This is easily the best chess program in the App Store. It has a great user interface, it is fast, solid, and it has the strongest chess engine (HIARCS 12.1) available for any mobile chess program. If they continue to add features, they will remain the best in the app store, and they will likely become the best and most popular mobile chess program on any platform. HIARCS already produces great mobile chess programs for Palm and Pocket PC platforms, and this is a fantastic first effort for iPhone. I'm looking forward to future updates and added features.
Chessbase charges $61, or 50 Euros for their flagship Pocket Fritz 3 program on pocket pc platform, and Pocket Fritz 3 licenses the same HIARCS 12.1 Engine that is used for HIARCS for iPhone. That should tell you something.
HIARCS Chess for iPhone is quite a bargain at $10, you will be paying many times that for the HIARCS engine on any other program or platform.
HIARCS Chess
(20 ratings)
Seller: Applied Computer Concepts LtdCategory: Board
Released on: August 15, 2009
Version: Version: 12.1 (iPhone OS 3.0 Tested)
Size: 8.2 MB
Languages:
Price: $9.99
Screenshots:
Description:
HIARCS is a World Championship winning chess program that has proven to be the strongest chess program on Palm and Pocket PC devices and is now available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
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 9.5/10 points (9 wins, one draw). This is a performance of 2900 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 strong 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 appropritate 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.
HIARCS also monitors your chess performance and provides you with an Elo chess rating which tracks your chess ability in every game.
HIARCS Chess combines this outstanding chess playing program with superb user friendly features for chess players of all strengths.
Key features:
+ Strongest chess program on iPhone and iPod Touch, genuine GM level performance
+ Suitable for all players from absolute beginners to strong Grandmasters
+ Intuitive and friendly user interface
+ Play white or black, analyse continuously or watch game
+ Settable Elo levels and fully adjustable playing levels and opponents
+ Special low energy levels to increase battery life
+ Rates your chess play and gives you an Elo rating
+ Coach to watch game and warn about mistakes
+ Give hint moves, allow takebacks
+ Save/Load games, Email a game
+ Set up a position to analyse or play from
+ Navigate forwards or backwards through an existing game
+ Set Chess Clock for timed play
+ Large tournament opening book with well over a million positions and moves, moves displayed with symbols and chess openings named!
+ Permanent brain for enhanced playing strength
+ Numerous chess display functions for showing chess moves, analysis, book moves, even legal moves
+ 5 Piece sets and colour schemes
+ Figurine chess notations
+ Help screens
A discount coupon is included with the product offering a discount of up to $10 USD on other HIARCS products for Mac, PC, Palm and Pocket PC on www.hiarcs.com. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or discount.
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 9.5/10 points (9 wins, one draw). This is a performance of 2900 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 strong 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 appropritate 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.
HIARCS also monitors your chess performance and provides you with an Elo chess rating which tracks your chess ability in every game.
HIARCS Chess combines this outstanding chess playing program with superb user friendly features for chess players of all strengths.
Key features:
+ Strongest chess program on iPhone and iPod Touch, genuine GM level performance
+ Suitable for all players from absolute beginners to strong Grandmasters
+ Intuitive and friendly user interface
+ Play white or black, analyse continuously or watch game
+ Settable Elo levels and fully adjustable playing levels and opponents
+ Special low energy levels to increase battery life
+ Rates your chess play and gives you an Elo rating
+ Coach to watch game and warn about mistakes
+ Give hint moves, allow takebacks
+ Save/Load games, Email a game
+ Set up a position to analyse or play from
+ Navigate forwards or backwards through an existing game
+ Set Chess Clock for timed play
+ Large tournament opening book with well over a million positions and moves, moves displayed with symbols and chess openings named!
+ Permanent brain for enhanced playing strength
+ Numerous chess display functions for showing chess moves, analysis, book moves, even legal moves
+ 5 Piece sets and colour schemes
+ Figurine chess notations
+ Help screens
A discount coupon is included with the product offering a discount of up to $10 USD on other HIARCS products for Mac, PC, Palm and Pocket PC on www.hiarcs.com. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or discount.
Recent AppStore Reviews:
Best Chess Program in the App Store
Meh
Glaurung is just as good, plus it's free. Don't waste $10 on HIARCS.
Oh and when I say "just as good" I mean just as user friendly. I'm not sure if this engine is stronger or weaker than Glaurung, but it doesn't make much difference. They're both incredibly strong.
Oh and when I say "just as good" I mean just as user friendly. I'm not sure if this engine is stronger or weaker than Glaurung, but it doesn't make much difference. They're both incredibly strong.
Outstanding!!
Why can I say about an already well-established program like Hiarcs tht isn't already known? Hands-down the best chess app ever in the app store (add pgn download support and this app will pretty much be complete for me!!) and I have owned this app since my treo days....and as then like now I am not dissapointed!! Great job develoers!!
Great App- Just like their other versions!
I've owned the Palm version for some time and was very pleased to see it for my iTouch! Works as expected, beat me easily (for now)! As a player not totally comfortable with algebriac notation, would like the ability to view the grid on the sides. Also some explainations on the time choices would be useful.
Bottom line: recommend this for any chess player!
Raised the Bar!!
For those that are familiar with chess programs, Hiarcs needs no introduction. It comes with a strong pedigree and many championship awards. Needless to say, I was anxious to see that program in the app store.
There are many very good chess programs for the iphone now, but Hiarcs is just a cut above. It shares all of the features, except one, of the top programs. The one shortcoming is that you cannot download pgn games, and I hope that it is resolved in an upcoming update since that would make an already great game even better.
For me, it came down to Fritz and Hiarcs. Hiarcs wins from an engine strength standpoint, but how badly do I need to get smashed when I'm an average player (but even GM's will find it challenging!). The difference is in the extra features that make playing a game more enjoyable. Things like engine playing style, book styles, and adapting its strength to me. All of these features also aid my development for my improving game.
So, if you are looking for a strong program, features to make the game enjoyable to play and learn, and pleasing graphics and intuitive play, then look no further than Hiarcs Chess.
There are many very good chess programs for the iphone now, but Hiarcs is just a cut above. It shares all of the features, except one, of the top programs. The one shortcoming is that you cannot download pgn games, and I hope that it is resolved in an upcoming update since that would make an already great game even better.
For me, it came down to Fritz and Hiarcs. Hiarcs wins from an engine strength standpoint, but how badly do I need to get smashed when I'm an average player (but even GM's will find it challenging!). The difference is in the extra features that make playing a game more enjoyable. Things like engine playing style, book styles, and adapting its strength to me. All of these features also aid my development for my improving game.
So, if you are looking for a strong program, features to make the game enjoyable to play and learn, and pleasing graphics and intuitive play, then look no further than Hiarcs Chess.
Great engine, good app
First of all, I don't have a 2400 elo or anything but I do enjoy playing chess. The HIARCS apps is at least as good as Shredder and much better than some of the other lower priced apps. Any of these engines can probably beat 98% of chess players and I'm not good enough to rate one engine against another.
The 4 star rating is only because as of this first release, HIARCS doesn't have a puzzle mode. I know hard core enthusiasts may not need them, but I enjoy being able to work on problems when I don't have time for a full game. I know, sounds like a minor gripe and it is. Also, I think some of the other apps simply "look" better. HIARCS looks way too much like Glaurung IMO. I suppose Deep Green set the bar kind of high for looks.
All in all, a great app. One that I don't regret spending 10$ on.
desktop strength !
I'm pretty much a beginer(1500+-)...but this fits me perfectly...let me explain why. First, it seems to play more like a 'person' which, so far, has really improved my play against 'humans'...compared to other chess software I use. Lastly, Hiarcs has the ability to adapt to your playing strength...this has help push me forward at a consistant pace and all aspects of play seem to be very well balanced.
To sum it up, Hiarcs has the strongest chess engine on the Iphone and It can take you pretty much where you need to go to meet your goals for the great game of Chess! I meant to say 'can take you pretty much where you need to go' in style with it's great informationally loaded interface to it's highly flexible chess engine settings.
It's a real beauty!!! ...I highly recommend Hiarcs!
HIARCS Chess - I'm glad I waited!
I fell in love with HIARCS on my Palm PDAs and I have been waiting patiently for the iPhone release. A couple of times I felt the urge to buy an iPhone chess program and I would sift through the reviews, but I always found myself comparing the available choices to HIARCS and they always came up short.
I am not saying anything bad about any of the other iPhone chess programs. I know they have their fans and I'm sure that most of them are fine products. It's just that I found HIARCS for the Palm to be such a superior product (which I paid WAY more than $9.99 for) that I found myself naturally comparing everything else to it.
HIARCS Chess has a long and rich history and I am so happy that it continues to be developed and improved and I'm so very happy it has finally arrived on the iPhone!
I am not saying anything bad about any of the other iPhone chess programs. I know they have their fans and I'm sure that most of them are fine products. It's just that I found HIARCS for the Palm to be such a superior product (which I paid WAY more than $9.99 for) that I found myself naturally comparing everything else to it.
HIARCS Chess has a long and rich history and I am so happy that it continues to be developed and improved and I'm so very happy it has finally arrived on the iPhone!
Excellent App.
This is awesome. I love it!
Almost perfect: some issues
Firstable congrats for this wonderfull app, that together Shreder and Chess genius are the best and strong apps on the store. The advantages I see is that Shreder and Hiarcs, have a tutor that lets you know when you are not doing the best movements, althoug Shreder not only gives you that Alert, but also gives you the best movement to do. This issue is something I consider very important to improve in hiarcs for the next update, that when the tutor tells you , your movement is not the best one, immediately, shows you which one is the correct or the best one movement.
In some cases I detected, you select Hint, to follow the best computers advice in your playing, but it seems a little contradictory, because after doing the hit movement, appears the tutor saying that "this movement is not the best one". Please fix also that issue. It is an expensive app, and it worths it, but please take my feedback to improve this magnificient app in the next updates.
Good but missing a critical feature
This would have a 5 star if it would allow me to load games from a pgn file or email them TO Hiarcs. The ability only to send games form Hiarcs is a serious design flaw.
Chess Genius takes the prize here. It allows you to download from the internet a pgn file and load it to the game.
Otherwise it is very much like my copy on the Palm which is by far the best small device chess program there is.
On the Palm I can go directly to the Memos database to get a game. I realize it is not allowed by apple but the download is since Chess Genius does it.
Chess Genius takes the prize here. It allows you to download from the internet a pgn file and load it to the game.
Otherwise it is very much like my copy on the Palm which is by far the best small device chess program there is.
On the Palm I can go directly to the Memos database to get a game. I realize it is not allowed by apple but the download is since Chess Genius does it.
Best of the Best Chess Application
I have purchase every chess application I could find in the Apple store and Hiarcs has every feature you could ever wish for in a chess program including an interface that almost guarantees that you don't make an move you didn't intend to make which can be critical
with an Itouch chess application.
with an Itouch chess application.
Extremely Slick
I'm blown away truly. This is better than the Mac version in many ways. Great interface, nice options, quick and most importantly very strong. Forget those baby chess games, this is the one if you're half serious about the game.
HIARCS has the best and most flexible chess engine
I have purchased both Fritz and Chess Genius on iTunes, and I find HIARCS to be the best. The main reason why is that HIARCS offers a very flexible chess engine room. You can change the way the chess engine playing style: aggressive, solid,and active. There is also a greater flexibility of ELO rating. If you look online, you'll see that HIARCS simply has been the best program for all hand-held chess for a while now. If you want to control how the chess engine plays, this is the app for you.
It's opening book is very strong and shows the person what openings are being played and also has options for playing style, from: wild, surprise, dynamic, and tournament. Nice!
This is a super initial version! The only suggestions I would have for updates are: Let there be a draw option, a landscape view option, an option for the speed at which one's opponent's pieces move (slower), and an option for a more wood-like looking chess board.
Thanks HIARCS!
It's opening book is very strong and shows the person what openings are being played and also has options for playing style, from: wild, surprise, dynamic, and tournament. Nice!
This is a super initial version! The only suggestions I would have for updates are: Let there be a draw option, a landscape view option, an option for the speed at which one's opponent's pieces move (slower), and an option for a more wood-like looking chess board.
Thanks HIARCS!
The Best
I've been waiting for this one for a long
time. Now, my chess collection is
complete. This chess engine is probably the strongest in the app store.
The UI is excellent.