SmarterChess DIY 2026

SmarterChess is a physical smart chessboard built around a Raspberry Pi and a Raspberry Pi Pico. The board reads moves from the pieces, drives LEDs for move guidance, shows menus and QR codes on a small LCD, and supports local play, engine play, Lichess online games, puzzles, and studies from the same board interface.

This repo is a modernized continuation of the original DIY Machines project. The current codebase targets Python 3, Stockfish on Raspberry Pi, and a Pico instead of the original Arduino-based setup.

Current features

• Local 2-player mode with hint support
• VS Computer mode with selectable strength and board-side choice
• Lichess Online mode with New Game, Ongoing Games, and Challenge Received
• Puzzle mode with daily, random, and themed puzzles
• Study mode with paged chapter text and play/watch options
• Guided board setup for resumed and remote positions
• Post-game QR analysis flow for local and VS Computer games
• WiFi captive-portal / AP fallback for online setup
• Color-coded LED feedback for hints, captures, illegal moves, promotion, and game-over states

Hardware used

• Raspberry Pi Zero W or Raspberry Pi 3B+
• Raspberry Pi Pico
• WS2812 LED strip
• Waveshare 1.14" LCD

Project layout

• RaspberryPiCode/ - main application, mode controllers, display server, and shared game/menu flow helpers
• PicoCode/ - Pico firmware for buttons, LEDs, sensors, and serial protocol
• docs/ - current reference and operator guides

Docs

• Code Reference
• Menu Guide
• Physical Test Guide
• Lichess Manual Start

Original project

Original DIY Machines project video: https://youtu.be/Z92TdhsAWD4

Original project page: https://www.diymachines.co.uk/smart-chess-board-with-remote-and-local-play