A robot that plays chess at the level of an international grandmaster has been developed at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University in Nalchik.
The project was created by a team from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems and Data Analysis. It is based on a robotic arm, a 3D camera, and artificial intelligence algorithms. The system recognizes pieces on the board, tracks the opponent's moves, and calculates dozens of possible game developments.
The machine takes from 0.1 to 2 seconds to analyze the position, and from 4 to 10 seconds to make the move itself due to the mechanics. The robot doesn't just calculate options, but also takes into account positional decisions typical of strong chess players.
The development has already been shown at a university exhibition, where the project received a first-degree diploma.
At the same time, the robot is used not only as a demonstration of technology. Students work with it in educational tasks: they learn to program, assemble robotics, and integrate it with computer vision systems.
The university plans to develop the project further. By the summer of 2026, they want to launch an online platform where anyone can play against the robot, as well as participate in tournaments and track game results.
The project is funded by internal university grants and is already being considered as a tool for popularizing technology and engineering professions.
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