I'm trying to make an RFID chessboard, but using one reader underneath each square would be expensive. So, after some research, I found in a lot of places people using RFID antennas underneath each square and only one reader, but they don't provide a lot of details about it. So, how can I design an RFID antenna? I have no idea about this. Should it be a coil (just wire winding), or should it be a PCB? How do I know the range? I don't want a big range because the idea is for each square to detect only the piece on that square. How do I calculate the number of turns to achieve a specific frequency? I thought of something similar to an LC circuit, but I'm not sure if the antenna should have a capacitor. My electronics knowledge is okay—I'm a computer engineering student—but I've never dealt with RF/RFID before.

 

Do any of those postings that show an RFID under each square explain how they know which square a piece is located on?? At least that is what I guess that the RFID is supposed to provide: An indication of which piece is on what square. What other value could it provide?? If a post claims that it works with an antenna under each square and only one receiver, and does not tell how that works, it is because it DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.
I suspect that the reason that no details are provided is because it is a fake, and there are no details.It would need to be able to switch each antenna to the receiver, one at a time. AND it would need to identify what the piece is on the square,

 

I've seen extensive electronic forum discussions of this chess piece concept multiple times including some projects with plenty of design details, images, etc. You just need to search a bit to find them.

 

I should have added to my previous reply... look at the application notes for any RFID reader IC. They usually contain lots of design information for antenna design. Some vendors even provide tools/calculators. There are various ways to physically construct them.

 

I'm trying to make an RFID chessboard, but using one reader underneath each square would be expensive. So, after some research, I found in a lot of places people using RFID antennas underneath each square and only one reader, but they don't provide a lot of details about it. So, how can I design an RFID antenna? I have no idea about this. Should it be a coil (just wire winding), or should it be a PCB? How do I know the range? I don't want a big range because the idea is for each square to detect only the piece on that square. How do I calculate the number of turns to achieve a specific frequency? I thought of something similar to an LC circuit, but I'm not sure if the antenna should have a capacitor. My electronics knowledge is okay—I'm a computer engineering student—but I've never dealt with RF/RFID before.

Welcome to AAC.

Is this work for academic credit?

 

The Design of the antenna is the smallest bit of the challenge,because the real challenge is how to select which of the spaces on the chess board is selected, as well as discovering which piece is on that space. So I suggest giving THAT challenge a bit more consideration. My solution would be to have the board be transparent to infrared light, and use an IR video camera, with markings on the bottom of each piece indicating what it is, and the camera can see where that piece is. THAT will be much less challenging and probably a whole lot less expensive. One IR camera, One IR illumination source, and no electronics on the pieces, only markings on the bottoms.
AND the software can read the identity directly, as well as the position.