In Star Trek franchise, there is no dearth of interesting props and the tri-dimensional chess is one such artifact that continues to spark curiosity among the Trekkies.

The twist: The tour randomizes the starting positions of the chess board’s most important pieces, so each game begins with the queen, rooks and knights in a jumble. Players have to adapt on the fly.

Chess is timeless, but automating it? That’s where the real magic begins. Enter [Tamerlan Goglichidze]’s Pi Board, an automated chess system that blends modern tech with age-old strategy.

If you live near Central Park or some other local chess hub, you’re likely never short of opponents for a good game. If you find ... button inputs from the board’s side panel.