The haunted chess set
Following my prolonged spell of illness I've been playing catch-up this week by starting work on a few projects simultaneously and I've also been playing chess (badly) against an invisible opponent.
This was a video I was able to assemble in a shorter time than usual, although as a result it is a bit less polished in places. I'm not a fan of using jump cuts, but you'll see a few deployed here. Needs must, especially when my tendency to blather clashes with the requirements of an increasingly impatient youtube audience.
I'll talk about this subject properly sometime - but it seems like a youtube video of more than fifteen minutes is as off-putting to many nowadays as a thousand page novel could be to my generation.
Anyway I hope you enjoy this one and thank you for your continued support.
UPDATE: I've uploaded a new version of the video (above) with a couple of corrections regarding the differences between the two tables. I didn't want to mislead anyone, so I made this section clearer with a new voiceover section replacing the to-camera original.
Comments (80)
I have re-watched this several times... One of the best in my book anyway
It’s been a surprisingly popular video.
One of my favourites-- with the master tapes
Very amusing video, this one. "Opened with the fibonacci sequence" and your surprise whenever one of your pieces went wandering off the board! I LOLed. I'm pretty sure I wanted one of these when I was a kid, too. I have no idea why. There is some shared pop-culture reason, though, I'm sure.
Hahaha nice skit Matt! I actually saw the Square Off chess board in a store in Silicon Valley called "b8ta," it's like a store that shows new gadgets. Seems like it would be right up your alley if it was nearby, why don't you take a look? https://b8ta.com/ The coolest product I saw was this smartpen that when you write down on paper, it automatically saves what you wrote to an app b8ta.com/b/neo-smartpen-m1-1
Thanks for the link - somewhere in a box I have a Livescribe pen - that does the same and plays a few games as well using controls you write on paper.
Such a shame that it's app-mandatory. I like a good bluetooth gadget like anyone else, but a nice thing like this could be a fixture of someone's home for decades. You can bet the app won't still be available in decades.
Patreoned after seeing this - Great video,- they're all good - but this one was good too :)
Really good video and a really interesting machine!
James Moan: "Do you expect me to talk? " Evil Villain: "No, Mr Moan, I expect you to resign!"
I guess the computer's too smart for the four-move check mate. I really, really enjoyed this one, Mat. Laughed a lot. The slightly different format, hilarious one-liners ... Something about the "less polished" result that also feels like we're just hanging out with you. Favourite bit was definitely the pretentious film scene.
Did I catch a childhood look of wonder on your face when you saw the first piece move on its own? Maybe I'm projecting. What a fascinating machine! I'm very curious... have you watched the computer castle itself?
Yes that’s what I was feeling - as you know I love a good mechanical device, even when it’s doing something simple, if it does it elegantly I’m happy. Unless I’m mistaken there seems to be some castling going on in that streamed match.
Glad your feeling better, nice video, I actually like the ones in the conservatory for a change of scenery once in a while. Hope the academy doesn't snub you this year!
"... Play with friends ... I don't have any friends". Yes you do, Matt, all around the world, dozens of us, chatting with you via Patreon!
Your talk of 1980s electronic chess boards reminded me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u5686LK4Ts
Another interesting video. Your videos always have a feelgood sense of normality about them. Hope you are fully recovered.
I’m a lot better thanks. I can finally get back to testing some headphones I bought before my hearing vanished.
For what it's worth, I recall seeing something similar on Tomorrow's World. I suppose that dates the idea somewhat… and me. I was very taken with it and now I see that they are being made I'm really tempted even though I also haven't played in decades. I still find it enthralling and thanks Mat for bringing it to our attention.
Loved this video. I remembered the scene from The Lonely Guy where Charles Grodin plays computer chess:. https://youtu.be/U1PHJC0hq1c
During research I came across this page (that hasn’t been updated since 2009) which lists movies featuring chess - there are quite a few http://www.oocities.org/siliconvalley/lab/7378/movies.htm
I'm looking forward to the upcoming Moans episode where Moan The Younger has a whinge about YouTube videos with jump cuts and Moan The Elder keeps talking about how he needs to go to the barber. xD
That was sort of interesting until the game scene, where the beard deserves it's own credits.
Another entertaining video, Mat. I've never seen one of those in action before and I have to say it's quite impressive. I did the school chess club once - that was enough frankly, so I won't be buying one, but that's why I enjoy your videos, because you show me things I will not be owning but still find interesting. It was good to see you laughing so much, too. :-)
I think the only reason I went to the chess club at lunch was to get out of the rain - I don’t think there was much chess going on (as is quite evident).
Get it on ebay, buy some cheap wooden pieces and use that table as the board - against the puppets or maybe the missus! lol. Glad you're feeling better. I was/am crap at chess - I couldn't even beat the Artic computing 1k chess program on the zx81! Best regards, Kelvin
I used to play in chess tournaments when I was in cubs and scouts. I don't think I've played since, really. Was never that good at it is. Still love chess though. Now I want one of these and to get back in to playing...
Those two chess playing characters sounded suspiciously like the muppet characters. :-)
The only reason they weren’t was just down to time - although I think the ‘acting’ would have been better if they were.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It is something a little different. I am completely rubbish at chess but playing against an AI opponent appeals to me - mainly because no one can witness how bad I truly am. I might keep an eye out for this. Thanks Mat.
It was scary seeing the puppets come to life :)
Great video. I personally like the longer ones. Never knew these where a thing. Pretty neat.
Another great video, Thanks Techmoan.
What a great video! I really liked seeing you enjoy yourself so much with this. I used one of those old ones back in the day, but this new incarnation of an automatic chess set just looks magical. I agree on the size though. Not many houses this would properly fit in, unless you're a chess addict and it's your main hobby :)
This was a great video! I desperately wanted one of these things when I was browsing through the Radio Shack catalog as a kid. I even saw them in the local store and didn't care about the noise, although my dad seemed to care about the price... I really loved your enthusiasm for this robot chess machine despite, like me, being chess challenged and getting dismantled by it...
As always...What a brilliantly interesting and funny film! So pleased I found this channel and delighted to be a patron.
Glad you’re here.
Definitely, there's a plotter underneath, and a resistive "touchscreen like" 4 wires membrane. My thought is that all the calculation are made by the app on the phone. This thing looks really magical! Great video as always.
They say that the device does the thinking...but I’m not sure. If it does though, it’s even more of a shame it doesn’t have a stand-alone mode.
Here's a little Chess related curio I have. A teach yourself guide on record... https://imgshare.io/image/8394b38d-ac9b-46c7-9f64-4344b1baca8b.IKrKd It comes with a board in the gatefold, and some very thin plastic chessmen... https://imgshare.io/image/c2791336-3da0-41e9-8b21-b352639d1411.IKpWH Oh, and here's the chess set my poor nephew got one Christmas. See how long before you spot the problem... https://imgshare.io/image/34d1419c-852b-4a03-8549-27b5a935cd65.IGzFX Incidentally, I barely have the concentration for snakes and ladders, so I've never learnt Chess, despite that record!
You should be a chess expert as a result of that record. Oh and I’m still trying to figure out the problem with that set...don’t tell me... ;-)
I don’t care how long your videos are. I find them informative and interesting. Wish I started collecting older electronics earlier.
I think we all do. I could have cleaned up if I’d been picking the old stuff up before eBay. But then again I’d never have found it either.
I've always been fascinated by devices like this. I think there was even a time when I thought of how to build one, but this was long before the time of powerful rare-earth magnets and easily available cheap stepper motors. And I was never interested in the game as much, just in the idea of having an invisible machine move the pieces. Incidentally, thanks to a fellow Dutch expat that I follow called Aart Bik, I know there is something called a Universal Chess Interface and a Chess Engine Communication Protocol, which make it possible to use different programs with different chess robots. Aart's website is at http://www.aartbik.com/android.php; he wrote several programs to play chess, checkers and other games on Android phones and tablets and the programs can apparently be linked to several robots that follow those specifications. Maybe that sort of thing will be interesting for a future video when you feel better. Thanks for posting!
I may not be the right man for the job - it’s like someone who doesn’t have a driving licence reviewing cars, but I’m with you on the automation being the attraction. The chess comes a distant second place to me. We don’t really see much in the way of mechanical automation nowadays - it’s all screens and software, so seeing something physical being manipulated by a computer still has a unique attraction.
I have that first Fidelity chess set that you show. And it still works. But I had no idea that it cost that kind of money! It was always just a toy to me. Where would I have come up with that kind of money? Or alternatively, who would have liked me enough to give me a gift like that?
That is really interesting - if you only had a Commodore PET in the background secretly giving you advice on what moves to make you'd have truly been a world class villain in the movie piece.
That would have been a better idea - however that’s the only tape of McMullet I could find (fortunately).
Hilarious episode. I too haven't played chess in 20 years or so and I know I'd be awful. Kudos to the two actors - so realistic! About as realistic as a game that was around in my childhood, which this sort of reminded me of. Thankfully I never owned one or wanted one. Even as a child I knew it was ridiculous. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSpkYyQc89U Be grateful your culture wasn't immersed in American football. On second thought, your football isn't any better. I'm a baseball person.
Before you get rid of this device because you have no place to store it, I think it would make an excellent MacGuffin for a comedy short. Sorry I don't have any ideas for one myself although maybe you could use the premise that our beloved Mr. Moan--the YouTube Pedant--fancies himself a chess master and comedy ensues. In any case, today's video was enjoyable all on it's own.
Amazing episode! Very cool device!
kind of a cool concept but I would have preferred after setting it up with your phone, it could automatically connect to your house wifi for games and not need the app every time. That would mean having a couple switches or buttons to select game mode but.. I'd love to be able to NOT need my phone nearby every time i wanted to move a piece or play. Does it have a sleep mode if unattended for long? or if you start a match against the cpu, will it remain "active" perpetually so you could play over a few weeks?
I think the way it works is that the app on your phone always shows the current game in progress - unless you cancel it. So whenever you turn it on and the Bluetooth connects to your phone - you start the app and you’re back at the point you left it.
LOL, I guess he didn't have to cancel his restaurant reservation. When you hear a buzz at night, it could be that two ghosts are playing chess against each other. Shh, do not disturb them. Unfortunately, the board doesn't talk to you. It could announce its move or even rate your move or disturb you in a "tease" mode. Do you know if there is a voice channel or a chat function established when you play against someone over the Internet?
I don’t - however you could download the app for free and see how it works - the app works without the board.
Well done. That little cellphone stand is sweet. Can you share a link to it?
It came in the box, but it’s the same as this https://amzn.to/2ZVtmHK (affiliated link)
I'm really disappointed to hear that people prefer short videos because I tend to enjoy the long, in depth detailed looks at things. It's a shame that this is happening!
I saw someone recommend a YouTube video to a chap online ( it wasn’t one of mine) and he replied that he won’t even click on a video if it’s longer than 15 minutes - no matter what the subject. Now you could put that down to just one person’s oddness - but I believe it’s quite a common attitude, I’ve seen similar things mentioned in more than a few places recently.
I think most patrons would love to see an occasional 'director's cut' of a video / subject of particular interest to you. We live vicariously through your enthusiasm!
The stuff I cut is usually better left out - often just overlong explanations of things explained elsewhere in the video. You'll spot a couple of voiceovers used in this one - those were to replace long winded pieces to camera with far more concise versions.
Great Video, the jump cuts weren't too bad. Question about playing online, you said the other person also has to have a Square Off, but in the advertisement it says the app connects to chess.com, so my guess would be that you could also be playing against an opponent just playing online on the website mentioned?
I mentioned that they could play just through the app too, sorry if it wasn't clear in the video. I’ll post an update under the video. I haven’t tried any of the online stuff.
Interesting to see, I played chess as a kid, and was also thinking about such a thing... But playing to a computer never really caught me, I'm not good enough for that, I need a human opponent on whom I can use psychological tricks 😈
My son is learning chess in his preschool with some system called "Chess at 3," I figure I need something like this or "Chess at 40." Nice video.
It's interesting to me that it's still being taught. As I don't have any kids I've got no one to ask about these things, but in the current age of ubiquitous computers I was wondering if Chess was still relevant.
This was fun. 😂 Thank You Techmoan. Love Your videos and learn alot from watching them. 😊 Peter. Denmark.
It's funny how, at least sometimes, videos that you think are sort of "throw away" turn out to be really great. I especially appreciated seeing McMullet. And regardless of whether these were available in the 1980s or not, *I'd* never heard of such a thing either then or now. Very cool (at least to this non-Chess player). Thanks, as always!
At the moment I definitely fall into the non-chess player category too.
If you can make me good at producing interesting youtube content, then I will make you good at chess!
You keep mentioning that you have items that you cannot use because the app is no longer available. At least for Android you can still download and install any version of the app that has been available from sites like apkmirror.com. Unless the app relies on some servers being up and running as well, you will at least have access to the app itself. I think it is possible to sideload apps on iPhone as well, although I guess the process will probably be a tad bit longer than just going to settings and check a box for allowing installation from other sources.
I was thinking of things with servers - amongst which are a car HUD and a couple of home security cameras, that little vector robot thingy, the Chumby, a little printer jobby that printed tweets - there's more but those are the ones I can remember right now. It's just my personal preference - over the years I've burnt too much money on things that rely on other things that stopped being provided. If I buy something, ideally it should work on its own.
I'd just be cheating and play 2 computers off against each other. I did that on the Amiga, had 2 chess games open, had them both on grand master setting and played black on 1 game and white on the other.
Great video Matt, I found the whole thing very amusing!
Nifty! :D But did you not want to open it up and see what kind of mechanics they use? I'm guessing two axis roller that moves in XY with an electro magnet being switched on/off?
I didn't want to open it - but yes you know it's like a flatbed plotter with a magnet.
A few jump cuts are something that is perfectly normal :) I can't stand it when they are used to try and increase excitement in the program. The missus was watching a cooking program called Sugar Rush on Netflix and I stopped what I was doing to join her for a while. There wasn't a single shot that was held for more than 5 seconds. It actually made me start to get a migraine. As long as you don't start doing that, you'll still get me to watch. Even the long videos!
I'll always try to keep them to an absolute minimum - If possible I disguise them with a cut-away ..also if I ever use the side-cam shot (aka the crap-shot) you can have me shot.
It's going to be an x-y beam with a magnet on the z axis. Clever how it knows how to get the pieces around each other. I guess the app works without internet connection so wouldn't be server reliant. Loved the skit.
Yes as long as you've got a device with the app still on it then you should be OK. There's always the potential that they go bankrupt and then no one updates the app - and one day the old app is no longer supported by the latest OS. So perhaps it'd be worth keeping an old phone around with the app on it just in case.