Microsoft Surface Go and Chess

Picked up a Surface Go, besides the fun factor, thought I might use it for chess, a bit of a mistake.

For chess the only reason you choose the Surface Go, is for Windows 10 and the hardware specs.

And the only reason you want Windows 10 is a chess database (chess playing programs are readily available on other platforms).

And there is the issue.

1) Chess databases (scid, chessbase, chess assistant etc.) werent designed for touch interface. Using them becomes clunky and very difficult.

2) They weren't designed for small screens. Take scid for example, the basic move play icons and top menus are so small its just not very usuable.

So I ended up using the chessbase live online version, which solves most of these problems, but really isnt what most people would consider a full chess database (none of the fun graphs, database utilities etc).

I probably wont return it, its a fun toy, but i would caution people before they buy.

Well, although some time has passed since your post, I really appreciate it. I was struggling to choose between an iPad (Probably Pro 10", we'll see) and a Surface Pro. Appart from a chess DB I don't see any point on Windows 10 in a small touch screen. In fact, you can access Chessbase online database with Chessbase online app (not free) or new chessbase web apps that maybe they are a little bit underestimated comparing to other platform tools. If I really need to work hard on a DB I will still need a laptop and I would like to be able to spare some time on the go with a good big screen and chess content.

Allow me to resurrect this thread to provide a use case: 

I have Millennium and Chessnut eBoards and my main computer is a Mac (already a red-headed stepchild in the Chess world).  The Millennium came with a dedicated chess computer (probably ARM) which is very easy to use but it is just one opponent. Both boards require a mobile device or a PC/Mac to play against other engines or online. You can buy multiple apps for the mobile devices (if they support your eBoard) to play against those engines but each comes with its own UI.  You can't add UCI/Xboard engines to a single GUI because Apple doesn't allow iOS plug-ins and Google is reportedly going to disallow them on Android as well. Walled gardens are de rigueur on mobile devices but not on Windows.

Install any Windows chess program that supports UCI and Xboard on a Surface device and you can install a nearly infinite number of engines. Windows is conveniently the most common target for most compiled/binary engine distributions too.  Run the one program you choose (i.e. LucasChess) and the Surface becomes a dedicated chess computer that lets you use your eBoard to play against all of the engines you choose to install.

If you don't have an interest in standalone chess computers, like PicoChess or the upcoming Mephisto Phoenix, the mobile apps from the eBoard manufacturers are good enough to play online with their various shortcomings and restrictions.

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Allow me to resurrect this thread to provide a use case:

I have Millennium and Chessnut eBoards and my main computer is a Mac (already a red-headed stepchild in the Chess world). The Millennium came with a dedicated chess computer (probably ARM) which is very easy to use but it is just one opponent. Both boards require a mobile device or a PC/Mac to play against other engines or online. You can buy multiple apps for the mobile devices (if they support your eBoard) to play against those engines but each comes with its own UI. You can't add UCI/Xboard engines to a single GUI because Apple doesn't allow iOS plug-ins and Google is reportedly going to disallow them on Android as well. Walled gardens are de rigueur on mobile devices but not on Windows.

Install any Windows chess program that supports UCI and Xboard on a Surface device and you can install a nearly infinite number of engines. Windows is conveniently the most common target for most compiled/binary engine distributions too. Run the one program you choose (i.e. LucasChess) and the Surface becomes a dedicated chess computer that lets you use your eBoard to play against all of the engines you choose to install.

If you don't have an interest in standalone chess computers, like PicoChess or the upcoming Mephisto Phoenix, the mobile apps from the eBoard manufacturers are good enough to play online with their various shortcomings and restrictions