Who is who

[Robert Weck]

Hi Steve,

welcome to the future of dedicated chess computers

thank you!
but i must confess, that i also use the Palm version of Hiarcs!
So i think, i will feel twice at home here...

Hiarcs 12 for Palm! regards,
Robert

[drbob]

Hi all. Seems like a friendly group. The Moderator is apparently a very sick man.
I'm a physician, married, and 111010 and one-half years old, play chess very badly but I like it, love astronomy, play some musical instruments quite badly, but again I really like it. I live in New Mexico, having recently moved there from California, USA.
Looking forward to following the conversations here, as I tend to learn a great deal about chess, computers, and people from all over the world by doing so.
Best regards,
Robert

[Harvey Williamson]

Hi Robert,

Welcome to our new forum.

I hope you are refering to Steve who is indeed very sick. Part of my job as the site admin is to make sure he takes his pills before logging on each day. If he forgets one day there will be carnage here.

Best Wishes,

Harvey

[drbob]

Good evening, Harvey. Yes, your clarification is appreciated. A few of Steve's posts were pretty wacky. Just my cup of tea. So I figured he must be heavily medicated. As am I.
Withal, thank you, Harvey, for the personal welcome. Best wishes for the Forum.
Best regards,
Robert

[Sebastian Boehme]

But be careful drbob Harvey is very sick as well,
he is addicted to a certain guy named Phil Paston because he likes the beer smell

Jokingly regards
Sebastian

[ruffsteve]

Hi,

I'm Steve, I live in Jersey in the channel islands (british islands off the coast off France!). I'm into dedicated computers with collection of about 14 at the moment. I love the wooden auto sensory in particular. I own a few pc programs aswell but theres nothing like having a machine in front of you. I play to about 1600elo so computer strength is not most important factor. My favourite machines are my Mephisto MMVI, Novag Expert and Pc Programs are Chessmaster 2000/2100 (the old Kittinger progs) and White Knight 2(Bryant) currently running on emulators. If you havent gathered by now I'm quite retro!

Regards Steve

[André van Ark]

Hi all,

My name is André van Ark, I live in a small town in the Netherlands. Despite, I don't like cheese and don't wear clogs

I'm 33, married and have 1 son of 8 months His name is Jeroen, and he will make my openingsbook in the future, I hope. My occupation is teacher Dutch language and, sofar, I have not been shot or stabbed down by the students.

My hobbies are (please don't say "duh") computerchess, chess, reading books, mountainbiking and a few more.

Since the 80' I am interested in computerchess and my first dedicated unit was a constellation 3,6 mhz. I owned a lot off theses babies, but all are sold now. Only the Mephisto Muenchen with a 68020 Londonprogram and a Tasc R30 are left. Both are eating dust now

For the Dutch computerschess magazine I write reviews about the chessprograms. www.computerschaak.nl One off my favourite programs is Hiarcs, because it has such a nice playing style and the analysis off the program is very good. The moves are humanalike.

On the Chessbaseserver I play under the nick "Max damage" and together with a lot off people from here a non-Rybka player
Off course, Rybka is also an excellent program, but Rybka vs Rybka is soooo boring and spoiling the fun.

I hope this forum will be as nice as Hiarcs itself!

Best wishes,

André

[Steve B]

Hi,

If you havent gathered by now I'm quite retro!

and so am i!
Welcome aboard
Best
Steve

[VP]

Hi,

I am from France (Paris's south suburb) and I am 29 years old (what ? cheating ? ok 0x29 years old )

I am interested in all forms of computer chess but I only use chess engines for analysis : I don't run engine vs engine match nor do I play against engines, I prefer dedicated machines for that.

Best regards,

Alain

hi Alain
nice to see you
if you are 29 then i am a great expert on all PC Chess Engines

More Like 49 Regards
Steve

Sorry, Steve, this was a (bad I admit) geek joke... 0x means hexadecimal so 0x29 is 2x16+9=41....

Alain 1 - Super Constellation 0 on the pool side regards,

Nice one!
There are 10 kinds of people - Those who understand Binary and those who don't regards,
VP

[VP]

Well, I am a Professional Engineer as well, a Chemical Engineer turned Software Professional (Yeah, I made a move because Software paid better )

Have moved around quite a bit- enjoy visiting new countries- and right now, I have made Australia my base- nice place with wonderful beaches.

I enjoy writing short stories, making pencil sketches and playing chess- the OTB variants, not too much of computer chess, but I do follow the discussions as and when I find time.

Cheers,
VP

[Phil]

Hi everyone ,

Did i miss the bit where Steve and Mark said how many dedicated chess computers they owned as part of their introduction

Anyway my name is Phil i am almost 40 years old and work in IT in Norwich (England).

I have been interested in chess since I was about 10 years old when I was lucky enough to go to a school that had an excellent chess club run by Kathy and Owen hindle.

like many people of my age I remeber the Fidelity speaking chess computer and the Milton bradley that moved the pieces itself and have an affection for dedicated chess computers.

Harvey bashing is my favorite sport.

Hope to post with many of you soon

Happy Days
Phil

[Harvey Williamson]

Hi everyone ,

Did i miss the bit where Steve and Mark said how many dedicated chess computers they owned as part of their introduction

Anyway my name is Phil i am almost 40 years old and work in IT in Norwich (England).

I have been interested in chess since I was about 10 years old when I was lucky enough to go to a school that had an excellent chess club run by Kathy and Owen hindle.

like many people of my age I remeber the Fidelity speaking chess computer and the Milton bradley that moved the pieces itself and have an affection for dedicated chess computers.

Harvey bashing is my favorite sport.

Hope to post with many of you soon

Happy Days
Phil

Hi Phil,

I do not believe the only 40 bit for 1 minute as I know you have a cloned Grandson called Sebastian and you have a bionic implant in your hip.

I have awarded you and your cloned Grandson Sebi the special rank of 'nutter' which I think you have earned.

I watched the first cut of Star Wars last week that was never released when Darth Vader in the first version says, "Phil I am your Father."

May the force be with you,

Harvey

[MikeB]

Hi chessfriends,
....
Now give it a try fellows and post something about yourselves too.

Regards,
Sebastian

Hi Sebastian

I am 51 years young, became addicted to chess computers at first sight nearly 29 years ago. Brought my first chess computer afetr seeing a Fidelity ad - in all places, "The Wall Street Journal" - I'm not sure why they advertised in the WSJ. Interestingly, I had only a mild interest in chess before then - but I had closely followed the '74 Bobby Fischer match against Spasski. I was unable to beat the Fidelity chess challager at all - ( natually I aas a total - Terry.s what that word , yes I was a "total newbie" a far as playing chess goes ;>) )

Unable to beat it, I had assumed that this "monster" was borderline unbeatble. I then entered a series of postal tournemants - and got mated in about 15 moves in my first 3 games. Realizing I was in way over my head, I squirelled my self-away with a couple of chess books and the chess challanger for about 18 months. I was finally able to beat it regually about 50% of the time.

I finally meander my way over to the nearest chess club - The King of Prussia Mall chess club near Valley Forge Pa ( When they expanded the mall, our little chess club was kicked out - right after I was elected President - I think I served 3 weeks all total - so much for my political career!) . Walking in with my head high, I was ready to devour these mere mortals ( knowing that I was, on a regular basis, beating the unbeatable, invincable Chess Challanger 7. These human carbon based opponents would have no chance against me, a silicon trained chess master.

Or so I thought. I promptly has my head handed to me about 20 times in a row before even I scored a draw. So much for walking in with my head held high. But I was hooked on chess.

Training on the Fidelity did allow me to start playing more formal chess near the 1200 level. I really do not think , in retrospect, that I had any natural talent in chess and if I had walked with no training, I would have started maybe near 900 or 1000. I eventually topped out near 1700, but I no longer play at that level.

Oh yes - there was life beside chess . Now married 29 years , with two sons - my oldest is a 1st Lt in the US Airforce, currently stationed overseas, the younger son is about to start his second year in college.

Nice to meet you regards,

MichaelB

[MikeB]

...
Oh yes - there was life beside chess . Now married 29 years , with two sons - my oldest is a 1st Lt in the US Airforce, currently stationed overseas, the younger son is about to start his second year in college.

Nice to meet you regards,

MichaelB[/color]

I failed to mention that back in the early 90's, Mark Uniacke and I were co-employees of Nortel Comuincation Systems. naturally he was based in the UK and I was based in the US. At the time, I was probably one of the few in Nortel ( at least in the US ) that knew what Mark was doing with with his spare time. And conversley, I was also probably one of the few into Chess Computers/ Programs that knew what Mark's day job was.

I may also be one the few still living that will admit they paid $149!! for HIARCS back in 1992.

Long time HIARCS customers - buti I must admit I can no longer discern that the latest version is better than the previous version . But that's why we have engine vs engine tournaments ;>).

[Harvey Williamson]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the Hiarcs forum.

Nice to see you here,

Harvey.