DGT Centaur chess computer brief review

Hi, 

Looking at getting back into chess.  Never a serious player but studied and mainly played computers (I think I had the first Chess Challenger).  The Centaur looks great for it's simplicity, battery powered, no screens to look at to read the moves, etc.   But I also plan on playing online eventually  (with a board) and I like what I read about Millennium (and the advanced features).   I guess I want both.     Or maybe I get the Centaur to start and and a separate e-board when I want to get on line.    The DGT board with the PSI seems kind of clunky though.   I was up to 3 last night reading comments and reviews.  

Quick question about the Centaur.  If you play with time limits, does it evaluate you differently?  So, for example if I play a game of speed chess will it dumb down its game even when I play without time limits? 

Thanks! 

You have a choice of strengths to choose so it's not determined by a time control 

I have a Centaur for a quick game but for a serious game I use a Certabo board that also let's me play online. https://www.certabo.com/products/chessboards/

No it does not have a 40 moves in 120 minute level.

I'm not sure " serious games" require a longer time level ? Honestly just set it to a 5 minute game and on its strongest setting and it is simply incredible...it's plays some outstanding chess

Hi I'm not saying that Stockfish doesn't play strong chess which obviously it does. Over fifty years ago I played in World and European Correspondence Chess tournaments that you analysed a single move for days. I still like to play the five hour plus games occasionally but only on a full size wooden tournament board. Fifty years ago I had quite a good club rating but because of my slight memory loss my rating is now pathetically low. During 5hr games my chess is still quite good but my blitz chess is awful as I spend more time looking at my clock instead of the game. I really like the design of the Centaut which I bought for myself and grandson but even at its lowest level, Stockfish just crushes my grangson.

I almost never play against Centaur using a timesetting. It adepts to my level and if I want to play a serious game I set it to challenging and take all the time I want for each move. Centaur answers within 10 to 15 seconds and I get a game that suits mt level. At the friendly setting I notice real beginners don't stand a chance. My stepson always gets beaten every time. 

Thank you for all the great info.  Just came across this thread as my Centaur is on order. (With a store 20% off discount and credit they owed me on another old purchase I was able to get it for about half the retail price.)  My only question is the disconnect on the battery replacement.  Earlier in the thread evidently DGT stated it is not replaceable, however a newer post states that it is.  

I have a feeling DGT would rather you make a new purchase than break it open to replace the battery, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.  I’m also going to check if it’s possible to bypass the battery completely (assuming it was dead) and just run directly off the AC.

I’m looking forward to playing it.  Other than playing online games (obviously) my sole Chess computer experience has been with a really excellent little 9V portable chess computer with 16 increasing levels called Star Chess (Newcrest Technology, made in Hong Kong).  About $70 in 1984 or so.  It came with extra queens, a little storage compartment for the pieces, allows you to save games, etc.  I can’t believe it’s over 35 years old at this point, but still going strong.

Has anyone done any digging as to how the adaptive strength is implemented? I'm assuming that since it's RaspPi and python, we may be able to peek under the hood. Mine is getting here tomorrow. I mainly want to use it to set up "won" positions from books and play against it at full strength to practice precision, but I'm very curious about the adaptive strength aspect.

BTW, the adaption is made based on the the game you are playing, it does not remember from game to game.  So if it makes a really bad move, I assume I must have made one as well!  

Hrm, this is kind of disheartening -- so what you're saying is that there is effectively no negative reinforcement for making blunders?

Mine's still not here yet -- USPS delays!

I sent them an email and they confirmed that it adapts in-game only and there is a coupon too to save some money. 

How often do you guys typically win on the easier or middle modes?  Some reviews say they find even friendly mode quite challenging, but others are saying it can make some easy sacrifices too 

On friendly mode, it will make some pretty poor moves if you do as well.  So if it leaves a piece hanging then you probably did as well!  I just have a it for a while after years of not playing chess and I am just starting to learn not to blunder.