iCore Electronic Chess Set, Talking Computer Chess Board, 100 Preset Exercises, 5 Levels, 40 Famous Electronic Chess Games for Kids & Adults

This is a great device for learning chess. It's an actual chessboard with three dimensional, magnetic pieces. The difference between using a real board with real three-dimensional pieces as opposed to something on an iPad or a computer is an entirely different experience. Computers and iPads can do great visualization, but there's no substitute for having the real board in front of you with the actual pieces. Plus, there's an entirely different mental and kinesthetic experience when you pick up and position the pieces yourself instead of using a mouse or a keyboard.The game has a small LCD screen, which shows you the entire board and both sides, black and white. Once you’ve got the Chess game started, you make your move, and then the board will show you that it's thinking about which move it should make and once it settles will show you its move. The board itself is defined with letters and numbers, so you can see exactly which move the board is telling you it wants to make. It's a little tricky at first to learn how to use the board which is touch sensitive. The pieces are magnetic, which is great because they don't get banged around, but you have to lift them touch it down to the square you're starting from and then touch it down again on the square you're moving to. You then do the same thing as directed by the game for the opposition move. Each time that you move, there's a definitive click or beep to indicate that the move has been recorded.The game will tell you verbally when you're about to make a mistake, or if you're doing something where you will be threatened by your move. So it's teaching you to be aware, and then there's an additional button where you can ask why"? Hit that and the board will explain why your move is potentially dangerous. There are multiple levels and complexities available, so far I've only played a conventional game level. There are also other games, including checkers, and a number of others. The game comes with a full set of chess pieces, the board, and a full set of circular markers which can be used for checkers and the other games.The unit itself is small, 9” long x 6 3/4” wide total. The chess board is actually very small and the LCD screen is probably its weakness. It's adequate, does the job, but because it's small and it's LCD it's not as good as a higher quality screen would have been. That being said, its perfectly adequate for doing what it does, and I would not let that stop me from getting the game. The other thing is the overall device is very compact, with the actual total device being only 6” x 6”. This can be a liability or a plus. It’s small and light enough that you could carry it in a backpack, or for travel. Because it’s magnetic you could even play it on a plane!The manual is quite clear, carries all the information you need, and it’s not in tiny type that needs a magnifying glass! Yay! All in all this is a great device, a chess tutor, and highly portable form of entertainment and learning, both!

Hey friends!I was looking for something I could use to practice chess on as I’m just learning how to play. I came across this and thought it would be really cool since it had other games as well. I really love it!When it first arrived, I thought that it looked and felt really old school. Like Oregon Trail old. And in some ways it is. But once I read through the instruction manual and set up/ played checkers, I was sold.I haven’t played chess yet bc I’ve been having a blast playing checkers. It is easy to play: set up the board with the magnetic pieces like you would a regular board. Then start a new game. Before moving a piece you press down on it first, move it to the space you want it to go to and then press down again. When it’s the machine’s turn, the screen tells you which piece to move and where to move it to. I love that the board is clearly marked so it makes it easy to find that letters and numbers so that you can find the correct piece. I also love that the screen shows you what the board should look like at any given time. This came in handy when I was trying to strategize. I have yet to win a game against the machine but I’ve have a blast playing.The machine looks and sounds like it is from the 80s and 90s but it has a good amount of games on it. I really wish the power button was a switch on the side or that it came with a case bc throwing this into a backpack means that the power button will always get pressed—wasting the battery. I also wish there was a way to either connect the travel bag to the machine or store the pieces within the machine. Right now they are two separate things and I’ve lost the bag a couple of times. Finally, I wished I could mute the sound. I’ve skimmed the instructions and just haven’t found a way to do it. Without turning the sound off, there is no way to play this on an airplane, for example.I would love to see what this machine would look like with a more modernized look. However, for now, I’m having a blast playing the games and I don’t need anyone else to be there to do it.I recommend this blast from the past.

This was a lot smaller than anticipated.

I like this game a lot. And I love that my kids enjoy playing and learning on it. The pieces are magnetic and it’s very simple to use. You can play against another person or play against the computer. The pieces have some decent weight to them and are solid. The game will teach you how to play chess and checkers and show you where to play your next move. You can easily understand the electronic voice and it will tell you any illegal moves during game play. This is a great game to teach you or your kids how to play chess and the other games it has on it.

It was too little to move a piece without disturbing others and chess pieces were hard to determine which ones were what. My eyes weren't working well enough to read the screen without a magnifying glass. Other than that it was wonderful.

This is not a cheap set, but it'll teach you the game above the first couple of introductory steps. You'll first need to know your way around a chess board, and the pieces.

I returned it and tried something else.