and I wanted to develop my skills over the board. Where do I start? It’s fantastic, does exactly what it says on the tin. I’ve never played against a computer that feels so realistic, and even on the friendly difficulty it provides a challenge. Every game I’ve played has been a joy and I’ve learnt a fair bit about my strengths and weaknesses from it. This board is gonna used for a long long time to come. The pieces feel natural as well, I was concerned originally when I read about them being plastic because I didn’t want them to be cheap and lightweight but they feel great and they’re weighted which is a bonus! The only small issue I do have is that it’s exclusively off line and there is no way to store previous games, but I guess you just have to rely on good old fashioned pen and paper. All in all a really fantastic set

I am a reasonably keen but basic recreational chess player who has used loads of chess computers. Although the experience of playing the centaur is probably the best I've experienced it just doesn't offer enough functionality to fully justify its high price. However if you are a real chess-nut then I could see how this may be a unique, very challenging and enjoyable addition to your collection of chess computers and software applications. Cautious Recommendation Pros Good quality and stylish. Although plastic the board and pieces are well made. The pieces feel solid and weighty and the entire set has a clean and modern style that would look good on display. Very intuitive to use with literally no buttons to press, just move the pieces. Compared to many its play is more human-like with very few really silly moves. All other computers I have used make seemingly random sacrifices of high ranking pieces, whereas the centaur doesn't. It also seems to have a more strategic intent than many programs and will take its time building a position with many hidden attacks. It feels like you are playing a much better player who is playing down to your level for a game, but who isn't willing to lose. This computer has sharpened my play more than any other computer. I think this is because it is always challenging me and it never makes any move easy. I have been 2 pawns or more up with a seemingly good position and pawn structure but it always ups it's game and wins. I do well to get into the end game and hold my own for a while. Cons Very expensive considering the limited functionality. Not for beginners. There is no ability to set a reasonable level of play that gives you a chance of winning and this is probably true for anything but top players. Can become frustrating and demoralising. I have played about 100 games so far and lost every one (without using Centaur hints) and I cannot imagine ever winning. This is because as far as I can gather from people who have analysed the code, the program adapts it's level of play within each game as opposed to waiting until the next game to up its play. There are no tutor or exercise modes to help you improve, just the usual move hint system. You will need to spend even more money on other systems to improve your play and have a chance of winning. I recommend Fritz software application that for £50 offers a great chess engine (you can even win sometimes) with a huge amount of training, analysis and targeted exercises. Does not give you any objective assessment of your level of play. Although very intuitive to use there are rare occasions where it seems to just stop working as it should. This is particularly true when setting up a specific position for analysis or replacing the pieces to start a new game. The board is large and needs a considerably large table to use it. Not suitable for your lap. No method of saving games for later analysis. You have to do it the old way and log all the moves yourself.