diff --git a/src/mame/layout/aci_borisdpl.lay b/src/mame/layout/aci_borisdpl.lay
index bd19424c839..3932e51ab36 100644
--- a/src/mame/layout/aci_borisdpl.lay
+++ b/src/mame/layout/aci_borisdpl.lay
@@ -348,6 +348,13 @@
 		<text string="1" align="2"><color red="0.95" green="0.8" blue="0.6" /></text>
 	</element>
 
+	<element name="text_warning">
+		<rect><color red="0.7" green="0.56" blue="0.42" /></rect>
+		<text string="Boris Diplomat's built-in chessboard is not electronic, player uses keypad to enter moves.">
+			<color red="0.5" green="0.4" blue="0.3" />
+		</text>
+	</element>
+
 
 <!-- sb board -->
 
@@ -760,6 +767,7 @@
 		<bounds left="-4" right="94" top="16.5" bottom="152" />
 
 		<bezel element="cwhite"><bounds x="8" y="30" width="84" height="84" /></bezel>
+		<bezel element="text_warning"><bounds x="10" y="30.02" width="80" height="1.98" /></bezel>
 		<group ref="sb_board"><bounds x="10" y="32" width="80" height="80" /></group>
 		<group ref="sb_ui"><bounds x="-3" y="32" width="10" height="80" /></group>
 
diff --git a/src/mame/layout/aci_ggm.lay b/src/mame/layout/aci_ggm.lay
index 61e61c94084..1cce579b017 100644
--- a/src/mame/layout/aci_ggm.lay
+++ b/src/mame/layout/aci_ggm.lay
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <mamelayout version="2">
 
+<!-- NOTE: no chesspieces simulation here, ACI GGM is a multiple boardgame console, not just chess -->
+
 <!-- define elements -->
 
 	<element name="black"><rect><color red="0.16" green="0.16" blue="0.16" /></rect></element>
diff --git a/src/mame/layout/intellect02.lay b/src/mame/layout/intellect02.lay
index 51e8cd38e36..4f23cb0bc5c 100644
--- a/src/mame/layout/intellect02.lay
+++ b/src/mame/layout/intellect02.lay
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <mamelayout version="2">
 
+<!-- NOTE: no chesspieces simulation here, Intellect-2 is a multiple boardgame console, not just chess -->
+
 <!-- define elements -->
 
 	<element name="static_black"><rect><color red="0.0" green="0.0" blue="0.0" /></rect></element>
diff --git a/src/mame/layout/saitek_chesstrv.lay b/src/mame/layout/saitek_chesstrv.lay
index b1fc0ccb8a0..252b0c75b62 100644
--- a/src/mame/layout/saitek_chesstrv.lay
+++ b/src/mame/layout/saitek_chesstrv.lay
@@ -178,6 +178,12 @@
 		<text string="1" align="2"><color red="0.17" green="0.15" blue="0.15" /></text>
 	</element>
 
+	<element name="text_warning">
+		<text string="Chess Traveler's built-in chessboard is not electronic, player uses keypad to enter moves.">
+			<color red="0.3" green="0.3" blue="0.3" />
+		</text>
+	</element>
+
 
 <!-- sb board -->
 
@@ -554,8 +560,9 @@
 <!-- build screen -->
 
 	<view name="Internal Layout (Full)">
-		<bounds left="-5" right="31.775" top="-11.8" bottom="39.3" />
+		<bounds left="-5" right="31.775" top="-11.2" bottom="39.3" />
 
+		<bezel element="text_warning"><bounds x="0" y="-4.7" width="31" height="0.76725" /></bezel>
 		<group ref="sb_board"><bounds x="0" y="-3.8" width="31" height="31" /></group>
 		<group ref="sb_ui"><bounds x="-4.5" y="-3.8" width="3.875" height="31" /></group>
 
diff --git a/src/mame/layout/sc2.lay b/src/mame/layout/sc2.lay
index b1b7b792abc..86f280ebce2 100644
--- a/src/mame/layout/sc2.lay
+++ b/src/mame/layout/sc2.lay
@@ -190,6 +190,13 @@
 		<text string="H"><color red="0.01" green="0.01" blue="0.01" /></text>
 	</element>
 
+	<element name="text_warning">
+		<rect><color red="0.81" green="0.8" blue="0.79" /></rect>
+		<text string="SC 2's built-in chessboard is not electronic, player uses keypad to enter moves.">
+			<color red="0.61" green="0.6" blue="0.59" />
+		</text>
+	</element>
+
 
 <!-- sb board -->
 
@@ -557,6 +564,8 @@
 		<group ref="sb_board"><bounds x="3.5" y="3" width="80" height="80" /></group>
 		<group ref="sb_ui"><bounds x="-12" y="3" width="10" height="80" /></group>
 
+		<bezel element="text_warning"><bounds x="3.5" y="-0.5" width="80" height="1.98" /></bezel>
+
 		<bezel element="text_8"><bounds x="0.2" y="7"  width="2" height="2" /></bezel>
 		<bezel element="text_7"><bounds x="0.2" y="17" width="2" height="2" /></bezel>
 		<bezel element="text_6"><bounds x="0.2" y="27" width="2" height="2" /></bezel>