Electronic Chess Boards

Choosing your DGT e-Board

Every board on this page is a DGT e-Board, and each one works as a pair: the board plus DGT electronic pieces with sensors inside them. Together they pass your moves to chess software over USB-C, which is what lets you play, record and analyse on real pieces. The decision is narrower than it looks: timber or Smart Board, and whether you want pieces included.

• Timber USB e-Boards: real walnut, rosewood or wengé at 540mm. The premium option, and the one to choose if the board is going to live out on a table.
• DGT Smart Board: a 520mm plastic e-board with a walnut print surface. Lower cost and lighter to handle, with the same software bundle.
• Board only or complete: the timber boards can be bought bare if you already own DGT electronic pieces, or as a set with Royal, Timeless or Classic pieces.

Walnut, rosewood and wengé

All three timber boards are the same board at 540mm with the same electronics and the same software bundle. What changes is the timber and the finish, so the choice is about how you want it to look in the room rather than how it performs. Have a look at the photographs on each product page, because the difference between the three reads more clearly in an image than it does in a description.

Each timber board ships with Fritz 19 chess software and a one year PlayChess.com Premium Membership included, whichever finish you choose.

Board only, or board with pieces

This is the distinction worth getting right before you order. A DGT e-Board does not detect pieces by touch. The pieces themselves carry sensors, so a board on its own will not register anything until you pair it with DGT electronic pieces.

Buy the board only version if you already own a set of DGT electronic pieces and want a second board or an upgrade in timber. If this is your first DGT board, buy a complete set with Royal, Timeless or Classic pieces, or you will have a board you cannot yet play on.

Which pieces work with these boards

The timber USB e-Boards take full size DGT electronic pieces with a 95mm king, and the board only versions are compatible with all DGT electronic chess pieces. If you are replacing or adding a set, our electronic chess pieces range covers the options.

Ordinary weighted chess pieces will not work on these boards, however good they are. The sensing happens in the pieces, not the board, which is also why pieces cannot be moved across from a DGT Centaur.

Where these boards sit

This page covers the boards. If you are still deciding between a sensor board like these, a Bluetooth board for online play, or a self-contained chess computer that needs nothing else, our electronic chess sets range sets out the whole picture and is the better place to start.

For traditional boards without electronics, see all chess boards. The full brand line-up including clocks and accessories sits in the DGT collection.

Frequently asked questions

What size are the DGT timber e-Boards?

The walnut, rosewood and wengé USB e-Boards are all 540mm across and take full size DGT electronic pieces with a 95mm king, which is tournament proportioned. The Smart Board is 520mm, so only marginally smaller. The real difference between them is the material, not the footprint.

What is the difference between the timber boards and the Smart Board?

The timber boards are real walnut, rosewood or wengé. The Smart Board is a 520mm plastic e-board with a walnut print, which brings the cost down and makes it lighter to handle. It comes with DGT weighted plastic pieces, and the software bundle is the same. The difference is materials and price rather than function.

Can I buy the board without pieces?

Yes. The walnut, rosewood and wengé boards are all available as board only versions, and they are compatible with all DGT electronic chess pieces. Only buy one of these if you already own DGT electronic pieces, because the board will not detect ordinary chess pieces.

What software do these boards work with?

Every timber USB e-Board includes Fritz 19 chess software and a one year PlayChess.com Premium Membership. The boards also work with other desktop chess software that supports DGT e-Boards.

Do these boards need to be plugged in?

Yes. The USB e-Boards connect to a computer or tablet by USB-C, which carries both the data and the power. They are not standalone units, so they need a connected device to do anything.

Can I use the pieces from my DGT Centaur on one of these boards?

No. The Centaur detects moves through touch sensors built into its own board and uses ordinary weighted pieces. These e-Boards detect moves through sensors inside the pieces. The two systems are not compatible in either direction.

What warranty do DGT electronic chess boards come with?

All DGT products sold by Sterling Chess carry a 2 year limited manufacturer warranty covering manufacturing defects, and every board is sourced directly from DGT. That sits alongside Sterling Chess 100 day free returns.

Backed by Sterling Chess

Sterling Chess is an authorised Australian DGT retailer. Every board is checked before it goes into the catalogue, so what arrives is genuine current stock with the software entitlements intact, not a grey import. Orders ship from Australian stock with local support behind them and 100 day free returns.

The board only versus complete set question is the one people most often get wrong, and it is worth a two minute conversation before you order rather than a return afterwards. If you are unsure which pieces suit the board you already own, the team is a call or email away on (03) 7037 0931.