DGT electronic boards

DGT Electronic Boards: Technologies, Design and Competition Applications

Electronic checkers and checkers boards: How they work and their needs

What you have seen are **electronic chess (or checkers) boards**, the most famous of which are those from the company **DGT (Digital Game Technology)**. This is a real technological breakthrough in the world of board games, which significantly improved the conduct and broadcast of competitions.

How does it work?

• **Built-in sensors:** Each field of such a board has small sensors that respond to the presence or moving figures. Figures for such boards are also special - they contain a chip or magnet that "communicates" with the board's sensors.
• **Interface and cable:** The board is connected by cable to a special interface (for example, DGT Pi or some DGT electronic clocks with interface function). This interface processes signals from the board, recognizes moves and converts them into digital format.
• **Connection to computer/screen:** Next, the interface transmits information (moves made, time on clock) to the computer. And from the computer, the data can:
• Displayed on large screens in the auditorium.
• Broadcast online via the Internet (on popular platforms such as Chess.com, Lichess.org, Chess24 or on official tournament websites).
• Write to notation files (PGN/FEN) for further analysis.

Навіщо вони потрібні?

You're right to say that this is mainly for displaying moves on the screen. But their application is much broader:

• **Live broadcasts:** This is the main reason. Viewers in the hall and online can see the moves in real time on large monitors or on your own devices, which makes watching the competition much more dynamic and interesting.
• **Automatic Notation:** This is a huge time saver for players and referees. The board automatically records each move, eliminating the need for players to manually write down the notation and for arbiter to check it. This also reduces the number of notational errors.
• **Game Analysis:** Automatically recorded games are easily available for post-game analysis, which is very valuable for coaches and the players themselves.
• **Professionalism:** Using such boards adds professionalism and modernity to the tournament.
• **Anti-cheating (indirect):** Although not a primary function, recording every move and broadcasting allows analyze the game for suspicious moves and use specialized software to detection of possible fraud.

So these boards are not just "moves display", but **the whole system** that makes modern chess and checkers tournaments more accessible, convenient and exciting for all participants and spectators.

DGT (Digital Game Technology): Innovations in the World of Chess and Checkers

DGT (Digital Game Technology) is a Dutch company that has actually revolutionized in the world of board games, especially chess and checkers, through the development and production of electronic game boards and digital watches. It is the undisputed world leader in this market segment.

History and key achievements:

• **Digital Clocks:** DGT first broke into the market by introducing digital chess clocks in time, when only analog ones dominated. Since 1993, DGT has been producing the "Official FIDE Chess Clock", approved World Chess Federation. Their watches are bestsellers and are used at all major tournaments. tournaments.
• **Electronic Boards:** Then DGT caused another revolution by releasing electronic game boards. This allowed millions of chess and checkers fans to follow tournaments live over the Internet.

Why is DGT chosen as a vibrator?

DGT has gained so much confidence and recognition in many key factors:

• **Innovative patented sensor technology:**
  • DGT boards use unique sensor technology that accurately recognizes each figure (type and color) and its location on the board.
  • Special shapes contain chips that interact with sensors beneath the surface of the board. This provides high speed and accuracy of move registration even in blitz games.
• **Reliability and accuracy:**
  • DGT products are known for their durability and flawless performance. At the highest level of competition, also Every second and every move counts, equipment reliability is critical. DGT meets these requirements.
  • The system allows you to accurately record each move, which eliminates the human factor when recording games.
• **Industry Standard:**
  • DGT boards are used in all the major chess tournaments in the world, including the Chess Olympics, World Championships and World Cups in both chess and checkers-100 (as we saw in the example of Riga Open). This makes them the de facto industry standard for live broadcasts and automatic party recording.
  • Many professional chess programs (e.g. ChessBase Fritz, Chess Assistant, Arena) have built-in support for DGT boards.
• **Product variety and quality:**
  • DGT offers a wide range of products: from handmade tournament wooden boards (with walnut, rosewood, wenge) to more affordable plastic "Smart Boards", which also provide high functionality.
  • They produce not only boards, but also digital watches, electronic figures and accessories, creating complete solutions for gaming and broadcasting.
• **Support and functionality:**
  • DGT boards can connect to a PC via USB or Bluetooth, allowing you to play online on a real board, play against computer programs or analyze games.
  • The boards' internal memory allows you to store hundreds of moves, which can then be downloaded in . PGN.
  • The company is constantly innovating to improve the user experience and expand opportunities of their products.

Therefore, trust in DGT is based on their leadership in innovation, uncompromising quality and reliability, which did They are indispensable in professional tournaments and highly appreciated by amateurs around the world.

Design and cost of DGT electronic boards

DGT electronic boards are high-tech devices designed to accurately track chess moves and checkers. Their design combines a traditional look with advanced sensor technology.

How they are built and what they consist of:

Board materials:

• **Wooden e-Boards:** These are DGT's flagship models used on professional tournaments. They are made from high-quality woods such as **walnut, rosewood, wenge** or **maple**, often with inlays to create a classic, attractive look. On the outside they look as regular tournament boards.
• **Plastic Boards (Smart Boards):** DGT also offers more affordable "Smart Boards" made of **high-quality plastic**. They are lighter but provide the same functionality as wooden ones, and can be used both at home and in tournament setups alongside wooden boards. Some plastic models have a "wood-like" texture.

Internal sensor technology:

• Under the playing surface of the board is a **patented sensor system**. It consists of a grid thin conductive tracks (e.g. printed with silver ink on polyester film) that form an 8x8 zones (fields).
• **Special pieces:** Each chess or checker piece designed for DGT electronic boards contains to myself a small **RFID chip** (or a passive LC circuit with a coil on a ferrite core). This chip has a unique resonant frequency (from 90 to 350 kHz), which allows the system not only to determine the presence of a figure on field, and and its **type (king, queen, rook, etc.) and color (black/white)**.
• **Field scanning:** The board electronics sequentially scans each field, sending a signal to one pair conductors and reading the answer from the perpendiculars. When a piece with a chip is on the field, its LC circuit interacts with the signal, changing its characteristics (for example, causing a drop in frequency). This change is registered by the system.
• **Recognition speed:** DGT claims that their technology is optimized for fast recognition, which allows you to record moves quickly enough even for blitz games (although a full scan of all 64 fields may can take up to hundreds of milliseconds, they use optimized methods to capture changes quickly).

Electronics and connectivity:

• Inside the board is a microcontroller and other electronics that process data from the sensors.
• The boards have a connector for connecting to a **DGT clock** (which often acts as an interface) or directly to your computer via **USB** or **Bluetooth**.
• For tournament setups, boards can be daisy-chained (via special hubs and cables), allowing One system can control the broadcast from many boards simultaneously.

How much does a board like this cost?

The cost of a DGT electronic board varies significantly depending on the material (wood/plastic), model, and equipment (does the kit include figures, clock, software?)

Here is an approximate price range (current as of mid-2025, prices may vary depending on the seller and region):

• **Plastic DGT Smart Boards (without figures):** Price can start from around $350 - $450 USD. If complete with plastic figures, then around $400 - $550 USD.
• **Wooden DGT USB e-Boards (without figures):** These models are more expensive, prices start at around $650 - $800 USD.
• **Wooden DGT USB/Bluetooth e-Boards (without figures):** Price can range from $700 - $1000 USD and above.
• **Wooden figure kits:** If the board is sold with high-quality electronic wooden figures (e.g. Timeless, Royal, Rosewood), the price can reach $800 - $1500 USD and above (depending on the type of wood and the design of the figures).
• **DGT Centaur / Pegasus (chess computers with built-in board):** This is a separate type of product, integrated chess computer with a touch board, prices for them are usually in the range of $250 - $400 USD.

Важливо пам'ятати, що часто ціна вказується лише за дошку, а електронні фігури та цифровий годинник (які can required for full use) are sold separately.

Thus, these electronic boards are not just a beautiful accessory, but a complex engineering feat that justifies their value due to the reliability, accuracy, and convenience they provide to the chess community.

Electronic chess and checkerboards, such as those manufactured by **DGT (Digital Game Technology)**, are a key element of modern major competitions. They allow for automatic registration of moves and instant display them for viewers and online broadcasts.

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