ChessUp 2 – Community Ideas and Improvements (User-Driven Thread)
Hi everyone
I’ve been using ChessUp 2 since 23.09.2025, and it’s the board that finally made me able to play real, physical chess.
Before I got it, I only knew how to play digitally — I didn’t understand board setup, piece handling, or real movement at all.
Now, thanks to the lights, sensors, and built-in training feedback, I can play on an actual board. Without ChessUp 2, I simply couldn’t.
Since joining the forum, I’ve been posting bug reports and following updates closely (firmware, bots, “Best Move” feature, etc.).
Now I’d like to collect feature ideas and quality-of-life improvements from the community — things that could take ChessUp into the next century.
Starter Ideas
“No-light” mode – full darkness mode (beyond Minimal Lights) for advanced players who want zero LEDs during play
Optional wooden overlay / board themes – customizable physical or LED color look with classic wood tones
Better bot timer controls – same flexibility as in the app for timed AI matches
Commentary or teaching voices – something like Torstein Bae explaining ideas post-game
Integration with Google Assistant / Home Assistant – voice commands, spoken feedback, smart-home link
Community feedback mode – shared bug confirmation and feature-voting system
Solo Light Mode (0 – 6 Assistance Scale) – both players can independently select any level from 0 – 6: Level 0 = no LEDs at all for dark-board play, while Levels 1 – 6 match the current assistance tiers (Selected Piece → Best Move). Perfect for coaching, handicap, or mixed-skill games — each player chooses their own help level without affecting the other.
Live Game Broadcasting / Shareable Web View — allow games played via ChessUp 2 (OTB, bots, etc.) to stream or export in real time (with move history / PGN) so others can follow the match online.
SmartDock Add-On (Backward Compatible) – official charging base for all ChessUp 2 boards that provides wireless-style power through a magnetic alignment pad and spring-pin USB-C contact. No internal modification needed — simply set the board down to charge, no cables. Optional future features: ambient edge lighting synced with timers, power-status LEDs, or smart-home integration. Makes ChessUp 2 completely cable-free while staying compatible with every existing board.
Auto-Reconnect After Failed Chess.com Game – board automatically retries connection after a “Game Seek Failed” message instead of freezing on “Starting Soon.”
Adjustable LED Brightness (Night Mode) – manual or automatic dimming option to reduce glare during evening or dark-room play.
Dynamic Tactical Motif Recognition Mode – identifies and names tactical motifs like “Pin Detected,” “Skewer Threat,” “Fork Opportunity,” or “Discovered Attack” in real time. It could highlight relevant pieces and lines directly on the board, merging Chess.com, Lichess, and ChessTempo tactical databases into one live awareness system. This would make ChessUp 2 not just a smart board, but a true tactical intelligence companion. As an optional toggle-on feature, it could be fused with the current feature modes — or users could choose between them, depending on available screen space and preference.
Future-Generation Note (ChessUp 3 Possibility) – applies only if a true ChessUp 3 board is ever released. Modular Upgrade Path: allow ChessUp 2 owners to upgrade their existing boards to ChessUp 3 hardware using official upgrade kits (similar to Prusa’s MK3 → MK4 system). Keeps existing boards alive while adding new sensors, faster chips, or improved LEDs.
If ChessUp 2 instead becomes an “Infinity Board” that receives continuous firmware and accessory updates, this suggestion can be skipped – the focus would stay on software and add-on evolution instead.
(Posted by Ivara96 – Next-Century Modular Vision)
Tournament Board Behavior Mode (TV-Style Synchronization) – enable ChessUp to behave like the professional sensor boards used in official tournaments and live championship broadcasts (such as FIDE or Chess.com events). The board would synchronize instantly with digital platforms — detecting piece movement in real time, validating moves automatically, and updating online broadcasts seamlessly. Ideal for clubs, streamers, or event organizers who want their ChessUp board to perform like a tournament broadcast board while keeping its signature LED feedback.
Sound Notification System – add optional audio cues to ChessUp 2 for turn changes, move confirmations, and other in-game alerts.
This would be especially useful in bright rooms where LED indicators are harder to see.
Even a short tone or optional “your move” voice cue would help players keep track of turns without needing to constantly look at the board.
The feature could include volume control and an on/off toggle in the settings, and in the future could expand to Bluetooth speaker or app-linked sound output.
It would make the board more accessible and improve overall gameplay awareness.
ChessKid Integration – allow ChessUp to connect with ChessKid accounts so children, schools, and clubs can play official ChessKid tournaments or online matches directly through their board.
This would make ChessUp ideal for younger players and school chess programs already using ChessKid.
Integration could sync progress, track games, and help parents or teachers monitor student performance — turning ChessUp into the perfect educational chess board for beginners.
Please comment your feature ideas or votes below!
I’ll keep this first post updated as a live list for Jeff, Richard, and the team to review.
Together we can make ChessUp evolve faster and keep improving the physical-digital chess connection.
Would it be possible to pin this thread for visibility?
I’ve created it as a community-driven list for ChessUp 2 feature ideas, improvements, and feedback — something the whole community can add to and discuss together.
I’ll keep the first post continuously updated as a live list so you and the team can easily review all suggestions in one place.
Love the enthusiasm - and yes the entire function of the forum is meant to be feedback from the community. However, we only pin critical announcements. As long as a thread is active it will float back up to the top with new replies.
Added this new idea to the main post Solo Light Mode (0–6 Assistance Scale) — both players can choose their own light levels, including full dark mode (0).
Curious what others think — or if anyone else would use this mode!
I don’t think there should be a “fully dark mode”. I can see a Level 0 where checked kings are red, any pieces misplaced are still marked, and illegal moves stop the game, and of course disco lights for a win. Effectively you’d be removing the “legal move” function is all.
Thanks for your thoughts, Mat! That’s actually really close to what I had in mind.
The idea behind Solo Light Mode (0–6 Assistance Scale) is that both players can independently choose their own light level — anywhere from full assistance (6) down to Level 0, which would be true dark-board play (no LEDs at all).
So one player could use Minimal Lights Mode–style assistance while the other goes completely dark, or both could play Level 0 if they want a pure, board-only experience.
To confirm what Mat is mentioning - Min lights mode is pretty much as far as we will go in terms of no lights. That is a mode where the legal moves are not lit and it already exists.
People make illegal moves (even 2000 rated players) and we have to inform them of move accepted or not.
We encourage the feedback and feature suggestions. But there are some features we know make for a worse experience. No lights is something we will not release.
Thanks for the clarification, Jeff — that makes total sense. I understand the reasoning behind keeping some minimal light feedback for move validation.
My main thought was more about giving each player individual control over their light level (so one could use Minimal Lights while the other keeps higher assistance). Even if full dark mode isn’t possible, that independent setting would still make mixed-skill and coaching sessions more flexible.
Thanks for the comment, Grizzley!
I completely agree — being able to watch classical games in real time would make ChessUp 2 even more engaging, both for study and for following live matches.
I’m curious what kind of live view you’d prefer — a simple real-time board display, or something that also includes move history and analysis?
Added this new idea to the main post
Curious if anyone else has experienced the same freeze after a failed seek? Would an auto-retry help prevent having to restart the board each time?
This thread is meant to collect user-driven ideas for ChessUp 2 — everything from firmware updates and app improvements to new accessories and smart-integration concepts.
I’ve already shared several ideas (like SmartDock Add-On, Auto-Reconnect, Adjustable LED Brightness, and Solo Light Mode), but now I’d really like to hear your ideas too.
What’s one feature, improvement, or change you’d love to see on your ChessUp 2?
Don’t worry if it sounds small or ambitious — everything helps! The more ideas we share, the better feedback the ChessUp team gets from real users.
I’d love a Dynamic Tactical Motif Recognition mode where the screen instantly identifies and names motifs like “Pin Detected,” “Skewer Threat,” “Fork Opportunity,” or “Discovered Attack.”
It could highlight the relevant pieces and lines in real time, merging Chess.com, Lichess, and ChessTempo’s tactical databases into one live awareness system.
This would make ChessUp 2 not just a smart board, but a true tactical intelligence companion.
As an option to toggle on, maybe can be fused with the current toggle on features or one would have to choose one or the other, only so much screen real estate.
That’s a brilliant idea — merging real-time tactical motifs with Chess.com and Lichess databases would really push the board’s smart analysis to a new level.
I’ll add this concept to the main list — thanks for sharing it!
Added this new idea to the main post
Huge thanks to @JustSlow for suggesting the Dynamic Tactical Motif Recognition Mode — it’s an incredible concept that could make ChessUp 2 a true tactical awareness board!
Curious what others think — would you use this mode for tactical training, analysis, or live commentary?
True — but this idea was meant as a live tactical recognition system, not engine help.
@JustSlow’s concept was that ChessUp 2 could visually detect motifs as they appear on the board — instantly highlighting the squares and naming the pattern (“Fork,” “Skewer,” etc.) in real time.
It’s more about visual awareness and training feedback than gameplay assistance — like a live coach overlay, not a move suggester.
ChessUp 2 – Community Ideas and Improvements (User-Driven Thread)
Starter Ideas
“No-light” mode – full darkness mode (beyond Minimal Lights) for advanced players who want zero LEDs during play
Optional wooden overlay / board themes – customizable physical or LED color look with classic wood tones
Better bot timer controls – same flexibility as in the app for timed AI matches
Commentary or teaching voices – something like Torstein Bae explaining ideas post-game
Integration with Google Assistant / Home Assistant – voice commands, spoken feedback, smart-home link
Community feedback mode – shared bug confirmation and feature-voting system
Live Game Broadcasting / Shareable Web View — allow games played via ChessUp 2 (OTB, bots, etc.) to stream or export in real time (with move history / PGN) so others can follow the match online.
SmartDock Add-On (Backward Compatible) – official charging base for all ChessUp 2 boards that provides wireless-style power through a magnetic alignment pad and spring-pin USB-C contact. No internal modification needed — simply set the board down to charge, no cables. 
Auto-Reconnect After Failed Chess.com Game – board automatically retries connection after a “Game Seek Failed” message instead of freezing on “Starting Soon.”
Adjustable LED Brightness (Night Mode) – manual or automatic dimming option to reduce glare during evening or dark-room play.
Future-Generation Note (ChessUp 3 Possibility) – applies only if a true ChessUp 3 board is ever released. Modular Upgrade Path: allow ChessUp 2 owners to upgrade their existing boards to ChessUp 3 hardware using official upgrade kits (similar to Prusa’s MK3 → MK4 system). Keeps existing boards alive while adding new sensors, faster chips, or improved LEDs.
Sound Notification System – add optional audio cues to ChessUp 2 for turn changes, move confirmations, and other in-game alerts.
Please comment your feature ideas or votes below!
Solo Light Mode (0–6 Assistance Scale) — both players can choose their own light levels, including full dark mode (0).
Added this new idea to the main post 
Source: 
What’s one feature, improvement, or change you’d love to see on your ChessUp 2?
— merging real-time tactical motifs with 
Added this new idea to the main post