So I recently got Excalibur's Phantom Force chess set, which is a real 3D board with real 3D pieces and a built-in engine. What makes it different from most is that it moves the pieces by itself using motors and magnets beneath the board. When it's your move, you do have to do the work, but then you can walk away and it will make its move on its own. If there are pieces in the way of a knight move or whatever, it will move them out of the way and then replace them when done.

Kinda cool, but the motor is louder than I think it needs to be. Also, it doesn't know which piece is which unless they are in their starting squares or properly placed on the side of the board (and really, how hard would it have been to fix this?). After a game, it can reset the board to the starting position, but that does take nearly 5 minutes. Here's a video for the curious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srre_...eature=related

My final complaint is that the pieces slide on the board very easily, so moving it during a game is quite dangerous.

Other than that, it's actually fun. It's as good as any other board/engine, but you can be just a bit lazier with it. And watching it move can entertain you when you need mindless entertainment (it can even play itself if you'd like).

In terms of strength, there are many playing levels, just like every other product like this. I played it on the level: 2 minutes per move, hard difficulty (compared to easy or average). It felt like a good fight to me, but I don't know how much stronger it can play, nor how strong I am. But here's the game, you can decide:

http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=17646

[White "ganstaman"]
[Black "Phantom Force"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c6

It actually plays the Caro-Kann a lot, which I haven't seen many engines do.

2. d4 d5 3. f3

And yet, it didn't have this move in its opening book. It's now on its own.

3...dxe4 4. Be3 Nf6 5. Bc4 Nd5 6. Qd2 Nxe3 7. Qxe3 Qb6

I find it interesting that it hasn't played ...exf3 yet, as I'd expect a greedy computer to. But now, is it pawn-hunting, or can it guarantee more?

8. Nc3 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qxc2 10. Nge2 exf3 11. Bd3 Qxb1+ 12. Bxb1 fxe2 13. Qxe2


It got a rook, bishop, and 3 pawns for the queen, but I'm more developed with open lines. Strong or weak, it helped make the game interesting for me.

13...e6 14. O-O Be7 15. Qh5 g6 16. Qh6 Bf8 17. Qf4 f5 18. Ne4 Nd7 19. Nc5 Nxc5 20. Qe5 Rg8 21. dxc5 Bd7 22. a4 O-O-O

I think something went wrong for Black. The knight at d7 was well placed, and it's letting me get in some sort of attack even though I'm sure I didn't play perfectly. If nothing else, I think there's a draw with ...Bg7 Qd6 ...Bf8 Qe5.

23. a5 Bg7 24. Qd6 Rgf8 25. a6

Now I think it's over, and Phantom Force just delays the inevitable.

25...Bc3 26. Bd3 e5 27. axb7+ Kxb7 28. Rb1+ Ka8 29. Ba6 Bd4+ 30. Kf1 Bb2 31. Rxb2 Rb8 32. Rxb8+ Rxb8 33. Qxd7 Rb1+ 34. Ke2 Rb2+ 35. Kd3 Rb3+ 36. Kc4 Rb6 37. cxb6 axb6 38. Qb7# {White mates} 1-0

Really, no need to comment. I just wanted to post this win...

Cool beans, interesting opening/game.

I def. prefer White in the diagram position.

How much did Phantom Chess cost?

I'm still iffy about the diagram. Do you really think that black can't wiggle out with the extra material? I wonder if the computer would analyze that position fully if it would have still played for it back on moves 7/8/9.

I think it cost around $70 when I got it. My parents got it for me for my birthday. I don't know what such a thing should cost or how useful it is with the internet existing and all, but my parents thought it was cool and I'm easily fascinated.