Square Off Pro, Neo and Grand Kingdom: The Chess Board Whose Pieces Move by Themselves

Updated on 18 October 2026 · Written by Brunoy Échecs · Specifications checked on the manufacturers’ websites

Where Does Square Off Come From?

Square Off is the work of Infivention Technologies, a young Mumbai company founded in September 2015 by two electronics engineers, Aatur Mehta and Bhavya Gohil. According to the Indian press, the idea goes back to 2013: India’s national association for the blind had asked them whether they could design a chess board suited to visually impaired players. The project became a mainstream connected chess board, launched on Kickstarter in November 2016.

In October 2022, the robotics company Miko took a majority stake (70%) in Square Off, according to TechCrunch. The squareoffnow.com site now redirects to Miko’s, which sells a model called “Miko Chess Grand”. For a buyer, this means checking the continuity of after-sales service and of the app before buying an older second-hand Square Off model.

Square Off: The Models

During the 2016 campaign, the announced battery was 2,200 mAh, or about 400 moves. The current Miko Chess Grand page announces a battery life of around thirty games and lists it at $549. Indicative price observed, on 18/10/2026.

How Do the Square Off Pieces Move by Themselves?

Under the playing surface, a two-axis robotic arm moves a magnetic head. Each piece contains a magnet at its base. When the opponent (the computer or an online player) moves, the head positions itself under the piece, attracts it and slides it to its destination square, threading it between the other pieces. On the Grand Kingdom, the same mechanism puts all the pieces back in the starting position at the end of the game.

This principle is common to most robotic boards, but not all: the Chessnut Move, for example, uses pieces that roll on their own wheels. Our page on boards whose pieces move by themselves compares Square Off, Phantom, GoChess and Chessnut Move.

Square Off Pro: The Roll-Up Board

Presented at the CES show in 2021, the Square Off Pro is a flexible board that rolls up for transport. It detects the pieces with magnetic sensors and shows the opponent’s moves with lights, but its pieces do not move by themselves. It links to Chess.com and Lichess through the Square Off app. It is a rival to connected boards such as the Chessnut Air: our comparison of the Chessnut range details this head-to-head.

Square Off on Chess.com and Lichess

Square Off has offered Chess.com integration since the late 2010s, according to the technology press, and announces Lichess in its app. However, Square Off does not appear in the list of manufacturers that Lichess cites as correctly using its official interface (page published in December 2025). This is not a ban, but a point to keep in mind: Lichess warns that boards that bypass its official interface expose the account to sanctions. Our compatibility matrix gives the position for each brand.

Buying a Second-Hand Square Off

The Kingdom, Grand Kingdom, Neo and Swap models can be found on the second-hand market. As they are mechanical devices linked to an app, a few checks are called for:

1. Have several moves played in front of you: the arm should move the pieces smoothly and without unusual noise, and each piece should arrive in the centre of its square.
2. Test the current app: with the move under the Miko banner, make sure the app you can install today recognises the model.
3. Check the battery: ask how many games the board lasts after a full charge.
4. Count the pieces: each contains a magnet essential to the mechanism; an ordinary replacement piece will not work.
5. Get the original charger and, if possible, the packaging, useful for transporting a device that contains a mechanism.

The Best Uses of a Square Off

A robotic board really comes into its own in three situations. First, playing the computer without a screen: you watch the board, not a phone, and the machine’s moves are carried out by themselves. Second, playing at a distance with a loved one: seeing the opponent’s pieces move gives a presence that a simple light does not. Finally, introducing people to chess: the surprise holds the attention of children and adults alike. For serious preparation or blitz, an ordinary connected board remains more effective.

Square Off: Our Verdict

Square Off is aimed first at those who want to play against the machine on a real board, with the pleasure of watching the pieces move. If the movement of the pieces does not matter to you and you would rather have a handsome wooden sensor board, other solutions exist: browse other wooden electronic chess boards to compare.