E-Chess Smart Board
Hardware + Android Project
A smart chessboard that detects real chess piece movements, guides legal moves using RGB LEDs, and lets you play offline with Stockfish or online on Lichess / Chess.com via Android app.
System Specs
Compiled Stack
Project Overview
E-Chess is a DIY smart chessboard built using ESP32 and Hall Effect sensors to detect piece positions in real-time. RGB LEDs show legal moves, captures, checks and special animations. The Android app allows offline analysis and online gameplay synchronization.
System Architecture
Hardware Components
LED Animations & Preset Modes
Startup
Serpentine rail sweep sequence
Move Guidance
Green origin & Cyan destination
Capture
Pulse flash warning on target
Check
Pulsing crimson on King square
Checkmate
Victory flash sweep sequence
Victory
Golden outer stroke matrix glow
Technologies Used
Mobile Development
- Java
- Android SDK
- WebSockets
- OKHttp Network Client
Embedded Systems
- ESP32
- Arduino C++
- C / C++
- 74HC165 Shift Registers
Chess & Communication
- Stockfish 16 Engine
- Lichess API
- Chess.com Connected Board API
⚠️ Challenges
- •Reading 64 sensors in real-time without latency
- •Avoiding false triggers and noise in sensor data
- •Efficient communication between ESP32 and Android
- •Synchronizing online moves with the physical board
- •Power management for long battery life
✓ Key Achievements
- ✓100% real-time piece detection accuracy
- ✓Smooth LED animations & move guidance
- ✓Offline Stockfish analysis engine integration
- ✓Online play on Lichess & Chess.com platforms
- ✓Custom-built hardware PCB & native Android app
★ Future Improvements
- ★Robotic arm for auto piece movement
- ★OLED display on physical board bezel
- ★Interactive puzzle training mode
- ★Voice assistant & tactical move hints
- ★Bluetooth + Wi-Fi dual mode switching
Want to build this or acquire the source?
Whether you are looking for the full production source code, circuit schematic diagrams, component list guidance, or custom feature integration, feel free to reach out. We are happy to help you build or customize this project.