In order to become a good player in chess you need to try hard and a lot of practice. During the early stages of my training in chess, I came against two basic difficulties. The players that I was playing against were not experienced enough to teach me new things in chess. Though I had spent a lot of time reading countless numbers of books and tactics, I was doing crucial mistakes that were costing me the victory (too bad if you have played well until then). I knew a lot until then and in spite of my efforts, I was not improving considerably.
Although the progress of a player is determined from practice, I was believing that this process could be accelerated. Special training, using the proper tools can accelerate indeed the progress. The solution was to meet an excellent mentor, who taught me exactly what I needed. He helped me a lot but his tutoring was too expensive and not always available, so the number of his tutorials was never enough. The most important was that I was improving again.
Is a computer chess set a great modern way to learn chess
Since then, the development of technology is huge, therefore a mentor can be substituted by a computer solution. Five years ago I realized how useful a chess computer might be. A friend of mine, from a nearby chess club, had bought an electronic chess computer for his son. Having in mind to write this article, I contacted him and I was benefited a lot from his experience, as well as the experience of other people he knew. There are positive and negative aspects.
Positives
- It is a plus that you can practice alone a lot with a chess computer.
- A computer chess set is less tiring from a standard computer because it is no good for your eyes to spend many hours before the screen of the standard one. I cannot play chess before a screen for more than 2 hours and this is not enough, given that everyone needs several hours of practice per day in order to become a chess master.
- A computer chess set offers the option to play at different levels. A newbie, as well as an experienced player, can play at the appropriate level and set the time frame as he wishes.
- In most computer chess sets, there are tutorials and the system suggests moves. You can use the last feature to significantly improve your chess skills.
- An electronic chess computer is more affordable than hiring a tutor and it’s always there when you need some practice.
- You get familiar with moving real pieces and you are more focused when you play in tournaments.
Negatives
- The use of a computer chess set is something very particular and needs a lot of familiarization. For example, in order to move a piece, you press on the square of departure, then you press on the square of arrival and you leave the piece there. It’s a simple task but some people cannot figure it out. So, people who don’t like reading manuals or seniors will face some more challenges than other people but they will eventually figure it out. For this reason, manufacturers provide excellent technical assistance.
- A computer chess set has a limit in chess skills. So, make sure that you will find a suitable computer chess set for your needs.
For the needs of this article, I did a research on the computer chess sets available in the market. I consider that Amazon.com offers a great variety of products, which have many reviews and I can decide based on objective criteria. Moreover, they have a good policy to replace defective goods and their shipments are fast within the USA.
Recommended Electronic Chess Computers
1.iCore Electronic Chess and Checkers Set
Features
- Dimensions 13 x 8.9 x 1.5 inches
- It’s a magnetic chess set perfect for traveling.
- There are fun stats, analysis, and training tools for players of all levels.
- Teaching children how to play chess into this systematic, essential techniques, and attack and defense strategies that players must know to win.
Conclusion
This chess set is suitable for children or players who are making their first steps and it will definitely help them improve their skills. The reviews are excellent and it is available at an affordable price. Check it out here on Amazon.
2.Croove Electronic Chess and Checkers Set with 8-In-1 Board Games
Features
- Dimensions 10.1 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
- 12 chess modes plus 30 unique chess levels to choose from.
- 100 preset chess exercise allows you to practice your skills.
- There is a Teaching voice system. Talks warning of threats to your pieces. Voice announcement of legal moves.
Conclusion
This electronic chess computer is another great choice for children and amateur players. The reviews are really good but some people believe that the screen should have been larger. It’s an extremely affordable computer chess set. Check it out here on Amazon.
3.Millennium ChessGenius, Model M810 – Grandmaster Playing Strength Electronic Chess Computer
Features
- Electronic chess computer playing strength/chess rating of 2400 USCF / 2000 ELO. The Millennium Chess Genius computer program/software defeated world champion, Garry Kasparov.
- Dimensions 11.4 x 3.9 x 12.4 inches. The pieces are magnetic and King’s height is 2.25″ (5.71cm)
- Display measuring 1.5″ x 1.75″ (3.81cm x 4.44cm)
- Hint button suggests moves for help
- Tutor feature
- Setup a special sequence of moves, .i.e. a particular chess opening, or moves you found in a chess book
- Saves Game in Memory when the computer is powered off / switched off
- 7 playing languages selectable- English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Russian
Conclusion
That’s without a doubt the best seller in electronic chess computers. It’s the perfect chess set for players who have been playing for years and want to take their skills to the next level. Some people would like a bigger screen but all of them admit that this computer is an excellent opponent that is always available to play against them. It’s an affordable chess set. Check it out here on Amazon.
4.Excalibur 911E-3 King Master III Electronic Chess & Checkers Game
Features
- Estimated ELO rating of 1750
- Magnetic chess pieces
- Dimensions 9 x 15 x 2.2 inches
- Storage compartment for your pieces
- 72 levels of chess, and 16 levels of checkers
- Take back move function
- Hint key will give a suggestion. Teach mode for beginners.
Conclusion
This set is suitable for mainly for amateurs but more experienced players can enjoy playing with it. The way to operate it is different and a bit simpler than the other sets and it has received mainly good reviews. It is available at a somewhat expensive price. Check it out here on Amazon.
5.iCore Chess Set, 8 in 1 Travelling Talking Electronic Chess Master
Features
- Dimensions 8.8 x 1 x 7.2 inches
- 12 Chess Modes Plus 30 Unique Chess Levels to Choose From.100 Preset Chess Exercise Allows You to Practice Your Skills
- 8 Challenging Brain Games! Chess, Checkers, Reversi, Halma, 4 in-a-row, Fox & Geese, Northcote’s Game and Nim.
- Chess Tutor! Teaching Voice System. Talks Warning of Threats to Your Pieces. Voice Announcement of Legal Moves.
Conclusion
It’s the most affordable chess set and it is the smallest chess computer on my list. It’s suitable for children who are learning chess. The reviews are good but some people believe that it is too small. Check it out here on Amazon.
6.Millennium ChessGenius Pro, Model M812 – Grandmaster Electronic Chess Computer
Features
- ARM Cortex M4 / 120 MHz processor and 160 KB of RAM, this is the most powerful chess computers of all time
- Dimensions 12.1 x 11 x 3.5 inches
- A strength of over 2200 ELO (International tournament standard), with opening moves library choices
- It has a versatile analysis mode (text displays and electronic chessboard display), display analysis of positions, main variants and move number
- Build confidence: custom tailor the playing strength, options, and exercises to suit virtually any skill level
- 1.5 x 1.75-inch backlit display shows the entire chess board
- It can give hints for a move
Conclusion
It’s the ultimate computer chess set because it’s like having a Grandmaster playing against you any time you want. The performance of this computer is phenomenal and it’s the perfect item for anyone who wants to become a chess champion. It’s suitable for amateur too since you can adjust the difficulty level. The reviews are really good and it’s available at a fair price. Check it out here on Amazon.
Final thoughts
If you are interested in buying a computer chess set then, those, in my opinion, are the best choices you have. Make sure that you will take a look at the reviews and buy a computer chess set that covers all your needs. The review that I have made is showing to you the big picture. Also, check out other reviews that I have written about cool chess sets like marble chess sets.
I hope that you have found this article helpful. Please comment and share it with anyone who might find it interesting. Enjoy chess!