After Effects for the Chess player

Above: Good evening. Middle: ...White Please. Below: Black

So here is a the next section, the switching on of the Unbeatable computer, and the computer deciding which side to be. I did one for each as at the time I decided to that the evil computer will prefer black, it will also allow the robot hands to start first... This is where the frustrations begin!
I did it in After effects, which I'm very glad I've started using more as i can now use it as practice for my final olympics piece, which is after this project. I like the glow of the letters, and it again helps set the scene. Sorry not uploaded my sketches yet, completely forgot.

Update on Materials

So here is a quick render of my scene, I've applied a deep blue raytrace onto the black squares, and now have a wooden table rather than it all be black, which I'm still 50/50 on. It lifts the image a lot, but I'm not sure if it distracts away from it or not, or even takes away the futuristic feel. I might tweek the white pieces, and white checkers too.

Here is the same shot as the one above but the computer has buttons and speakers, also there is shadowing from the hands, making the lighting more realisttic from above. I changed the above omni light to a target light playing with the effects.

progress report:

Hmmm... Chess Pieces beginning

This is just a progress render of my pieces, they still have a lot of tweaking left to do. Basic shapes are there but I am not happy with them yet, maybe material will help and more detail. Although they are supposed to be just Metal representations of the chess pieces rather than the standard ones. I'm also building them from scratch as I feel everyone is probably just copying a online tutorial, and I'd like my animation to stand out a little more. Anyway also to add... the chess computer has now been built it just needs detail like buttons, the black rectangle is when the words such as "Check In 10" will appear.