HIARCS Chess Software for PC Windows, Apple Mac and iPhone/iPad Mac Chess HIARCS 7
World Championship winning computer chess software program & downloads for chess database, analysis & play on PC, Mac and iPhone

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This product has now been superceded by our Mac OS product Sigma Chess HIARCS 9.6 for Apple Macintosh which is now available for free download and trial. Online secure payment now available to buy Sigma Chess HIARCS now!

Below you will find the features of Hiarcs 7.0 chess for the Macintosh. This version was released in 1999 as the clear strongest chess program on the Macintosh.

HIARCS 7.0

Hiarcs 7.0 for the Macintosh is stocked by good computer chess retailers like ICDChess in the USA and Chess and Bridge in the UK.

HIARCS Master 7.0 is the world's strongest chess program for Macintosh computers. It has been developed from the 1992 World Computer Olympiad Chess Champion, 1993 International Uniform Platform PC Chess Champion, 1993 World Microcomputer Chess Champion, 1995 Top Computer at the International AEGON Human/Computer Tournament (TPR Fide Elo 2631) and 1997 World's top rated chess program. HIARCS was the first program micro computer chess program in history to defeat a titled FIDE International Master in a match at tournament time controls. HIARCS also won the Godesburg Open ahead of Grand Masters and International Masters. The program will run on all Macintosh computers having MacOS 7.1 or later, a 68020 (or later) or a PowerPC processor and at least 8Mb of RAM.

HIARCS has been designed with the serious chess player in mind and contains a host of useful features for chess players of all strengths. It has a huge new opening library containing over 488,000 unique positions, and is able to automatically identify and display the ECO code and name of the opening played and select an appropriate strategy. The program has an excellent mix of tactical wizardry combined with a sound grasp of positional play which enables it to play a more human-like game including true speculative sacrificing. The program can look ahead up to 31 moves enabling more long term strategic issues to be understood.

The HIARCS 7.0 software package comes complete with an extensive general user manual, Mac specific manual and quick reference card. It is not copy protected.

System requirements: All Macintosh computers running MacOS 7.1 or later, a 68020 (or later) or a PowerPC processor and at least 8Mb of RAM. CD drive. Hard disk drive with 6Mb free disk space. On the latest Mac operating system MAC OS X, HIARCS 7 for Mac runs in the "Mac Classic" downward compatibility environment as a subtask (so it is really running under Mac OS 9).

There is also an excellent and popular Macintosh Chess program called SigmaChess which you may be interested in.

The following is a list of features offered by HIARCS 7.0:

Database and file formats

bulletEPD databases: Create new EPD databases. Import/Export EPD positions. Analyse EPD databases such as those produced by BOOKUP. Understands EPD opcodes for automatic test position processing. Purge an EPD database of all contained analysis so it can be re-analysed.
bulletPGN databases: Create new PGN databases. Import/Export/Delete games in PGN databases.
bulletHIARCS format: Save and Restore games in HIARCS format; including all analysis, evaluations, annotations, symbols and time used for every move.
bulletASCII format: Export a full textual game history; optionally with analysis and annotations.

 

Unrivalled range of playing levels

bulletInfinite user settable time controls including any specification of primary, secondary and/or tertiary time controls.
bulletUser settable Fischer incremental clock.
bulletPreset Time Controls: from Blitz to Tournament.
bulletAverage Response per move.
bulletInstant play without any lookahead.
bulletAdaptive response to that of the opponent.
bulletInfinite analysis up to 31 moves deep.
bulletLimit the number of moves deep HIARCS will search.
bulletLimit the maximum time available to HIARCS for each move.
bulletSpecial strength enhancement or reduction options.

 

World class chess engine

bulletIncredibly strong chess engine with new deep search (up to 31 moves).
bulletFirst class positional program with human-like playing style including true speculative sacrifices.
bullet6 different user selectable search techniques from Brute Force to Highly Selective.
bulletUser selectable playing style: Solid, Aggressive or Normal.
bulletLarge knowledge base of endgame heuristics: Mate with bishop and knight. Exact king and pawn knowledge. Pawn races with precise who promotes first knowledge. King & queen against king & pawn on the 7th rank. Knowledge of 'Philidor' and 'Lucena' techniques and active rook play. Wrong colour square bishop & rook pawn endings and exact knowledge of drawing techniques. Opposite colour bishop endings. Specialised endgame liquidation knowledge.

 

Extensive game analysis capabilities

bulletTwo player monitor mode with continuous HIARCS analysis.
bulletHave up to the 3 best variations computed and displayed simultaneously.
bulletSearch for Next Best move(s).
bulletAnalyse Game or just marked positions for either white, black or both sides; detailing best lines and evaluations.
bulletFind Keypoints in a game and show possible improvements.
bulletAll principle variations and evaluations stored for later recall.
bullet4 separate levels of analysis display detail including Permanent Brain analysis.
bulletAdd/Remove/Save/Restore user textual annotations to any move/position.
bulletAdjudicate the current game.
bulletMark positions and scan forwards or backwards to other marked positions
bulletGo directly to any move number.
bulletTakeback or go forward one move.
bulletJump to the start or end of a game.

 

Viewable massive opening book/library

bulletAutomatic Book Learning capability.
bulletBook moves are displayed on screen.
bulletLarge opening books with over 488,000 unique book positions/moves.
bulletChoose which opening book HIARCS will use from its library of Tournament, Normal, Wide and Fun books or turn the books off.
bulletAutomatically classifies openings into their ECO category and assigns appropriate opening names.

 

Special features

bulletShuffle Chess allows any of the 960 different starting positions specified in Fischer Random Chess to be randomly generated.
bulletHIARCS can rate its and your chess ability in Elo points, updating as you play more games.
bulletSet "Contempt factor" to encourage/discourage draws.
bulletChange the 50 move rule in case of chess rule changes.
bulletOffer HIARCS a draw or offer your resignation.
bulletCorrect the chess clocks for white or black during a game.
bulletView the current game details e.g. White player name, ECO code etc.
bulletChange the piece characters to use in all functions, e.g. default PNBRQK.
bulletSet HIARCS to display moves in short or long algebraic notation.
bulletSet all HIARCS chess strength options to their optimal values for strong play via one menu option.
bulletTurn Permanent Brain on or off.
bulletOptionally randomise between moves of almost equal value.
bulletMultilingual support including English, German and French languages.

 

All the essential features

bulletStart a new game.
bulletExtremely user friendly position setup and editing.
bulletSave the current preferences for use each time HIARCS starts up.
bulletGive move hints and display the principle variation.
bulletAutoplaying at any level for a single game or continuously.
bulletSwap sides at any time.
bulletPause the game while in play.
bulletReplay current game with optional user settable delay.
bulletEnter your name as the opponent for HIARCS.
bulletToggle board algebraic coordinates on or off.
bulletToggle game sounds on or off.
bulletFlip board to view from white or black perspective.
bulletToggle square flash on or off.

 

New features in HIARCS 7.0

bulletChess strength improvements: +60 Elo over HIARCS Mac version 6, including: 25% overall search speed up, improved positional play, new tactical search which is often quicker to see real game tactics, improved accuracy of search extensions giving improved middle and endgame, improved tactical evaluation giving better understanding of positions, better understanding of mate threats and improved evaluation of piece placement with pawn structure.
bulletEnlarged opening books with over 488,000 unique book positions.
bulletPositional Learning: This allows HIARCS to learn postions when out of book and apply this knowledge in future games.
bulletConfigurable Hash table size up to 64Mb!

 

 

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"generally I use HIARCS." - Five time World Chess Champion Vishy Anand, in a recent interview when asked what chess program he uses to analyse with
 
"HIARCS is much better positionally than Deep Blue." - Garry Kasparov 1997 (after game 5 of the rematch)

World Chess Champion, Vishy Anand, used "Powerful" HIARCS machine in preparations for his 2010 & 2012 world title matches

"This level of service is one other big reason to buy HIARCS." - John Jackson

† Highest performance reached depends on computer used. Computer Chess Software with world class chess engine playing strength.
HIARCS is designed and developed by Mark Uniacke in England.

*VAT and local sales tax may be applicable. Prices given in GBP, USD and EUR are subject to change without notice.
Other currencies are subject to conversion rates from GBP.

HIARCS is a trademark of Applied Computer Concepts Ltd. All other product trademarks acknowledged.
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