I’m really confused by some of the comments on this forum.
Jeff said the schedule hasn’t changed.
The schedule was early Feb for 4.0 which it’s no longer early Feb. I simply asked for a updated schedule.
I love the board, but I genuinely don’t understand some of the people taking every single question as an attack that feel they need to snarkily defend.
It’s the 2nd time I’ll mention it, but lessons have been advertised on the product page since release and yet they’re still not available. Why are we okay with false advertising like this?
I don’t think people are snarkily defending things - I think it is just different sales channels.
ChessUp 2 was a pre-order campaign (Kickstarter). Ideally, software and hardware are done at same time. The people who pre-order are happy to take the hardware and get the software updates. All of the marketing material is from when there was not even a product at all. Many people waited 8 months to even get the board (Kickstarter in April, deliveries were December)
People who bought when in stock expected all features, understandably.
The other part is that we treat these as platforms and not just “done” products. ChessUp 1 has features beyond the box and description - because we continually release updates and features for our products. For ChessUp 1, there is an opening trainer, analysis, chess.com (none of which were even parts of the original product).
When the features that are advertised are not done, we keep the return window open. No one is ever harmed with a purchase with that policy. So if someone is unhappy with a feature on the way, they just return it.
With the feature roadmap - we gave estimates of dates. The lessons are perhaps the biggest of the features in terms of effort and is the most variable in terms of bug/troubleshooting. It is already staged in the app store and firmware has been done for a while. The guy who hits publish was out sick today so I expect he will hit publish tomorrow.
Some of the other features are not impacted by us waiting on iOS for lessons. Some of the other features may slip for other reasons but we will not know until we get into testing.
The dates are estimates and when appropriate, we update the dates.
Anyone who is impatient is welcome to return the unit - we understand. We have always honored that for the years that CU1 and CU2 have been out. We also continue to deliver features above and beyond the box. It is just how we treat these as a platform, not a siloed product.
I appreciate the detailed response Jeff, but ultimately my question has still gone ignored.
Ignoring lessons for a moment, if the schedule for 4.0 and 5.0 hasn’t changed, how is 4.0 not released yet when the schedule was early Feb?
I completely understand things get delayed but I think transparency goes a long way in simply updating the dates, like you said.
As I said, I love the board but now when I look at the roadmap I’ve completely lost confidence in not only what, but when it will be delivered.
Also I do think the “impatient” comment is a bit unnecessary. I wasn’t part of the kickstarter so it’s not about being inpatient, it’s about expecting features that are advertised to be available - as I’m sure any one would with any other product.
Lessons
Hit some bugs in testing iOS and held up for a couple of weeks past January. Releasing ASAP.
OTB Games Save/Export
Done and released pre 3.0
4.0 involves 3 major things:
Assistance bug fixes
Most of which are done, some fixes are actually in 3.0. Others were server bugs and not firmware related (but were fixed). I believe we still owe a bug fix for situations around undo involving assistance, but it will be fixed too.
Chess.com Bot Play Improvements
This is a mix, some server improvements are done and it was not tied to a firmware release because it was not a firmware bug. Saving bot games is waiting on Chess.com and we are frozen until we hear more from them. If there are any outstanding bugs in our ticket system we take those one by one and fix. This week there is a forced log out and log in for Chess.com that will also help with bot play.
Receive Chess.com Challenges
This is waiting on resources from lessons and is in conflict. This is partially delayed.
The schedule was always communicated as should be by x date and that we will update as we make progress. Many sub-items of 4.0 are already done and were sprinkled in other released. The exception being the Chess.com challenges (board to board Chess.com). That is a major one and inherits the highest priority. It is still expected to be a February thing.
5.0
Board Editor Flow - is in UI design right now and internal test releases are soon
Live Analysis Bar - also part of #1 design effort
Hint Limit - already released
No Lights Mode - part of the UI design effort from #1 and #2 as well.
Save and Resume Games - also part of the UI design effort going on
I think the divide here is that we gave an estimate, communicated it as an estimate, and a couple weeks slide on some parts and not others. You have taken that to mean that we will never deliver these features
^that is extreme and not an accurate extrapolation. We certainly are not happy people are waiting on features. But there is nothing in our history of any project that suggests we are not releasing features soon.
I can promise that the schedule is an estimate and mostly accurate. I cannot promise a schedule to the exact date and we thus do not attempt to maintain it to that resolution. We maintain it to the monthly level.
If there is a very specific feature you are waiting on - perhaps just ask for clarification on that feature?
Thank you for taking the time to go into detail on these matters. As you mentioned, if there’s a specific feature we’re looking for, we should just ask. So, here I am asking.
I’ve been thinking about how board vision could be trained in a more structured, engaging way something that isn’t just passive memorisation but an interactive, cognitive process that forces rapid recall. The idea is a timed, responsive drill where the board randomly instructs the user to place a specific piece on a designated square—such as “Place a rook on h1”—without any visual aid. The goal is to train how quickly and accurately a player can recall board coordinates under pressure while actively engaging with the ChessUp 2 board.
How It Works & Why It’s Effective
The screen provides only a coordinate, requiring the player to mentally visualise the board rather than relying on external references. The player must place the correct piece within a set time. If the placement is incorrect, the board gives immediate feedback, reinforcing the correct square through subtle cues rather than explicit guidance.
The Role of Coloured Squares in Spatial Memory Training
To enhance learning, coloured squares could serve as dynamic memory triggers rather than direct hints:
Flashing colours reinforce piece placement zones without revealing the correct answer. If the player misplaces a piece, the square pulses in a contrasting shade to encourage self-correction.
Gradual colour transitions indicate time pressure, subtly training an intuitive sense of urgency.
Memory patterns emerge through highlighted sequences, encouraging players to track previous placements and anticipate spatial relationships.
Striking the Right Balance Between Instruction & Reaction
To ensure real cognitive growth, the system must guide without over-assisting:
Minimalist prompts on the board’s screen challenge players to interpret instructions rather than execute them passively.
Gradual removal of visual cues as skill improves forces the brain to adapt, reinforcing true board vision.
Prediction-based exercises, such as “Move a knight to a square that reaches d4 in two moves,” shift focus from recall to strategic spatial reasoning.
Scaling for All Levels & STEM Integration
Beginners benefit from light reinforcement through colour and gentle correction cues.
Advanced players reconstruct positions from verbal instructions alone, bridging the gap between memory and competitive-level recall.
STEM principles enhance learning, using adaptive scaling, neural reinforcement, and spatial-reasoning challenges for maximum cognitive benefit.
Why This Would Revolutionise Board Vision Training
This wouldn’t be another memorisation drill. It would be a fully integrated cognitive system that develops instinctive board vision, rapid pattern recognition, and strategic foresight. It trains the brain to see, think, and act with absolute precision, transforming how players engage with the board. If executed properly, this could be one of the most groundbreaking, results-driven chess vision tools ever created.
No idea if it’s an easy interim fix or if it’s something people really want, but if it was integrated with chess.com “vision” and/or Lichess’s “coordinates” training and that was a lot easier to integrate, it could be a step toward the more sophisticated approach. Could even see if people used it enough to warrant further development. (I personally would give it a go if I had the v2. Board because it’s another fun game to play that isn’t chess but has the potential to improve my poor game.
I bought my board in December during the FIDE Championship so not one of the kickstarter backers. I’m really looking forward to all the new releases and features, especially the lessons. I keep checking if there are any updates for the app on a daily basis, as excited (or should I say anxious?) as the next person. That being said, I know software release estimates are, well… estimates. Even major game developers postpone new releases sometimes for months or sometimes years (more complex projects but also much bigger budgets and teams).
All things considered, I don’t mind waiting a few more weeks for the new releases. What is more important, as other people have mentioned in this thread, is that the software is as stable and free of major bugs as possible. I feel privileged (and somewhat a bit spoiled) that I’m receiving such detailed information from the company’s leadership. I had never had such level of interaction with no other company or organisation, big or small. With the new updates I feel like my board has already increased in value.
Please, just get the features we were promised first please.
Features are nice, but something like this…well, the coordinates are just ‘a thru h’ and ‘1 thru 8’. Frankly, one can say ‘e6’ or ‘Ne6’ in their mind or aloud and put a knight on what they believe to be the right square and then look at the coordinates already on the side of the board to verify it.
I totally agree @Hserrano. Well said! Absolutely no rush @Jeff! I have never experienced such direct communication with the leadership or community of such an already amazing product!
