Can play chess. Be challenging, fun, and sometimes frustrating. Garry Kasparov called the game “mental torture”. with the Virtually unlimited possibilitieschess offers unparalleled depth, and you could easily fill a library with books on how to play it. The Internet has opened up a wealth of potential opponents, and smart chess boards enable you to play anyone online or off, not to mention push different chess programs.

I’ve been testing smart chess boards for the past month or so with the help of my chess-obsessed eldest, and these are my top picks.

The smart chess boards I recommend the most.

For my beginner gambit, I recommend Chessnut Pro. With a classic wooden design, the Chessnut Pro feels like a regular board, but has smarts hidden inside. Beechwood pieces are beautifully weighted, an important but often underestimated feature. They feel great in the hand, and the set includes a pair of extra queens. It’s a full tournament-sized board (55 cm or 21.7 inches), so you’ll need room for it.

The board is very well made, with subtle red LEDs hidden in the corners of each square that light up to show movement. I like how it looks like a regular board when you’re not playing online. There are optional controls on one side, along with a USB-C port and Bluetooth connectivity so it can be connected to your computer, laptop, or smartphone. There’s no need to press down with every movement, because each piece has a sensor chip inside that automatically detects it.

We used Chessconnect Chrome Browser Extension To play the match chess.com And Lichess.organd getting up and running was quick and easy. The official Chessnut app does have AI opponents, but they’re a bit weak and lack variety. It’s not great, but you don’t have to use it, and you can link to various online services with a little tinkering (check out Graham’s program for some better options). Online play was a little messy at times. Sometimes there is a little lag, and we have to click to reconnect for each game. Battery life is pretty good (we got seven to eight hours), though it does take a while to recharge (it’s best to leave it overnight).

If you understandably don’t want to spend that much, then Chessnut Air ($250) A much more affordable option. It’s also wooden but much smaller (33 cm or 13 inches), with light fittings and visible LEDs. gave Air+ ($400) Same size but with heavier wood pieces and subtle LEDs on the board. In practice, both give you the same experience as a pro.