Customer Reviews

Excalibur Chess Station

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am very pleased with my new Chess Station. The handheld unit seems sturdy, though it will probably damage if dropped from waist high onto a hard surface. It fits well in my hands, and the controls are not difficult to work. The screen is easy to see even in a dim room, but is less a strain on the eyes if viewed in brighter conditions.
There is not much weight to the handheld device, so it is easily carried in a coat or shirt pocket. I have not encountered any problems docking it with the board, and am not worried about the use since the connecters are well made.
The board and pieces are small, but they are proportionately sized. Both are well suited to a fun chess match with a partner. There is no problem with the computer registering moves from board to handheld when docked, but I have noticed that the pressure points on the board are not consistent on all 64 squares (some acknowledge slight pressure and some need a heavier press). Though while this is the case, it is nothing more than a minor inconvenience. It certainly won't stop me from buying another one in the future.
Besides playing chess against the computer, there are a number of additional computer modes to explore (checkmate problems, learing opening moves, hints, etc.). They add some variety to an already fun game.
All in all, I am very satisfied with the unit and the price. This handheld chess computer and board is an excellent combination.

I recently brought the Chess Station and I really like it. I have played chess on and off, more off for many years. It is hard finding another person to play with, especially in my house. I can pick up the Chess Station any time I want and play a few moves, or a whole game. I can play it with the whole board of just use the hand held game. Heck, sometimes I win and that feels good. I can switch sides, and if I get desperate I can ask for help. The game has a lot of features that I am still learning about, like changing levels, or playing great games, things like that. The game is easy to see, even when I use my cheap reading glasses. If you like the game of chess and do not get to play that much because of time or not having a person to play with, get this game. One of the best things is when you are playing against the computer no one will laugh at you for a dumb move.

I wanted to have something for my daily subway commute (NYC) and was a little worried about the ablility to distinguish the figures. But that turns out to be fine. The docking board works great for games at home, so overall, I find it easy to use, instructive with the mate-in-2 and opening trainer, and overall a good value. My only disappointment is that it does not have a front cover for protection, so if you plan like me to carry it in a bag or briefcase, you have to come up with some idea to protect the buttons from accidential activation. But that aside, I am very satisfied with the value.

I bought this set as a replacement for a travel set I owned. The electronic handheld is good for people on the go. The docking station/board is not really that portable. It is als not very sensitive. The square has to be pushed a bit to get it to register a move when playing against the computer. Over all I would reccomend it for novices. I am not sure how goos it would be for experts but it does have many levels.I enjoy my set. It is just what I needed. Another set to look into might be the chess portfolio. It looks good to me but I have not bought one yet.

Feature packed and light weight. I just can't get used to the lcd screen. Don't let the PDA styling fool you. The hand held unit is not touch sensitive and requires you to use the buttons to navigate around the screen takes some getting used to. I only used the unit about ten minutes and am dissapointed in the scrren. The LCD characters don't look like chess pieces they all look like dressed up pawns. The white characters are hard to see and even harder to tell what they are. I have read reviews that this is not a problem for most reviewers, but it is for me.

I would like to see a touch screen and a truely PDA type screen though I agree that would probably be cost prohibitive for most people.

This was purchased for my ten year old grandson when he joined the chess club at school. He takes it with him everywhere - still does. He loves it and you will too.

I'm so frustrated with this machine that I just bought a new chess computer from a different company. It's hard to tell the pieces apart on this computer, and even worse, it's very easy to accidentally "change sides" during a game -- but very hard to change back! So there I am, playing white, when suddenly the computer says FLIP and wants me to play black instead. Then it won't let me go back to white. After owning this product less than two months, I've given up and ordered a Saitek Maestro. The whole thing makes me miss my now defunct Jasper Novag.

It uses very expensive batteries relative to the AA's that many electronic chess games use.

The battery case requires a tiny screw driver to open. These screws are easily stripped, making access to the battery difficult.

The instructions are clear and the historic games and problems are fun. Aside from the battery problem, the set is fun and as a bonus the electronic chess board and chess pieces along with the handheld makes it a great set for a parent and child activity.

This game is great. I had to return my first one when the station didn't work and was sent a replacement in just a few days. I really enjoy playing it when I can't get a real opponent.

This is based on my ten year old son's opinion. He likes the hand held part. Unfortunately, when we connect it to the board, the hand held does not work - it just freezes up. We tried the trouble shooting suggestions (resetting), but still couldn't get it to work. Because he didn't care about using the board, we haven't pursued getting it fixed.