Electronic Chess Sets Vonset M986 Magnetic Electronic Chess Board Chess Computer Chess Game Travel Chess for Kids and Adults Toys Gift to Practice Chess Learn Chess for Beginners

My 12 year old wanted to learn to play chess so I bought his this set. I like the set because it’s not to big and doesn’t take up much space. The pieces are magnetic so you don’t have to worry about the pieces falling off the board. I like the self play feature that it comes with which really helped my son learn a little more about the game. You can play directly against the computer which is nice because my son doesn’t have to wait for me to get home to play and get some practice in. Also gives hints to know what moves you have available so if my son doesn’t know what move to make he will get a hint and that will better help him understand what to do in certain situations. It comes with a bunch of exercises which helps you te better understand the game. The screen is easy to see and has a little speaker which talks to you ask your playing. My son is actually getting really good in chess since buying him the set which I’m happy.

You have to keep the instructions handy when you are using this electronic chess set. The user interface is not intuitive but it does a lot for the money spent. There are 100 exercises that I started that seem challenging for me as a beginner. The set allows you to play alone against the computer which is great. Some of the warnings are annoying but can be turned off if you don't want to hear them. The LCD display is very small and very hard to see and distinguish between the pieces on the LCD- especially the bishop and rook. The display can be darkened which helps but I still have to play under a light to see the pieces clearly. The AI seems great for my level and exercises help to learn the game. The set is small but I am getting used to it. Wish it were a little bigger with a better LCD. The keyboard keys underneath the board sometimes double click but it's not a big deal. All in all, I like it very much so far for the price.

junk

Cheaply made. Pieces sit on the board crooked because care was not taken to seat the magnets in the bases until they were flush. Pieces themselves are small and not well made either. I would recommend putting the money towards a better option.

I'm a bit of a chess fan, but I know lots of people who don't play, and who are afraid to try... it's intimidating to them for some reason.I own two chess sets... one very nice marble and onyx one (since packed away after our cats decided that the pieces made a very satisfying "clink" when they hit the floor!), a magnetic and portable, but very attractive wooden one (which sits in the place the marble/onyx one used to occupy)... a quality board, but not really something useful for teaching or just general "practice."In addition, I have chess games on my computer and on my phone, which of course are "non-physical" in nature.And now, I own this one. It's sort of a happy-medium between the computerized chess games we run on our computers and a physical chess board.I like it. It's a bit smaller than it appears in the photos, but that's not a bad thing. It's able to be carried inside of my travel carry-on, easily, and without really displacing other stuff. And it comes with a velvet bag for the little pieces.It works pretty well. The board surface is both magnetic and a matrix of "membrane switches." To move a piece, you push down on the piece ("clicking" the board in that location) and then move it to the desired position, "clicking" again. It detects each position. Assuming it's a valid move, it confirms that this is your desired move, and takes over.It has a "swap" feature, so it's entirely possible to run an entire game with the computer playing against itself... just to "learn how it's done." Or to switch to the computer's side and see how the game goes with an expert player taking over for you.You can set up the board to represent pre-set situations, though this is more challenging on here than it is on a computer software chess game. It's a pretty feature-rich solution, but for the greatest flexibility, computer software still wins.In general, this is really for someone who wants to "play for real" on a real, physical board, but to get instructions and examples and general "tutoring" along the way.The voice prompts are nice, but they're not nearly as extensive as I expected... it doesn't talk to you like another player, or a teacher, might, and mainly instead focuses on giving warnings and advice. And some warnings... like "Be Careful!"... aren't especially useful for a student of the game.The UI is generally pretty easy to navigate through, but you really, really need the manual at your side, at least until you've used it a lot. I still have to look things up in the manual...In terms of literature, this set gives a LOT of help to the user, though. There's a full-color chart showing the standard starting layout on one side, and the possible moves available on the other side, which while chess experts will find useless, is really NEEDED by students of the game. It's a great thing for them to have included.There are two other short documents also provided, alongside the full manual. It's not like "war and peace"... but the manual describes, nicely, every feature and function of the game's electronics and user interface (and with only the slightest hint of "bad translation into English," compared to so many other items I've bought recently, which clearly were translated into English in a hurry by someone only slightly familiar with the language!) It's pretty user-friendly, in other words. Everything you need to know is at your fingertips... but be sure, you'll NEED these documents to use this device to its full potential, not only now but in the future!One nice feature is that it remembers where you left off, even once turned off, unless you have to replace the batteries or if you choose to reset it to start a new game. So, when traveling, it's painless to toss the pieces into the little bag, shove it all into your carry-on, and then, when arriving at your next destination, set it all back up just as you left it (based upon the little display).This board is a "toy chess board," rather than a "serious player's board." But it's a GREAT place for someone who knows nothing, or next to nothing, about chess to start learning. And it has the side benefit of allowing a real game between two players, something "software" chess games aren't nearly as well-suited for.If you're a chess expert, this isn't the board for you. But if you're looking to start learning the game in earnest, this is a great place to start.

I already have a traditional chess set for kids, but sometimes they want to play chess on their own but I want to limit their screen time. That's why I came across this electronic chess set. Both my kids and I really enjoy it after using it for the first time. The instruction manual proved to be quite helpful in learning how to play chess, even though they already knew the game.The chess pieces themselves appear to be of high quality, and the board is highly responsive to the movement of the chess pieces. Using the set is simple, and the LED display clearly shows the next move. All in all, I believe it's a great option for both solo play and playing with two players.

This is such a convenient gift especially for my son who enjoys to play chess. It helps that there is someone talking on the other end where he can play with the computer and communicate. It is also portable and lightweight, perfect for travel on the go.Makes an excellent gift!

I'm a beginner and I'm not finding it beginner friendly at all. I also should of read the description as it has no storage for the chess PCs and you can only use batteries. The magnet on the game aren't that strong and don't hold well. There is no plug in. That's my fault for not looking into it better. Was too overwhelmed with all the chess sets, got tired and chose this. My big mistake. Not happy at all with it.

I own and use both the M620 and this M986 chess computer, and while you'd think that the higher number means it's more advanced, I think the M620 is a better unit in more than one way.This Vonset M986 is a chess computer that is a wonderful learning tool for anyone up to around an ELO rating of 1700 (what this computer can play at it's hardest setting). It includes chess instructions, special cards to help learn how each piece moves, includes various training modes, and alerts you when you make a mistake on the board or if there's danger to be aware of while playing. Each piece is magnetized on the bottom, but not strong enough to prevent them from moving if the board is hit accidentally. To move a piece while playing the computer, you will need to press down slightly to trigger a button that tells the computer which square you are moving from, and which square you are moving too. Many chess computers use this method of movement, although, I will admit that it sometimes requires some effort to make sure you are pressing the piece down exactly on the pad. This is a talking chess computer, but only when it's giving you a warning, like a check/checkmate, or when you have a piece that's being threatened. You can turn off the sound, and the tutoring feature altogether if you like. I did run into a few situations where the computer would warn me that I needed to be cautious about a piece being threatened, however, this would happen in situations where I've intentionally sacrificed a piece and/or had a forced checkmate coming up that the computer couldn't "see". Advanced players will likely ignore this, but it does make you second-guess some moves that could be perfectly fine in some situations. The pieces are on the small size, and there's no way to store them in the board itself (as you can with the M620 model), but you do get a small carrying pouch.  I do wish that it came with a few extra pieces, especially an extra queen, since most pawn promotions tend to be to queens. The computer can be programmed for various strengths and play styles, and it does offer a challenge for most players. I enjoy the timed games, since it's closest to how a traditional game of chess is played. In faster timed games (i.e. blitz), the player has a disadvantage because they have to move for the computer (when prompted) and that can be distracting. Overall, I do think that this is a wonderful chess computer for anyone who's starting out and/or wants to play over-the-board with a computer or friend.

Made amazing gift for my son. He really loves chess. This let's him play against computer without having to be on computer.

I really like the idea of this project in theory. Using an electronic chess board to learn how to play chess as well as learn different techniques is a great idea for beginners, far more than just learning on an app as seeing and acting out the movements is just fantastic for your memory. However, the execution of this idea leaves much to be desired, especially at the steep price of $130. The biggest problems are that it isn't very intuitive to use, and the display is awkward to utilize. The idea behind this chess set makes me think the creators want you to learn how to play chess, but the design behind it feels like they really don't. It just leads to a frustrating and confusing experience which will end up turning off any potential chess learner. You're better off looking elsewhere.

The media could not be loaded. I haven't played chess in decades and my skills are non-existent. I wanted to learn and saw the Vonset kit and thought that this would be an excellent aid for learning!And what a kit it is! This is an automated chessboard that teaches you the game of chess! Once you set up the board, you go through some setup options and then you play! The board is very intuitive - you pick up the piece, tap the square you are moving from , then tap the square you are moving to. Depending on the chess piece you choose, it will tell you whether or not that move is legal. Next, the computer will calculate its move, then display the move on the LCD screen! There are cards that tell you how each piece moves and its abilities, so you learn how each piece works on the board.A nice feature is the computer will even question your move if it seems like a move that could cost you! It says "are you sure?" on the LCD screen - you can press the "WHY" button and it will explain the consequences! How cool is that!I played about 30 minutes and realized how intuitive this chess set is - it really takes the time to teach you how to move and what moves are good or bad. I started to pick up some strategies (like protecting pieces) and realized that I have a looooooong way to go before I can safely say that I can play chess!The Vonset chess board kit is an amazing tool to help you learn the game of chess!

The board is made of mostly plastic and is not very big. The chess board itself is a square and measures just under 7 inches on all sides. The size is not quite travel size like one I used to have, but it is small. It is easy to carry around so it is very portable. The quality of the board is good, though the electronics are a bit dated including the sounds and voices in my opinion.The chess pieces are small too. The pawn is about 0.75 inches high, while the King is about 1.5 inches. A small pouch that comes with the set measures about 5.75 by 3.75 inches and can hold all the pieces with room to spare. The quality of the chess pieces is okay with a few of them having magnets that protruded out too much. A couple were uneven as well.This electronic chess set comes with a lot of instructions for the beginner. The built-in computer is another level for learning chess. It does require 4 AA batteries. There is a bit of a learning curve and one needs to read the instructions because it is not something one can figure out how to use without that, at least I could not. Playing against the computer is a humbling experience, but also it can be frustrating. To make a move you need to tap the piece on the current square and then tap the square you are moving to. It uses the magnets to be able to do this, but sometimes it does not register and you have to repeat the action. It definitely requires an investment of time to really take advantage of the computer play.This electronic chess set is geared to those that want to learn chess, but not casually. With the price tag it is really for those that are more serious about chess and willing to invest the time to do so on their own. It could also be good for those that have no one to play with, though still serious about improving.