Legacy Store

FeaturedChartsCategories

HIARCS Chess

iOS 3 can’t install from Safari. You can still download the IPA file, but you’re on your own after that.
HIARCS Chess
  • CategoryGames
  • First releasedAugust 28, 2009
  • Versions1 archived
  • Installable1 of 1
  • AvailabilityStill on the App Store

RequirementsCompatible with iPhone and iPod touch. Requires iOS 2.0 or later.

Something off?

Report an issue
×

Report an issue

Noticed something wrong with HIARCS Chess or a download? Leave a note.

Cancel

HIARCS is a multiple World Championship winning chess program and the only handheld chess program in the world which has won matches and tournaments with Grandmasters. It twice won the Mercusor Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina ahead of Grandmasters with a performance of 2900 Elo, the best chess performance rating for any handheld device in history.

In 1997 the World's strongest ever human chess player, Garry Kasparov, said "HIARCS is much better positionally than Deep Blue" and even the current World champion, Vishy Anand, in a recent interview when asked what chess program he uses to analyse with said "generally I use HIARCS".

This power enables your iPhone to play chess like a super Grandmaster, analyse games and chess problems with you, or play at whatever weakened chess strength you want from beginner to GM strength while offering numerous features to help you learn and improve as you play with HIARCS. An advanced set of coaching features helps players of all strengths improve their chess play.

HIARCS Chess has a full range of realistic weaker opponent strengths and playing styles catering for players of all abilities from absolute beginners to Grandmasters. On the weaker playing levels HIARCS will make human-like mistakes appropriate to the level of play and this together with the integrated coach advice, assessments and alerts allow you to learn and improve quickly. HIARCS also monitors your chess performance and provides you with an Elo chess rating which tracks your chess ability in every game. It can continuously adjust its playing strength to give you challenging but beatable opponents as you improve.

HIARCS Chess will save battery life by using much less energy on the weaker levels, allowing more playing time on long journeys etc.

HIARCS Chess supports PGN chess game databases and has all the games between Fischer & Spassky and Kasparov & Karpov for you to play through and enjoy.

HIARCS has a large tournament book which is up to date with chess theory with over 235,000 variations. The book moves are displayed on screen with chess symbols and the opening variations are named and ECO coded.

Key features: + Strongest chess program on iPhone and iPod Touch, genuine strong GM-level performance + Suitable for all players from absolute beginners to strong Grandmasters with many handicap levels and opponents styles and advanced coaching + Intuitive and friendly user interface with multiple high quality pieces set, colour schemes and icons including high res support for iPhone 4 and 5 retina displays + Multiple playing modes: play white, black, both sides in two player mode, continuous analysis and interactive replay + Fully adjustable Elo strengths, adaptive levels and multiple playing levels and opponents + All levels below maximum are low energy to increase battery life + Rates your chess play and gives you an Elo rating which is updated after each game + Advanced coach can provide move options, give hints, indicate move safety and quality highlights and watch your play and warn about mistakes + Transfer PGN databases to/from HIARCS chess via iTunes file sharing, email games and PGN DBs from HIARCS + Launch HIARCS from PGN email attachments + Load, save or delete games to/from PGN databases + Set up or edit a position to analyse or play from + Advanced game navigation with game move slider and VCR buttons for rapid and precise game navigation + Many selectable preset blitz, incremental and average time clock settings for timed play + Large HIARCS tournament opening book as used by the professionals! + Permanent brain for enhanced playing strength + Numerous chess display functions for showing chess moves, analysis, book moves, coach advice, move quality even legal moves, offer draws or resign + 8 Piece sets and 9 colour schemes + Integrated Html manual and help screens

A discount coupon is included with a $10 USD discount on other HIARCS products on Mac and PC from www.hiarcs.com.

To install apps directly onto this device, it must be jailbroken with AppSync installed.
12.1
Requires iOS 2.0+
August 28, 2009
7.6 MB Install Download

Archived Reviews

8 of 25
Most Human-Like Engine There Is
     
by Charlesbert · September 2, 2022

I love to play chess but as busy as I am it can be hard to find a solid 30+ minute block to play uninterrupted. HIARCS adapts to my level in a way no other engine ever has, and I’ve tried a bunch of them. It is just like playing a human, although it does fall into patterns that you eventually get used to. This program scratches the itch until I have time to play OTB or online with a human.

Beautiful chess app
     
by Hannawat · June 12, 2022

I love Hiarcs. Used it on an iPad Pro for many years, never a hitch. Now I use it on an iPhone 11, and sometimes it gets stuck ‘thinking’, and the only way to make it move is to close the app and open it again. That is the only flaw I found.

Update: Light on light just doesn’t work.
     
by NikcG · September 14, 2022

I now give 5 Stars. Dark mode is much improved. It’s nice to know that support DOES listen to its customers.

Fantastic engine but annoying animations
     
by twtgaming · July 2, 2023

This chess app is fantastic, I plan to buy the desktop version soon. The adaptive rating makes it feel like you’re playing another real person, and it improves as you do. The only issue is the in-app animations, they flip the whole screen around and look super old and dated. Please fix this in the next update!

Best all around trainer and engine
     
by Flyfisherx · December 19, 2020

I have both this app and the HIARCS chess for Mac. I thoroughly enjoy both. You will not be disappointed.

Still buggy
     
by chessdoctor · February 27, 2022

This is definitely a strong engine , and it was developed for the Pocket PC and Palm platform way before it become available on iPhone . I would advise against buying this app because the customer service is terrible. I used to email Mark Uniacke about bugs and all he told me was that “why has not anybody else brought this to his attention “ . Instead of addressing problems he denies them . The app sometimes freezes, and I cannot phantom why it is still stuck on Hiarcs 13 , when the engine itself is on version 15 .Lacks the options that were available for palm and Pocket PC like adjusting of hashsize and x moves in y minutes.Buyer beware........

Best By Far
     
by Old But Happy Camper · August 16, 2023

I’ve tried several chess apps over the years but this one is the best for me by far. The coaching has taken me forward from beginner and has given me the self confidence to continue learning and growing while having a great deal of fun along the way. All of this without intrusive tracking or ads. Try it, you’ll never need another one.

I love this app.
     
by BassBoogieMan · February 17, 2022

Easy and fun to use. Allows me to focus on playing not on my iPhone. Works great with my Millennium. I wish I could use it with my DGT too.

Period reviews recovered from Apple's customer-review feeds via the Wayback Machine.