Chess is timeless, but automating it? That’s where the real magic begins. Enter [Tamerlan Goglichidze]’s Pi Board, an automated chess system that blends modern tech with age-old strategy ...

“Over the board is how chess is best. To practice with Centaur, to play with real pieces, is a lot more fun than with a diagram. It gives people a better understanding of the positions.

Almost nothing looks more orderly than chess pieces before a match starts. The first move, however, begins a spiral into chaos. After both players move, 400 possible board setups exist. After the ...