Compatible with both Android and iOS (currently in beta) operating systems, Square Off is designed as a user-friendly app. It lets you interact with the board effortlessly; it just takes a click to begin the game.

It uses a compact 2 axis robotic arm with a magnetic head beneath the box to move the magnetic chess pieces. The AtMega 2560 chip with Bluetooth BLE ensures smooth communication with a smartphone, taking care of decrypting and execution. The most important thing is that it is programmed in a way so that the chess pieces don’t collide during automatic movements.

Live streaming mode: Tune into any match, worldwide. It also lets you record those matches and replay them, whenever you want.

Training mode: Play against the artificial intelligence of the board that can challenge you with 20 different difficulty levels.

Square Off mode: Challenge anybody, from anywhere in the world. You can either play board vs board or board vs app. The chess pieces shall move on their own, reflecting every move of your opponent.

But why an app? The idea is to keep the board button-free so that the users can enjoy the classic chess board experience. Be it selecting sides (black or white), difficulty levels, opening moves of computer, challenging friends, analyzing games, using the timer or chatting with the opponent (this feature is being worked upon), everything is controlled through the app.

Phone is connected to the board all the time via Bluetooth, allowing you to save an incomplete game. Also, it uses your phone’s Wi-Fi to connect to the internet and your phone’s processor to process the data and think of the next possible moves.

Currently, it works on Stockfish 7 which is one of the best open source chess engine and second engine is Cuckoo Chess, which is suitable for beginners. We plan to offer more chess engines in the future.

Additional Features:

Play against 20 different difficulty levels

Select opening moves with ease

Load and save an incomplete game

Membrane sensing technology to detect the location of pieces

Receive audio feedback during check, promotion, checkmate and for invalid moves (invalid moves, strictly not allowed)

Get all the instructions through the app, on your phone screen

In the year 2013, the Chairperson of National Association of Blind (NAB) got in touch with us to understand the feasibility of an idea. He wanted us to design a chessboard for visually impaired. It’s not possible for them to play chess on computers and smartphones. We, ourselves being board game lovers, simply dived in to explore the possibilities. We researched tirelessly to finally arrive at a design. But, we didn’t have any funds to bring it alive. That’s when an idea struck us.

We started participating in various technical paper presentations and national level tech competitions to earn the prize money, just to create the prototype. Gradually we gathered sufficient money to design our first prototype in 2014. And guess what? It worked.

The Chairman of NAB who was visually impaired himself, tested the prototype and loved playing on it. We showcased this prototype in many national exhibitions and got a great response. But, on 3rd October, 2014, for the first time we got an opportunity to present our prototype in front of an international audience in Maker Faire, Rome. This was the real turning point.

We received tremendous response, exhaustive feedback and we realised that the board has the potential to connect the entire world. So, the moment we returned, we were driven to work harder. We created 4 more prototypes and visited several events to get as many feedback as possible. We are board game lovers, but not exactly pro chess players. That’s why it was necessary to find out what those features were that would excite a chess player? From the very beginning, we have been dedicated to bring alive the features requested by users. More opportunities flowed in.

Maker Faire - New York and Rome

We were invited to showcase the prototype at all the IITs in India, then MIT Boston FAB 11, Startup Istanbul and the Sharjah Chess Club. After 3 years of sustained efforts, finally our Beta product was ready in May, 2016. To test the product and gauge the response, we produced a small batch of Collector’s Edition Square Off boards and sold 20 specially created, highly premium boards within no time.

The struggle to create the manufacturing system

The next step was to work out the mechanics of a large scale production. The aim was clear, getting the best price without compromising on the quality of the board.

However, the challenge was to find a manufacturer that would offer an incredible combination of technology and luxury. Which means advanced software and hardware perfectly encased in a premium wooden surface. End of July 2016, we visited Shenzhen, China to explore the manufacturing possibilities. Shenzhen being an electronics hub of the world, we found the technical expertise. But, finding a dealer for wood wasn’t that easy.

After a lot of research and we fortunately stumbled upon a dealer who can supply us the desired quality of wood. And now we are all set to produce on a bigger scale to reach a larger number of people.

Your backing is of utmost importance to us. Your funding is what can help us undertake bulk orders through our suppliers, at best possible prices. So that we can direct the suppliers’ discounts, back to you. With your support we are aiming to raise 45000 euros to achieve the minimum order quantity, so that we can arrive at the most economical price point. More importantly, we need funds to bear the setup costs to kick-off production and deliver to as many chess lovers as possible. That’s not all. The certification, necessary paperwork and government approvals can be possible only when we have a strong backing.

Your support opens up the possibility to develop many more fun board games that people would love to play.

Chess is just the beginning. Our vision is to add a variety of board games like Checkers, Backgammon, Snakes & Ladder, etc. to build a highly connected board gaming platform.

All you would need to do is to upgrade the Square Off App, replace the top surface with another board game panel and you will be ready to play your preferred game with anybody in the world.

We will be glad to hear your suggestions on what board games would you like to see next, on Square Off. And, we are all ears for fun, innovative board game ideas too. So let your mind run wild and create an interesting board game. If the idea is entertaining enough, it can be the next game on our board.

Get in touch with us

If you have questions at any time, during or after the campaign, you can always reach us at contact@infivention.com or leave a comment on this page.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the following people for helping us out throughout our journey