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YOU CAN BUILD A CHESSBOARD THAT PLAYS AGAINST YOU BY ITSELF

A chessboard that slides its own pieces with a hidden electromagnet while you watch.

by Joshua Stanley

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

RoboticsAutomation

Built withESP323D printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend-plus
license
MIT
repo
repo ACTIVE15 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

ChessBot V1 is a self-moving chessboard that drags magnetic pieces across the squares with a 50 N electromagnet on a 3D-printed CoreXY gantry. You make your move, 64 Hall sensors on the custom PCB detect it, and a Python script on a connected computer asks the Stockfish chess engine for a reply; the ESP32 then drives two NEMA 17 steppers to move the magnet and slide the computer's piece. The design files are all there: the full STEP model, STLs, the PCB as Gerber, EasyEDA and Altium files with a parts list and pick-and-place file, plus the ESP32 and Python code. The catch is that there are no assembly instructions. The README is a bill of materials and a video link, and the eight-minute video explains how it works and shows the build without walking you through it step by step. You will be reading the CAD and the code to work out assembly, wiring and calibration. Two things to know before you start: the 64 Hall sensors are tiny surface-mount parts on the PCB, and the firmware contains sensor readings measured on the creator's own board, which you have to swap for readings from your own board. The creator also notes the design has changed slightly since the video. If you have built a belt-driven 3D printer or plotter, the gantry will feel familiar; if you are new to motion control, plan for a longer build. For comparison, the Chessnut Move, a commercial self-moving board, lists at 899 dollars.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Full STEP model and eight STL parts (gantry carriages, magnet carriage, motor housings, corner supports, spacers) are in the repo.
  • —Custom PCB with Gerber, EasyEDA and Altium files, a schematic PDF, a parts list and a pick-and-place file.
  • —ESP32 firmware (.ino) and a Python script that uses Stockfish via the python-chess library.
  • —No assembly instructions: the README is a bill of materials and a video link.
  • —Chess pieces are not included; the video credits the Spiral Chess Set by BigBadByson on Thingiverse.
  • —MIT licence, so commercial use is allowed.

Parts to buy

12 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Custom PCB (from the Gerber files)from the repo files
  • 38-pin ESP32 dev boardFind
  • 5 V 50 N electromagnetFind
  • DRV8872 motor driverFind
  • Two TMC2208 stepper driversFind
  • Two NEMA 17 steppers (22.5 mm body)Find
  • 64 AH49FNTR-G1 Hall sensorsFind
  • 2GT belt and pulleysFind
  • 8 mm linear rodsFind
  • Sleeve bearingsFind
  • 32 neodymium magnetsFind
  • M3 screws and threaded insertsFind

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Can I build this?

PrintTwo gantry carriages, a magnet carriage, two motor housings, two corner supports, four long and six short spacers. No material or print settings are given.
BuyCustom PCB (from the Gerber files), 38-pin ESP32 dev board, 5 V 50 N electromagnet, DRV8872 motor driver, two TMC2208 stepper drivers, two NEMA 17 steppers (22.5 mm body), 64 AH49FNTR-G1 Hall sensors, 2GT belt and pulleys, 8 mm linear rods, sleeve bearings, 32 neodymium magnets, M3 screws and threaded inserts, 7.5 V 36 W power supply. Full list in the README.
Tools3D printer, soldering iron (also for the threaded inserts), multimeter, hex keys, a computer with Python and Stockfish
SkillsIntermediate to advanced: assembling or ordering the PCB, wiring steppers, tuning a belt-driven gantry, calibrating sensors and editing a Python script. Prior 3D printer or CNC experience helps.
TimeA weekend-plus if you have built a belt-driven gantry before; longer if you are new to steppers, sensor calibration or Python.
Cost$$ — steppers, drivers, the electromagnet, the PCB and its 64 sensors make up most of it. No total is given; the Chessnut Move, a commercial self-moving board, lists at 899 dollars.
SafetyRuns from a 7.5 V 36 W plug-in power supply and a 5 V electromagnet, so no mains wiring inside the board. Keep the neodymium magnets away from small children.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Building a Self-Playing Chess Board Robot8:02

Joshua Stanley's own video about ChessBot V1: how it detects, chooses and makes moves, a build section and a demo. It is not a step-by-step assembly guide.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Watch the video to see the gantry and magnet carriage in motion (Not a build tutorial: it explains how the board works and shows the build, but not the assembly order.)
  2. 2.Order the custom PCB from the Gerber files (The PCB folder has the Gerber files, a parts list and a pick-and-place file, so a board house can also place the 64 Hall sensors for you.)
  3. 3.Print the parts and assemble the CoreXY gantry (No print settings are given. Use the STEP model to see how the carriages, rods, pulleys and belts fit together.)
  4. 4.Flash the ESP32 firmware and calibrate the sensors (Measure the "no magnet" sensor values on your own board and put them into the firmware.)
  5. 5.Install Python, Stockfish, pyserial and python-chess, then run the script (Change the hard-coded serial port and Stockfish path to match your computer.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The PCB carries 64 surface-mount Hall sensors in a tiny SOT-23 package. Either solder them yourself or have the board house assemble them using the included parts list and pick-and-place file.
  • There are no assembly instructions: you work out from the STEP file how the gantry goes together, which screw goes where and how the belts route.
  • The firmware has a table of "no magnet" sensor readings that the code comment says to update with values measured on your own board. Skip that and move detection will be unreliable.
  • The Python script has the serial port (COM22) and the Stockfish install path hard-coded for the creator's Windows PC; change both before the first run.
  • The design has been updated slightly since the video, and the board colouring was corrected so A1 is a dark square. The files may not match every shot in the video.
  • The bill of materials lists 5 metres of belt, 12 idler pulleys and 24 threaded inserts, so setting the inserts and tensioning the belts takes time.

Do I need to know Python to build this?

You do not have to write new code, but you do have to edit the script: the serial port (COM22) and the Stockfish path are hard-coded for the creator's Windows PC. You also need the pyserial and python-chess libraries installed.

Can I use a different microcontroller instead of the ESP32?

The PCB is designed around an ESP32 module and the firmware uses its pins directly. Switching boards means redesigning the PCB or wiring it by hand, and changing the pin assignments in the .ino file.

Where do I get the chess pieces?

The video credits the Spiral Chess Set by BigBadByson on Thingiverse. The bill of materials lists 32 neodymium magnets (8 mm x 2 mm), one per piece.

How strong does the electromagnet need to be?

The bill of materials specifies a 5 V, 50 N electromagnet, 25 mm in diameter and 20 mm high. The repo does not say whether weaker magnets work.

Is there a Discord or forum for people building this?

None is linked in the README. The creator asks for feedback and ideas for version 2 in the YouTube comments.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Sixty-four Hall sensors under the board, two steppers, one electromagnet and no robotic arm in sight. If you were building this, would you start with the gantry or the PCB?

CompareeTEAM4d agoedited

What the repo gives you: the complete CAD, STLs, PCB files with a parts list and pick-and-place file, the ESP32 firmware and the Python script. What it does not give you: a build guide. The README is a bill of materials with a few Amazon links and a video link, and the eight-minute video from January 2026 explains how the board works rather than how to assemble it. Two details are easy to miss: the Hall sensors are surface-mount parts on the PCB, and the firmware ships with sensor readings from the creator's own board that you must swap for your own. The Python script also has a Windows serial port and Stockfish path hard-coded.

Joshua Stanley

Joshua Stanley (Joshua Stanley Robotics) built ChessBot V1 without a robotic arm: a 3D-printed CoreXY gantry moves an electromagnet under the board, and 64 Hall sensors read where the pieces are. He showed it in a YouTube video in January 2026 and shared the design files on GitHub in April 2026, inviting people to modify the design and make it their own.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

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  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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