You can play Chess.com matches using GoChess Mini
Online chess has exploded in popularity since the Netflix series Queen’s Gambitbut many people prefer to play on a real board. GoChess Mini lets you do just that, allowing you to compete in online matches on Chess.com and Lichess.
It accomplishes this by wirelessly connecting the board to your smartphone. Sensors on the board detect where you’ve moved your pieces, and lights under each square show you where to move your opponent’s pieces when they make a move.
It’s a smart, simple system… but not without its quirks.
GoChess Mini Design
There is a premium feel to the board, parts and accessories
The name GoChess Mini is a misnomer. This makes it sound like one of those pocket chess sets you took on holiday as a kid, whereas this is a full-sized (35cm x 35cm) chess board with heavy, ceramic-style chess pieces.
The ‘mini’ sets it apart from the other larger products in the GoChess range, where the pieces magically move on their own. Here, a ring of colored light under each square indicates where you should move your opponent’s pieces.
The board itself is battery powered and can be recharged with the supplied USB-C cable. The battery lasted about four hours in my tests – the companion smartphone app detects the battery level.
Speaking of battery life, the smartphone screen should also be on while you play, displaying information such as a virtual table, past moves, captured pieces, timers, etc. There is also a smartphone holder in the box so you can prop the screen up on the board. It wasn’t a huge drain on the battery during my tests with a Google Pixel 8a, but you might want to keep a charger handy.
Play options
There are three ways to play GoChess Mini. You can play against the board’s own AI, against another human player, or against online opponents using Chess.com or Lichess.
The board’s AI has 32 difficulty levels, meaning you should find a suitable challenge whether you’re a beginner or take your chess seriously. Annoyingly though, the GoChess app doesn’t remember your preferred AI settings, meaning every time you start a new game you have to choose the duration, skill level and whether you want the various AI assist options be activated again.
AI can highlight the best part to move, the best move available and alert you to any potential mistakes. These assists can help level the playing field if an adult plays a child, for example, by allowing the younger player to benefit from AI advice while the adult plays without assistance.
Connecting to online services is where GoChess Mini really shines. Maybe it’s because I grew up with standard chessboards, but I often have trouble spotting dangers on a 2D virtual board that I would see on a real-life chessboard. GoChess Mini eliminates that problem and stays in perfect sync with online play, meaning you can play someone online as if they were sitting right in front of you.
However, there are drawbacks. For example, you are at an immediate disadvantage in fast-moving “bullet” chess games because not only do you have to move your pieces on the board, but also your opponent’s. That extra second or two it takes for each move can make a big difference when you only have five or ten minutes total to do all your moves.
In my tests, I also found that GoChess Mini worked much better with Chess.com than the open source Lichess. Sometimes Lichess games would seem to lose connection in the middle of a game, which is frustrating.
Irritating flaws
The board does not always recognize when you have moved a piece
Irregular online games are not the only drawback with GoChess Mini. It occasionally fails to register moves, meaning you have to place the piece on the board several times before it recognizes that you’ve played your move. This is very irritating in games when you are under a tight clock.
You also need to be quite precise about the positioning of the piece, making sure to place it as centrally as possible. If you leave a piece on the edge of a square, the AI can sometimes think you’re moving it, causing confusion. This can certainly break games until you get used to the precision required.
GoChess Mini Verdict
Despite its flaws and shortcomings, GoChess Mini has tempted me back into the game after becoming frustrated with online chess. Playing online opponents on a proper table is the perfect combination, even if very fast-paced games are more difficult.
At $200 from Amazon, the GoChess Mini isn’t cheap, but it’s not outrageously expensive, and there’s no ongoing subscription, which is the way with so many pieces of tech these days. If you prefer to play on a physical board but enjoy the challenge of playing against human opponents online, purchasing the GoChess Mini would be a wise move.