HIARCS for iPod Touch

I was invited by Mark to try the HIARCS program for my iPod Touch earlier today. I must say that I am not very adept with the features of my iPod Touch. Once I found the application to download, it was a piece of cake.

Here is my personal assessment:

1. The interface is nice and easy on the eyes. It is quite easy to see.
2. Everything works intuitively and it is quite simple actually. I think everyone can figure it out immediately. You can customize the color of the board and the type of pieces you want to use. I chose the brown board and the elite piece.
3. The playing program is good. It is good enough to beat 99.9% of chess players on this planet.
4. The default mode is a 5 0 game. As soon as I completed the download, I tried out a game right away. I was White. I played a non-book opening and the program was good in handling the opening and middlegame. I managed to squeeze out a 99 move win.
5. It gives an excellent entertainment and educational value, especially if you are on a flight or with kids on a road trip. I definitely prefer my kids playing chess over playing violent video games any day.

On the scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 9.5. Well done!

HIARCS 12.1 for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch

visit App Store now to see HIARCS Chess

HIARCS is the only handheld chess program in the world which has won Grandmaster tournaments. In August it won the 2009 Mescusor Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina ahead of Grandmasters, while scoring an incredible undefeated 9½/10 points (9 wins, one draw). This is a performance of 2938 Elo which is the best chess performance rating for any handheld device in history and higher than Garry Kasparov’s peak Elo rating!

HIARCS also has the second and third best ever chess performances on handhelds as well having won two other Grandmaster tournaments. It also has many match wins over Grandmasters in the past 4 years.

Even the World’s strongest ever human chess player, Garry Kasparov, said “HIARCS is much better positionally than Deep Blue“.

This power enables your iPhone to play chess like a super Grandmaster, analyse games and chess problems with you, while offering numerous features to help you learn and improve as you play with HIARCS.

HIARCS Chess has a full range of realistic weaker opponents and playing styles catering for all players from absolute beginners to professional Grandmasters. On the weaker playing levels HIARCS will make human-like mistakes appropriate to the level of play and this together with the in-built coach watching allows you to learn and improve quickly. HIARCS can even adjust its playing strength as you improve and learn more.

HIARCS is even able to save battery life by using much less energy on any weaker levels, allowing more playing time on long journeys etc.

HIARCS has a large tournament book of over 1.2 million positions and moves. The book moves are displayed on screen with chess symbols and the opening variations are even named.