Excalibur Phantom Force Review

I finally got my hands on the Excalibur Phantom Force chess computer. First thing I did was grab an AC power adapter and head over to a local coffee shop to test the unit out. I got several comments on the Phantom Force while I was there dinkin around with it, like when I made it set itself up for a game, this girl walked up, stared at it for a few minutes then said "that thing scares me!" then walked off. While I was there that chess computer started several conversations for me, people were very interested. I was a little disappointed however in 4 things, the Phantom Force cannot set itself up unless each piece is placed off to the side in it's own capture space. It cannot move more than one piece at once, so if you don't mind waiting over 5 minutes for it to set itself up then maybe you ought to do the setting up yourself! The unseen hand beneath the board surface makes a fair bit of noise. And last and most importantly, the Excalibur Phantom Force does not feature auto sensory, that may sound contradictory with the feature that it moves itself, but it actually doesn't recognise each piece's characteristics, this also means that like other chess computers you have to push on your piece on the square from where you are moving it and push on the square you move it to. So if you place the queen in rank with the pawns it will move like a pawn.
But I think the good outweighs the bad. All the above "bad things" I said about the Phantom Force are side effects in this computer because it is the only one of it's kind, and it is infinitely ahead of most chess computers. the one reason most people would rather use touch screen LCD units is because they move their own pieces, now you can play with a real board and real pieces without ever having to touch your opponents piece. The takeback move feature is simply awesome! it appears to me you can takeback a whole game of moves. Although I only tested it up to five moves. What makes this really cool is that it does all the work for you, and if you aren't taking notes you might forget 3 moves ago where you or the computer was, but the computer does it all for you. This is also great for re-working chess puzzles. The talking feature is about the same quality as the Ivan II I never really did care for the talking/noisy feature in chess computers but I did bear with it for this review. I can tell you straight off that most adults will shut off the sound. But it is a great coaching tool for beginners. It tells you when you are in checkmate, alerts you to dangerous positions (extremely annoying to advanced players) and illegal moves. To see the Phantom Force castle and open with it's knights is pretty cool, to open with knights it just moves the pawn in front of it out of the way, then it takes out the knight and puts back the pawn. Very similar for castling. In a nutshell the Excalibur Phantom Force chess computer is always going to be a joy to play against, because it does most of the work, it will amaze everyone watching and it will be an excellent analysis tools for working out chess problems.

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Any additional comments or news on this chess computer are welcome!

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NEW Excalibur Phantom Force Chess Computer

Excalibur Phantom Force chess computer is the newest technology in chess computers, it is simply incredible. The most remarkable feature is that the chess computer moves it's own chess pieces itself!!! The first time I heard of it I thought the person telling me about it was jerking my leg, and my first question I put to him was "so if I want to open with a knight then how will the computer handle that?" he promptly responded with the answer, "the computer just moves the pawn in front of the knight and out he comes!". But I never let it rest, I went out and found more information on the Excalibur Phantom Force and what I found gave me drop jaw syndrome!
The Excalibur Phantom Force is a talking chess computer with 3 languages! English, French, and Spanish. Excalibur Phantom Force also comes with everything that you can get with the older chess computers like coach modes, it will rate your games you play against it, a built in chess clock and so on. And folks this is a full size chess computer, it's the real McCoy! One of the coolest features, but perhaps worthless for advanced players is you can pitt the computer against itself, and you can just sit back and watch the computer play itself! This could be really useful for beginners to just watch and pick up solid playing style just by watching, I have yet to see though. For technological advancement the Excalibur Phantom Force computer completely puts to shame all of the portable chess computers that are available now! just take a look at the official list of features.

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• 136 Levels, with 120 for Play and 16 for Analysis
• Tournament time control levels and Action Chess time control levels
• Rates your chess skill
• Ratable Game Indicator
• Announces Mate In 5 moves
• Built in Dual Chess clock display
• Sensory chess board
• Watch the Phantom move its own piece
• Auto Play lets the Phantom take both sides to play or finish a game
• Voice Vocabulary For added play dimension
• Voice in three languages - English, French, and Spanish
• Announces all moves in algebraic notation
• Hints and Coaching, including “Are You Sure?” Coach Mode
• Take back mistakes
• Selectable opening lines for play and learning
• Teach Mode for beginners
• Off Key Saves Game in memory
• Adjustable Automatic Shutoff
• Adjustable LCD Contrast
• Includes built-in chess piece Storage compartment.
• Requires 6 C Batteries (not included), or AC Adapter (included)

As soon as I get my hands on one to test out myself I'll write another post on the Excalibur Phantom Force, but if you are as excited about this chess computer as I am it is available to Pre-order now From Chess House!

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If you have any addition comments such as a good or bad experiance with the Phantom Force chess computer, orjut new news, PLEASE DROP A COMMENT!

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Digital Chess Computer

The Digital Chess Computer fan club is growing ever more popular, and it's small wonder; digital chess computers are just more fun than traditional a traditional chess set. I like them best for travel, like those handheld digital chess units are great player vs player chess computers, and if there is no one willing to play you can play vs the computer. It's just really easy to pass the handheld unit back and forth when playing PVP.
And I especially like the bigger electronic chess computers for setting hard chess problems and letting the computer do the escape moves, that is loads of fun. I enjoy playing chess computers, that's that plain and simple, there are loads of models to choose from.

But a personal recommendation from me for a handheld unit, would be the Maestro Travel Chess Computer, It has cool features, and It's so easy to use that even I can use it to It's full capability's. The back-lit screen is the coolest feature, it enables you to play a good game of chess in any lighting conditions. What makes this unit even more special is the clarity of the chessmen on the LCD screen. I must confess that some of the cheaper models that are similar to this one have not near the quality that the Maestro, and as far as I know, this is the only one that has that back-lit screen. The pieces on the Maestro chess computer are moved about with a stylus, and the computer moves it's own piece.

For a full size chess computer I would recommend the Excalibur Grand Master digital chess computer. It has a full size 20" chessboard that really looks and feels great. There are two things that I really like about this chess computer. Firstly I like the arrangement of buttons, the way they are placed makes it super easy to set up custom positions for solving chess problems with the chess computer. Secondly, I love the auto sensory board. Auto sensory is a really neat feature found in the best quality chess computers. How it works is the pieces each have a micro chip in them that tells the board not only what powers they hold (king, queen, rook, bishop, knight, pawn) but also tells the board where you moved your piece! And so on and so forth. The only disadvantage is the large size of the computer, so if you are in a crunch for space at your place then a smaller computer would be better. For me though it's definitely an advantage, I always do better on a standard tournament size chess set, with standard sized chess pieces, and Grandmaster Chess Computer provides just that.

If you have any input on a personal experience with a chess computer or any other recommendations on other chess computers, please post a comment!

Digital Chess Timer

The Excalibur digital chess timer is the most well know digital chess clock. You see the Excalibur chess timer most often in scholastic chess tournaments. The extreme affordability, accuracy, and reliability, have made it the clock of choice. The Excalibur chess timer is the only chess clock that is officially sanctioned by the USCF (United States Chess Federation).

It features a large LCD digital screen, all the modern delay modes are available with the Excalibur chess timer, the proven accuracy of the Excaliber chess timer is the best part of owning a digital chess timer.

But for a really nice chess timer, like one you would take to the coffee shop, you would want to get something with better looks, and with quieter buttons.

The Chronos digital chess timer is, in my opinion the best chess clock ever made. The Chronos digital chess timer comes in 2 body styles, one is the Chronos Blitz digital chess timer, which is smaller. And the other is the Chronos digital chess timer, larger than the Blitz Chronos chess clock. Then there are 2 button styles, there is the classic Chronos chess timer buttons, and then there is the touch sensor button. The Chronos Blitz and the regular Chronos chess timer come with either button styles. The touch style button is extremely nice, it makes absolutely no noise when you touch the button

The Chronos Blitz digital chess timer comes pre-programmed speed chess modes already on it, and it is a better travel chess timer. The larger, original Chronos chess timer is programmed for classical chess. But both chess timers are fully programmable to suit your needs, it is super simple to operate once you get the hang of it, there are only three buttons on the both Chronos chess timers.

And I have yet to get to the best part of this chess timer, the Chronos chess timer has got battle proven armor. That's right, the casing on the Chronos digital chess timer is one piece construction steel plate. I have seen a chronos chess clock after it has be run over by a truck, it was slightly squashed, But the clock still worked the same! There is no other chess clock I know of that could even come close to that tough!

Here is a helpful free video guide on how to operate and program the Chronos Digital Chess Timer

Travel Chess Computer: Finding the right one

When you have a long road trip or flight ahead, there is nothing like a travel chess computer to whittle away the time. Regardless of road trips and flights, it can take a lot to occupy an active child's mind. It can take a lot to occupy an active child's mind, but the very best way to do that is to give children something that will educate them rather than dumb them down like a Nintendo Gameboy.
That's where travel chess computers fit the bill perfectly, face it, chess is a game that takes all the mental facilities, and chess really requires a lot of focus and concentration. Travel chess computers are the perfect substitution for the new Nintendo games that do nothing to improve your IQ, rather than improve I tend to think that they turn kids into vegetables!

So we know that Nintendo is a no go, and that travel chess computers are great to substitute for a Nintendo. But then a question quickly arises. Which travel chess computer should I buy?
A good question, I will do my best to advise you, And I have used each and every one of the chess computers I am going to mention.

First we need to find what your price range is for a travel chess computer. I will start with the cheaper chess computers and I will move on to the more expensive but better chess computer.

Chess Station Travel Chess Computer:
First of all this is the very cheapest chess computer I would ever recommend that you ever buy! The Chess Station travel chess computer is great because it offers versatility that other chess computers don't. The best part about this travel chess computer is that you get a handheld, portable chess computer unit, and you also get an electronic chess board as well! This enables you to carry the handheld chess unit anywhere you want without pieces and be able to play chess. But then if you want to play with a real chess board with real chess pieces, rather than the LCD screen that the handheld travel unit, you can just plug the handheld unit into the chess board. Then the Chess Station travel chess computer becomes an electronic chess set! Fairly powerful and easy to use, with many fun options, this travel chess computer is pretty nice and for a great deal. You are able to play VS the computer or another human. The LCD screen on this travel chess computer however is not as detailed as others. Chess Station travel chess computer is made by Excalibur Electronics.

Deluxe Talking Travel Chess Computer:
This Talking travel chess computer is an extremely nice chess computer, and great for kids to use. The talking feature of the Talking travel chess computer is very handy for kids and eliminates a lot of confusion that could ensue without it (the talking mode is optional). The Talking travel chess computer tells you when you are in check, if you are trying to make an illegal move, this travel chess unit makes a lot of sense. And the LCD screen is the second best I have seen on a LCD travel chess computer that I have seen in this price range. The Deluxe travel chess computer is operated with a stylus, this stylus makes the Deluxe travel chess computer super simple to operate the entire unit. This travel chess computer is also super simple to put on player VS player mode instead of player VS computer. Also there are several adjustable playing levels to this travel chess computer, and it can be turned up to an extremely high level and is far to hard for me to beat! New Feature! The Excalibur Deluxe talking Chess Computer now has a backlight screen for nocturnal play!

Maestro Travel Chess Computer:
The Maestro travel chess computer has the best LCD screen ever for it's class of chess computer, each chess piece is easily distinguished. As for playing power it is about the same as the Deluxe travel chess computer. It does not talk, but it offers anther feature that is just as nice, or nicer for adults. The LCD screen has an optional backlight, so you are able to play in any lighting, anytime! (watch out for kids playing in the dead of night!) You can set up chess puzzle positions with the Maestro travel chess computer as well. This is a great feature, it enables you to work through a chess puzzle book and let the computer play as the opposing side and make the forced mate in 3 moves for you! (the Deluxe travel chess computer can do this as well).

*New* Mon Roi chess computer:
The Mon Roi chess computer is the ultimate of all travel chess computer. It is a personal chess computer that can even be password protected. You can automatically save all your chess games in it's database, and later upload them to a computer for further analysis using a USB cable! This new little chess gadget is the most high tech piece of chess equipment available! Mon Roi chess tournaments are hosted and all the games from these tournaments are veiwable online. These tournaments are hosted, and the players games are all picked up by a wireless gadget and are automatically able to be seen online! This new chess technology is available to buy, but it is expensive, and I would only recommend it to the most avid of chess players!

King Arthur Theme Chess Pieces

The King Arthur theme chess pieces are made by Studio Anne Carlton. Studio Anne Carlton specializes in designing theme chess sets, they have raised the level of standard expected from a theme chess set. Most people expect a theme chess set to be detailed and good looking. Studio Anne Carlton theme chess sets are all that, but so much more, they have made their theme chess sets far more durable than others. Their theme chess pieces are made solid from ground stone. this material is not just good looking and strong, but it even feels good to touch!

The King Arthur theme chess set is not an exception in the Studio Anne Carlton theme chess sets, they are designed with great detail, and great accuracy.

• The King

The king is the fabled King Arthur of Camelot, he stands 5 1/2" tall holding his 2 handed sword Excalibur. A kingly figure indeed, the features really do justice to King Arthur.

• The Queen

King Arthur's wife Guinevere.

• The Rook

Depicts an Anglo Saxon castle, or keep. The Rook is short and blocky.

• The Bishop

It's Merlin, the court magician, he stands in his robes very stately looking.

• The Knight

Is a heavily armored knight on horseback, he has his visor down, and looks like he's going to charge into enemy lines. He very well could be Lancelot, King Arthur's most fearsome knight of the round table.

• The Pawns

Bold and courageous yeomen in armor and steel helms, holding a body shield and drawn sword. They stand on the front lines ready for the advance of King Arthur's forces.

On the whole I think this is a very dressy theme chess set, with a classy, classic look. The antique finish that Studio Anne Carlton puts on the King Arthur theme chess pieces looks simply great. Just take a look at the photo!

Travel Chess Computers

In the last 3 years, travel chess computers have advanced from toys, to powerful gaming and tutor systems. The Processors of the latest travel chess computers are highly developed, to give you the stiffest competition ever seen in travel chess computers. Travel chess computers like the Maestro travel chess computer, made by (Saitek Mephisto) and the Deluxe Talking travel chess computer, (by Excalibur) have not only improved their game of chess, but they also offer more features. These features have made these two computers outshine their competition by a mile! I have operated both chess computers, I like the Maestro travel chess computer the best, but both the Maestro and the Deluxe Talking travel chess computers have undeniable features.
The reason I like the Maestro travel chess computer the best is because it has a great backlit screen, so there is never a problem playing it, ever! I have played many LCD screen chess computers, it is really annoying when you can't quite see the pieces because of bad lighting. The backlight LCD screen really is a great new feature. It sucks more juice out of the batteries of course, but it is an optional feature, so you only use it in poor lighting condition. Read All Maestro Features.
The Deluxe Talking travel chess computer has good features to. The sound element involved in the game, makes you more aware of what is going on in the game. I cranked up this chess computer to the max level and got creamed! I eventually was able to beat the Deluxe Talking travel chess computer after I turned down the level to about 1100. I really like how detailed each individual piece was, each piece looked like a Staunton chess set should. Read All Deluxe Talking travel chess computer features.

Both of these handheld travel chess computers are the top of the line, the very best of their class. They are in fact very similar to each other, they are both about the same strength, in a post in the near future I am going to pit one against the other in a chess game and see which one wins. I will write an article on the results of both travel chess computers.

Excalibur AC Power Adapter

Excalibur has made a 6v 100mah power adapter specifally designed to fit and power Excalibur Chess Computers. This Excalibur AC Power Adapter works well with the Excalibur Grandmaster, Electronic Glass Chess, Invan II, & Kingmaster III.

Excalibur Chess Clock Game Timer II Digital

The Excalibur Digital Chess Clock II is a good clock for those of you who need a cheaper efficient digital chess clock. This Excalibur game chess clock is loaded with features, including delay, programmable time, and much more. The Excalibur digital chess clock II has a compact design, the body is all plastic and the screen has large easy to read text. The Excalibur digital chess clock is the only chess clock endorsed by the Unites States Chess Federation. Having been made in china hasn't affected the popularity of the Excalibur chess clock a bit, it is by far the most popular of all the cheaper chess clocks and the most often seen.
The downside of the Excalibur chess clock II is the durability (or I should say lack of it) the most susceptible part of this chess clock is the plastic plungers, I have heard horror stories of this clock breaking in mid-game leaving the players without a chess clock. Excalibur Electronics has been creating electronic chess computers and electroic chess clocks for a long time, it is rare that Excalibur chess clocks and computers ever have glitch's or defects.

If you are looking for a durable chess clock with every feature and then some, then the Chronos Digital Chess Clock is the one to go with. The Chronos digital chess clock is the very best chess clock on the market, while it isn't very handsome it has more features than any one chess clock, there is anther thing that adds to this clocks value, the fact that the chronos chess clock is nearly as indestructible as an M1 Abrams (a modern day tank) the outer shell is composed entirely of solid steel makes this chess clock the all time favorite. The chronos chess clock is built for a lifetime of use; I ordered the chronos chess clock online once, and on the way over to my place UPS had jammed a really heavy box onto my package, well when I opened my box I found a chronos chess clock that had been nearly flattened! well I picked that clock up and fired it up, it actually worked! I obviously didn't want a mutilated chess clock so I returned it and got a new one. No other chess clock would have still been working in that condition, so don't get drop jaw syndrome over the price, this clock is worth every penny.

Excalibur Electronic Chess Computers

Excalibur Electronic Chess Computers are top of the line and excellent quality. The Excalibur Electronic chess computer industry branches out to give you a wide variety of chess computers such as LCD hand held touch screen computers, auto sensory chess computers with 3d pieces and LCD screens, talking chess computers and much more!

The Excalibur Grandmaster Chess Computer among the top rated chess computers available, this Excalibur chess computer features an algebraic, auto sensory, magnetic, tournament size chessboard with an LCD display panel. It allows you to play chess against the computer or there is a two-player mode. It also features dual countdown chess clocks. This Excalibur chess computer has a rated strength of about 2200 and is capable of beating most chess players. Overall this Excalibur electronic chess computer is at the top of its class. More info on Excalibur Electronic Grandmaster Chess Computer

This Excalibur Deluxe Talking Chess Computer is the only one of its kind; it is a portable hand held chess computer with an integrated talking feature unique to this computer alone. The LCD screen on this hand held chess computer is rated among the top portable chess computers for how detailed the LCD chess pieces are and how easy they are to distinguish. This Excalibur hand held chess computer is operated with a stylus and button controls. The estimated rating for this portable chess computer is 2000, that is very high for a hand held chess computer. This Excalibur portable chess computer is a great choice for beginners and advanced chess players, it has adjustable levels, so you can find the playing strength that you need. Newly added feature! The Deluxe Talking Chess Computer now has a back light screen for nocturnal play!

The Excalibur King Master III is more diverse it doesn’t just stick to chess; this Excalibur chess computer will play both chess and checkers! The estimated rating for this Excalibur chess computer is 1750. It features a takeback move button feature and the board’s dimensions are 12 in. x 10 in. x 1/8 inches, the board on this chess computer is algebraic. There is one more great thing about this Excalibur chess computer, it has a teaching mode and it is a great way to improve your chess!

The Excalibur King Arthur Chess Computer. has a huge LCD screen that shows then entire board on it. Here’s how this chess computer works, the LCD screen shows the whole chess board and the chessmen, when you move it shows it on the LCD screen and the piece on the screen moves to, and the same for the computer. This system is great for people that don’t like to deal with the algebraic notation. The Excalibur King Arthur chess computer comes in 2 colors, Woodgrain imitation and silver and white


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