InternetChessTable

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  • DIY Internet Chess Table makes online matches suddenly awesome (video)

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    07.12.2010

    Computerized chess has been around for at least a few centuries now (okay, so maybe "score" is more accurate), but if you thought an IBM supercomputer dominating one of the planet's brightest humans was gnarly, have a gander at this. One determined modder has whipped up what may very well be the most impressive way to engage in online chess ever, as the DIY Internet Chess Table turns an on-screen opponent into an on-table opponent. Put simply (or as simply as possible), the multitouch table uses a projector to beam a chessboard onto an opaque surface, and moves are captured via webcam and sent back to an internet server. The human's moves are recognized and countered, and then that same human is told where to move the computer's piece via on-screen arrows. Trust us -- it's worth your while to hop on past the break and mash play for a video demonstration. Update: To clarify, the table syncs up to play matches over freechess.org, but as far as your Feng Shui is concerned, it's still a single player in your room.