“I love this product!!!! Well worth the money! My kids love being able to play against the computer and have the assistance to help them learn. I was very skeptical when I pre-ordered 1 year ago but I am extremely pleased and happy once it arrived!”
“I ordered this on Kickstarter back in March 2021. At the time I was just starting to really get into the sport of Chess and thought this was a fantastic idea. Watching this product come to life was an awesome experience and perhaps understanding all the work that went into this with the current state of manufacturing has made me appreciate it even more. Reading some of the comments on the Kickstarter I was rather disappointed at how unaware people really are. My philosophy for Kickstarter is backing a product is like investing in a company. If you’re going to sell at the first hiccup don’t invest at all!
I received the board just yesterday and I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the quality and precision of this board. Aside from the really futuristic look and feel it has (My dad said it reminded him of something out of Star Trek), the amount of logic that went into this is truly mind-bending.
For anyone who is looking to start, already plays & wants to get better, or just wants to have a totally awesome tech product, this is the product to buy.
Huge shoutout to Jeff Wigh and the Bryght Labs Team for this product. You have truly outdone yourself in every way possible and I wish you all nothing but success in the future. Well done guys.”
“We received the unit a week ago and it has been an instant hit with family and friends. Our neighbor has been coming by daily just to play on it until his ChessUp arrives. We have an expert-level player in our house, and it is impossible to play with him without removing a piece from a traditional board. With ChessUp's assistance, it helps equalize the game so it can still be fun for both. We still have so much more to explore with this but in just a week we can already see the value.”
“I have been playing chess since childhood and have owned my fair share of boards, including electronic boards. I can easily say that Chessup is unquestionably the single best chess board for teaching and playing.
Out of the box, the board immediately shows the attention that was given in its design as every aspect is balanced. The board itself seems weighty enough to be sturdy, but not so heavy as to be a chore to make portable. The pieces are similarly a good solid weight, heavier and more durable than cheap portable hollow plastic. The board itself is simplistic in its design, 64 squares, and then a simple "gear" button which controls the level of assistance, or strength of the AI opponent. The side of the board contains a simple modern USB-C charging input, and a toggle switch for off and on. Set up out of the box was a breeze, a 5 second calibration and you're ready to play.
While the packaging was top notch, I highly recommend the phone stand and tote bag accessories. The bag was surprisingly sturdy, with a handsome leather "Chessup" logo on the front, two piece pouches that zip shut, and two interior pouches (one for the board and one which easily holds the charging cable and phone stand).
The board itself works exactly as advertised. Simply touch a piece and all available moves are highlighted. Behind the scenes, even more features were hidden. Touching a piece when your king is in check will highlight your king and the piece checking it in purple. On their first game, my two elder boys knocked a piece over and the board highlighted the squares where the pieces were missing. Dial up the AI assistance and the board will highlight blunders, best moves, and mistakes and more (though for starters, just learning how the pieces move is enough for my kids who were delighted every time the board lit up for them). These features worked flawlessly through numerous games either between two humans, or myself playing against an AI opponent. I look forward to my kids (and I) bettering our chess skills as we play.
In short, in addition to being sleek and handsome looking, well-built, and intuitive to use, the board is packed with features which just work. It is quite simply the single best physical product that exists which I'm aware of to learn chess by playing.”
“I've been wanting to get back into Chess for awhile, but the idea of having to re-learn the game was so daunting! Thankfully I came across ChessUp on Kickstarter - and while it seemed too good to be true, I went ahead and pre-ordered a board "just in case." Spoiler alert - I was NOT disappointed!! It has been so fun to get back into the game. Before ChessUp I would simply move pieces that I knew wouldn't immediately be gobbled up by my opponent - but now I'm actually learning the STRATEGY behind the game - and thinking moves ahead. Even though I'm clearly still a beginner, I am excited to lower the assistance level soon! I've even played with my stepson and for a kiddo that is usually all about the iPad if he's not outside playing sports - he loved playing and learning along with me! This is great for families, couples looking to learn something new together, or techies that just love new gadgets. I keep this on a table in my office and everyone that comes in asks about it. It's so cool to see their reaction when I turn it on and show them how it works (I may have to see about getting a referral bonus if anyone buys based on my demos LOL). Thank you, ChessUp!”
“I purchased the ChessUp game when it was still on Kickstarter in early 2021, and I am SO thrilled that I did! I just received my board this week, and I have already played several games on it. The smart technology made my (admittedly limited) knowledge of chess come flooding back, so I have been trying to play more games without using the assistance levels. I have also been able to play with some of my friends' young children, and the assistance has been amazing for them to learn the game. The board works incredibly well - even just accidentally tapping a piece will light up the board instantly to show all possible moves...it really IS smart Touchsense technology! While I have not even begun to utilize all of the extras that come with the app, I am excited to be able to continue to play and hone my skills while I travel and can't be near the board at the time. I will keep telling my friends and family to go out and purchase ChessUp - I think I may be obsessed!
It really is a game-changer for chess players - both new and experienced alike! Go buy this game - you won't be disappointed!”
