Connected Chess Boards: Which Models Play on Lichess and Chess.com?
A connected chess board passes your moves to Lichess or Chess.com and shows your opponent’s. On the Lichess side, the platform itself names DGT, Chessnut, ChessUp 2 and iChessOne as manufacturers compliant with its official interface. On the Chess.com side, the most official integration is that of the ChessUp 2; the other brands go through their own app or a browser extension.
Official interface for boards (Board API): the technical entry point that Lichess makes available to makers of electronic chess boards. A board that uses it plays legitimately on Lichess; Lichess warns that a board that bypasses it exposes the account to closure.
Connected Chess Boards: The Lichess and Chess.com Compatibility Matrix
| Model | Connectivity | Lichess | Chess.com | App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DGT Pegasus | Bluetooth | Yes, manufacturer cited by Lichess | Android (Chess.com app) or Chessconnect extension | DGT Chess |
| DGT Smart Board / e-Board | USB or Bluetooth | Yes | Yes, via Chessconnect | DGT LiveChess, Chessconnect Chrome extension |
| DGT Centaur | None | No (standalone) | No | Not applicable |
| Chessnut Air, Air+, Pro, Go | Bluetooth (Wi-Fi on the Air+) | Yes, Board API option | Announced by Chessnut | Chessnut |
| Chessnut Evo | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Yes, on the device | Yes, on the device (according to Chessnut) | Built in (touchscreen) |
| ChessUp 2 | Wi-Fi | Yes, manufacturer cited by Lichess | Yes, official partner | Built in |
| Millennium (King, Chess Classics) + ChessLink | Bluetooth (M822 module) | Announced by Millennium | Announced by Millennium | Millennium ChessLink |
| Square Off | Wireless, via the app | Announced by Square Off | Yes, long-standing integration | Square Off |
| GoChess, Phantom | Bluetooth | Announced by the manufacturer | Announced by the manufacturer | Manufacturer’s app |
Connected Chess Boards on Lichess: The Rules to Know
Lichess published a dedicated page on electronic chess boards in late 2025. It distinguishes the manufacturers that correctly use its official interface (DGT, ChessUp 2, iChessOne, Chessnut) from those that do not. Three rules follow from it:
- Use the manufacturer’s official app and the intended mode. For Chessnut, choose the “Board API” option; “vision” mode is permitted only in puzzles and studies.
- Time controls are limited: games played through the board interface are restricted to rapid, classical and correspondence. Blitz is allowed only for direct challenges, games against the computer and certain group pairings.
- Beware of workarounds: Lichess warns that a board that does not go through the official interface may lead to the account being closed.
Being absent from the list does not necessarily mean incompatibility: Millennium, Square Off, GoChess and Phantom announce Lichess in their apps. But Lichess’s list is the only guarantee coming from the platform itself.
Connected Chess Boards on Chess.com: What the Platform Says
Chess.com’s help pages, updated in December 2025, confirm that electronic boards are supported, but publish no list and refer you to each manufacturer. The only integration presented as an official partnership that we found is that of the ChessUp 2, launched with Chess.com. For the others:
- DGT: the free Chessconnect Chrome extension, updated in February 2026, links e-Boards, Smart Board, Revelation II and Pegasus to Chess.com or Lichess. The Pegasus also works with the Chess.com app on Android, not on iOS.
- Chessnut: support announced on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.
- Millennium: the ChessLink app, which gives access to Chess.com, Lichess and Tornelo.
- Square Off: Chess.com integration offered since the late 2010s.
Bluetooth, USB or Wi-Fi: Which Connection to Choose?
The most common
Pegasus, Chessnut, ChessLink. Handy with a phone or tablet placed next to the board.
The most stable
DGT e-Boards and Smart Board. Ideal on a desktop computer or at a tournament.
The most independent
ChessUp 2, Chessnut Air+ and Evo. The board can play online without a phone switched on beside it.
Playing Online on a Board: What Changes
Playing on Lichess or Chess.com with a connected board is not quite like playing on a screen. A few differences to know before buying:
- Moving time counts: you must play your move on the board, then move the opponent’s piece shown by the lights (except on a robotic board). At fast time controls, these seconds add up. Lichess, incidentally, reserves games played from a board for rapid, classical and correspondence time controls.
- The position must stay accurate: if a piece is badly placed, the board and the site no longer see the same position. Boards that recognise every piece (DGT tournament boards, Chessnut) make correction easier.
- Battery and connection: a Bluetooth dropout or a phone going to sleep can cost you time on the clock. Check your phone’s power-saving settings before an important game.
- Comfort: in return for these constraints, you play on a real board, away from the screen, with the overview of a club game.
What Does a Connected Chess Board Cost?
The prices observed on 18/10/2026 on the manufacturers’ websites and at European retailers give the following guide (indicative prices observed):
- Entry level: about €150 to €200 for the DGT Pegasus, about $200 for the Chessnut Go.
- Mid-range: about $250 to $360 for the Chessnut Air or Air+, about $380 to $430 for the ChessUp 2, around €200 for the DGT Smart Board without pieces.
- High end: about $630 for the Chessnut Pro, around €650 for a wooden DGT e-Board with its pieces, and more for robotic models.
For a Millennium computer, add the ChessLink module (€99 from the manufacturer) to the price of the board.
Which Connected Chess Board Should You Choose?
- You mainly play on Lichess: DGT Pegasus or Chessnut, two manufacturers cited by Lichess.
- You mainly play on Chess.com: ChessUp 2, an official partner, or a DGT board with Chessconnect on a computer.
- You also want to play offline: Chessnut Evo, ChessUp 2, or a Millennium The King Performance with ChessLink.
- You want to see the pieces move: see our page on robotic chess boards.
For a more general overview of the models, including non-connected ones, read a detailed comparison of connected and electronic chess boards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a connected chess board cost?
Expect about €150 to €200 for the entry level (DGT Pegasus, Chessnut Go), $250 to $430 for the mid-range (Chessnut Air, ChessUp 2) and €600 or more for a tournament-size wooden board. Indicative prices observed in October 2026.
Which connected chess board should I choose?
For Lichess, a DGT or a Chessnut, manufacturers cited by Lichess as compliant. For Chess.com, the ChessUp 2, an official partner. To play offline too, a model with a built-in engine such as the Chessnut Evo or the ChessUp 2.
What is the best connected chess board?
There is no single one: the DGT Pegasus is the simplest for Lichess, the ChessUp 2 the most closely integrated with Chess.com, the Chessnut Evo the most complete and a DGT e-Board the closest to tournament conditions.
Can you be banned from Lichess for using an electronic chess board?
Lichess warns that a board that does not use its official interface may lead to the account being closed. With a manufacturer cited by Lichess and its official app, this risk does not arise.