DGT Centaur chess computer brief review

I like that the Centaur keeps a move list in a format on the screen that makes it easy to copy down the game in progress (or just finished) to paper.

When one scrolls through the move list the position on the board at that particular point in the game is shown on the screen. This is a nice feature.

I would have liked it if having scrolled back to a given point in the game, setting up the physical chessmen to the position on the display board would have allowed play from that point to try a different variation. I think it would have been possible to program Centaur to recognise that the same squares were active on the physical board as on the virtual board and allow play from that position.

Unfortunately, when I tried to do this, Centaur simply flashed the LEDs where the pieces were when the game ended. The only way I was able to play on from an earlier point in the game was to use Set Up mode.

Just wondering, does Centaur ever offer a draw or resigns? 

Centaur knows 3 fold repetition and fifty move rule but it does not offer a drawer outside of those rules. It does not offer to resign either.

It works like a traditional chess computer.

*draw, not drawer.

If one goes to 'settings' and then sets up a Fischer 960 board, will it be able to play a decent game or will it cry 'foul'?

You can use the set up feature to set up a 960 game however, if you “clear board” or remove and replace the king or the rook(s) you wish to castle with then castling rights will be disabled.

In other words, if the 960 starting position requires the king or rooks to be in different places the the only way you’ll be able to castle is to go back into Set Up mode, set the pieces as castled and then come out of Set Up and continue your game.

That’s one one the reasons Millennium are making a big deal about the King Performance having 960 incorporated into its game library.

“Rubicon0367 hat geschrieben:
Centaur knows 3 fold repetition and fifty move rule but it does not offer a drawer outside of those rules. It does not offer to resign either.

It works like a traditional chess computer.”


“Sound67: Actually, many of the later, better chess computers DID resign in a hopeless position or when they saw a mate against them coming. Even my 1983 Chess Challenger Sensory 9 had a "resign mode" (which could be disabled though). “

Hello Sound67, good to hear from you again.

Thank you for the heads up. Non of my entry level to mid-range level computers have auto resign or offer draw feature - not even my most feature rich unit, the Saitek Talking Chess Academy.

I did read, cannot recall where, that right from the get go, before internet chess was a thing, standalone chess computers were designed as a learning aid and that includes learning mating schemes. Such learning would be compromised if the computer was habitually resigning or offering draws. It is understandable, in my opinion, that programmers of entry level and mid ranged computers would omit the option even though mid ranged computers would have been capable of making such decisions.

Some have argued, with reason, for the money DGT are asking that the Centaur should have had more options. The option to enable/disable auto resign and offer draw would indeed have been a nice addition.

Out of interest, could your friend who has the King Performance tell you if it has the option of auto resign and offer draw?

PS: Are you intending to continue your series of write-ups about your chess computer collection?

PPS: I tried to reply through the website on the PC but the website is not showing all the forum posts.

I can answer the question posed above: according to the manual for the King Performance (link below) it does not have an option for offer draw or auto resign.

My interpretation of option 5:11:7 Contempt on page 11 is that if the computer sees a stalemate or move by three fold coming up, it will try to play away from it or if opposite option chosen, play into the stalemate or three fold.

https://d25jbgvg9kmxad.cloudfront.net/catalogue/r5b49ucmyd7aer4u/M830_GB_short.pdf

I only wish there was an undo move button. Sometimes if you move the pieces too hastily the computer will mis-register a move.

Agreed. If the computer makes a move and you want to undo the move and then undo your last move, if you are not quick enough the computer will reissue its move (may be the same one or a different one). This means that if you try to take then back your move you’ll get an error buzz.

You have to make the computer’s move again and then prepare yourself for quickly undoing the computer’s and your move. Frustrating at times.

I am never in favour of using too few buttons to achieve too many tasks.

I have a question, just in case anyone has found a way to achieve the following:

When I have finished the game and scroll back through the moves to an earlier position in the game the position is shown on the screen. I would then like to try a different move and play on from that position.

Putting the physical pieces in the respective places as shown on the liquid paper screen does not get the Centaur to acknowledge that I want to play on front there. Instead, the computer is freaking out because it still has the final position in mind for the physical board.

I tried going into Set-Up mode hoping that the computer would use the position I had onscreen as the selected position to set up. Again the Centaur had the final position displayed in Set-Up mode.

I ended up setting up the position using the physical pieces from their respective locations from the first step. However, because of the way Set-Up works on the Centaur it was a bit of an ordeal.

So, is there a button press I am missing perhaps? The overly concise manual does not offer any clues.

I’ve played a few more games at friendly level.

The computer plays carefully and tactically. If you pay attention you can see weaknesses. BUT... it will crush you if you leave the door open.

I find the play taxing whilst proving a path for me to approve.

I am really enjoying the OTB play. I spend enough time staring at screens during the day!

Have you noticed that if you are making a capture that as you lift your piece, the Centaur will briefly flash the piece that it thinks you are going to capture?

I have observed it doing that during the last few games and on my last game just now but it flashed a different piece to the one I was capturing with my knight. After the computer made its move, I realised the Centaur was dropping a hint of a better move. I tried to take back moves but the computer kept re-issuing its move. In the end I used Set-up to set the position to before the capture.

The Saitek Talking Chess Academy initiates take back the same way as Centaur. The difference being the Talking Chess Academy stays in Take Back mode until the “No” button is pressed. It is a shame DGT did not do the same utilising the “back” button instead of exiting Take Back mode after a second or two.

Still, I agree, the nice thing about the Centaur is you do not have to look at the display to play an entire game of chess.

I have discovered that if the Centaur is left plugged into the power supply then it will turn back on immediately without doing the whole LED start-up test.

With smartboard+dgtpi you don't have to see the display because the moves are announced by audio

I believe you have to connect a powered speaker for that to work though. Still, my Talking Chess Academy announces moves and I agree, it does save one from having to look at the LCD screen.

Not a powered....even a pair of headphones...

On the subject of sound, I noticed that on a timed game the Centaur did not make an audible sound when my time ran out (or at least I did not hear it if it did). I had to look back through the move list (only a move or two) to see where the flag had actually dropped.

Also, I noted that while the result officially would have been a draw as the Centaur had insufficient material to mate, the Centaur stated that it had won.

Since Centaur does not have dedicated piece recognition but rather placement recognition, can a person use metal pieces (for conduction). I ask because I can place a metal washer on a square and it will show whatever piece had been pre-selected. Someone has also mentioned using aluminum foil tape. Is that a possibility?

There is a YouTuber who showed using Copper felt enabled conversation of a wooden chess set. I don’t think it would hurt the centaur to try so long as your all metal chess set is not massively heavy as I don’t think the board is that well supported underneath.

I have a similar question but the set I want to use has magnets underneath. I could take them out but it would be a destructive process. I am concerned the magnets could damage the closed loop sensors under the board surface.