Chess Software for Mac and PC
Welcome to HIARCS Chess Software by Applied Computer Concepts Ltd, established in 1991, the home of world class chess applications for playing and analysing chess using Mac chess software, PC Windows chess software and mobile chess apps. With chess apps sold to customers in over 140 countries worldwide HIARCS Chess Software Programs are a favourite chess tool of chess players throughout the world.
HIARCS Chess is a multiple World Championship winning computer chess program, four time World Chess Software Champion and World Computer Chess Champion. HIARCS is the chess program generally used by five time World Chess Champion Vishy Anand and used by Garry Kasparov in his preparation for Deep Blue2. Our most advanced HIARCS 15 series chess engines are included with HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro.
HIARCS chess software is renowned for its high quality opening books, human like chess play, realistic weaker levels and elite chess performances over the last 30+ years, HIARCS first won a World Championship title in 1991 and went on to win six World titles over three decades!
You can purchase the latest HIARCS Chess Explorer, Chess Explorer Pro, opening books with the latest chess theory, and many time World Champion HIARCS and Deep Junior chess engines direct from the developers only on this website. HIARCS Chess Software is proud sponsor of the International Correspondence Chess Federation.
- ⇒Ultimate database, analysis and playing software
New 2025 version, 64 bit optimised - ⇒Runs on macOS 10.14 to Sequoia Intel/M1/M2/M3/M4†
or PC Windows 7,8,10,11 on AMD/Intel - ⇒HIARCS 15 Series Engines - up to 3450 Elo†
- ⇒Packaged MasterBase databases and opening books
- ⇒Supports PGN, HCE, EPD, PDF, EPUB, HTML
Reads ChessBase CBH/CBV/CTG to 30 million games - ⇒Advanced Millennium eBoard support
- ⇒Prices from* £62.45 / €74.95 / $79.95
Immediate fulfilment by email
- ⇒Classic chess database, analysis and playing GUI
32 & 64 bit compatible - ⇒Runs on macOS 10.10 to Sequoia Intel/M1/M2/M3/M4†
or PC Windows 7,8,10,11 on AMD/Intel - ⇒HIARCS 14 Engine - 3050 Elo†
- ⇒Packaged databases and opening book
- ⇒Supports PGN databases only
Up to 2 million games - ⇒Millennium eBoard support
- ⇒Prices from* £41.65 / €49.95 / $54.95
Immediate fulfilment by email
HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro
The best chess software for database, analysis and game playing on Apple macOS and PC Windows
HIARCS 15 series chess engines, huge advance on HIARCS 14 WCSC
Suitable for all players: Beginners to the World Chess Champion with human-like play
Playing Strength: Beginner to World Chess Champion strength and beyond (3300+ Elo)†
Supports: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro is a highly advanced chess database, analysis and playing program for PC Windows and Apple Mac computers. It offers a very powerful user interface with the strongest ever HIARCS chess engine and world class chess database features. This unique combination offers easy to use features managing chess databases, preparation, analysis, play and training for players of all abilities from beginner to Grandmasters and beyond.
February 2025: New HCE Pro v1.4 with new HIARCS 15.4 chess engine now available for macOS Catalina to the latest macOS Sequoia.
Key features include:
- Advanced Database Support
- HCE database format offers huge databases only limited by memory - 1GB per 8 million games
- Fast searching for players, openings, events, material, pawn structure and positions.
- Comprehensive game database support (PGN, HCE, reads Chessbase CBH, CBV and EPD)
- Extensive game notation with variations, comments, symbols, diagrams and named openings
- Export and publish your work, games and preparation to PGN, PDF, EPUB e-book and HTML
- Reference databases, manage databases, duplicate search and clean up, watch live games
- HIARCS 15 chess engine – more than 250 Elo stronger
- Full range of realistic set Elo levels with human like playing style, have your strength matched
- Very strong analysis & play, more than 250 Elo stronger than HIARCS 14 WCSC engine
- Runs on up to 32† threads/cores on any UCI Chess User Interface (Chessbase/Fritz)
- New HIARCS 15.3 with human like play, book and position learning
- Player Explorer
- View reports on players, their games, performances and favourite openings and statistics
- Build tree of games and openings of players instantly into a player report with a single click
- Automated repertoire summaries for databases and players. Merge misspelled players
- Game, Opening and Tree Explorers
- Revolutionary multi-source chess trees with moves, statistics from games and advice
- Build an opening repertoire tree instantly from database games to learn and prepare openings
- Access huge online opening books, view multiple books & Chessbase CTG books simultaneously
- Analysis and Evaluation Explorers
- Analyse positions and games with multiple engines simultaneously with load management
- Multiple lines of analysis with stats, move selection and integrate analysis with game notation
- Check games for blunders, inaccuracies and improvements with post game analysis
- Custom Playing modes
- Play against the computer with human-like play and full range of handicap Elo levels
- Choose rating, time controls, start positions and even chess openings and Chess960 for practice
- Train with the guess the move feature, learn and improve your tactical and positional play
- Coach points out mistakes, shows move quality and hints. Rates your play in Elo points
- Engine matches – set up and watch them play or have them play out test or analysis positions
- Packaged Databases
- High quality MasterBase database, IM/GM annotated games, tactical exercises
- Online access to over to 1,000 GB of endgame tablebases and opening book databases
- Local book with GM Theory and access to much larger online books
Prices from*: £62.45 / €74.95 / $79.95
HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro is a software download product fulfilled immediately by email with online activation. The best chess application for Mac and PC with world class chess user interface, chess engines and chess games databases, opening books and endgame tablebases.
Find out more about HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro
HIARCS Chess Explorer
The classic chess database, analysis and playing program on Apple Mac and PC Windows
World Chess Software Champion HIARCS 14 Chess Engine
Suitable for players: Beginners to the World class chess players
Playing ability: Beginner to World Champion strength (3050 Elo)†
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
HIARCS Chess Explorer is the established classic chess software for PGN chess database, analysis and game playing on Apple Mac and PC Windows. It offers an intuitive graphical user interface together with the World Chess Software Champion HIARCS 14 chess engine. It includes many features for managing your chess databases, preparation, analysis and play for players of all abilities from beginner to Grandmaster.
February 2025: new HIARCS Chess Explorer version 1.13 available now.
Key features include:
- Advanced chess user interface, PGN chess database, analysis and game play
- World Chess Software Champion HIARCS 14 engine, supports UCI chess engines
- Realistic levels for players of all strengths with coach advice, rates your play in Elo
- Game analysis, blunder check, learn/prep openings, instant trees and DB searching
- Player repertoire, opening books, analyse, play games, run engine matches
- Packaged PGN databases (100K+ games) and opening books with statistics
- Online access to chess endgame tablebases & opening books
Prices*: £41.65 / €49.95 / $54.95
HIARCS Chess Explorer is a software download product fulfilled immediately by email. It is the established classic desktop chess application for Mac OS and PC Windows with an advanced chess user interface.
- ⇒Official HIARCS Human Reference and GM++ Online Books - Monthly Updates
- ⇒Online access to HIARCS Tournament Opening Book
- ⇒Over 124 million positions and stats analysed
- ⇒Keep up to date with latest opening chess theory and play recommendations
- ⇒Renewable 1 Year Access
- ⇒Latest HIARCS downloadable Tournament Chess Opening Book in CTG, HBG and HCS Formats
- ⇒Updates in mid March, June, September and December
- ⇒Download and use with HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro
- ⇒Up to date with the latest chess opening theory and play advice
- ⇒Renewable 1 Year Access
Online Book Access
The official HIARCS Human Reference, GM++ and Tournament Books
World's Strongest and Broadest Chess Opening Books†
July 2025: Over 126 million positions, moves and statistics with the latest theory and play advice
Platform: HIARCS Chess Explorer or HCE Pro for PC Windows or Apple Mac Required
HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro and HIARCS Chess Explorer provide online access a GM Opening Book as standard. If you want the enhance this to have access to the world's strongest chess opening book collection and a Human Reference of opening play, this is the product for you. Many chess players need to remain up to date with the latest chess opening theory throughout the year and that is where our online book access product can help, giving you the latest opening theory and play recommendations straight into the Opening Book Explorer View of your HIARCS Chess Explorer/Pro product.
For many years, HIARCS has had the strongest opening book available and it keeps getting stronger with every release. We have even supplied the HIARCS Tournament Chess Opening Book to help five time World Chess Champion, Vishy Anand's team prepare for matches and tournaments.
The Online Explorer Book Access product provides:
- Online access to Human Reference and GM++ books with latest theory updated monthly
- Online access to Tournament Book, December, March, June and September updates
- Over 125 million positions deeply analysed, hundreds of CPU years!
- Play recommendations with statistics and up to date latest chess theory
- Personal book license for use in HIARCS Chess Explorer/Pro on PC or Mac
- Turn the Opening/Book Explorer into the best chess opening resource
- Access lasts 1 year and is renewable
You require HIARCS Chess Explorer or HCE Pro to access the online books. If in addition you want the downloadable HIARCS Tournament Opening Book in Chessbase CTG or HIARCS HCS format you need the HIARCS Tournament CTG Download product instead
Prices*: £37.49 / €44.95 / $49.95
Find out more about Online Chess Explorer Book Access product
HIARCS Tournament CTG Downloads
Downloadable CTG, HBG and HCS chess opening books
World's Strongest and Broadest Tournament Chess Opening Book†
Mid June 2025 update with all the latest theory and play recommendations
Platform: PC Windows, Mac OS X, iPhone/iPad
Required: HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro or Chessbase GUI or HIARCS Chess for iPad/iPhone
HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro and HIARCS Chess Explorer comes with its own chess opening book at the time of the release. However, many chess players need to remain up to date with the latest chess opening theory throughout the year and online chess engine players like to have the latest, broadest and strongest chess opening books. For many years HIARCS has had the strongest opening book available and it keeps getting stronger with every release. We have even supplied the HIARCS tournament chess opening book to help many time World Chess Champion, Vishy Anand's team prepare for matches and tournaments.
The latest HIARCS tournament opening book is available in Chessbase CTG format (for PC), HIARCS' own HCS format for Mac and PC with regular updates for customer to the HIARCS Tournament CTG Download product. Improvements per year have averaged about 40 Elo points.
HIARCS Tournament CTG Download product provides:
- Latest downloadable HIARCS tournament chess opening book in CTG, HBG and HCS formats
- Quarterly updates usually in September, December, March and June
- Up to date with the latest chess opening theory from human and computer play
- Downloading the latest HIARCS opening book and many previous opening books!
- Unrivalled track record of opening book delivery and improvements since 2010
- Access lasts 1 year and is renewable
You require HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro or a Chessbase/Fritz GUI for CTG, HIARCS chess engine for HCS or HIARCS Chess on iPhone/iPad for HBG. The HCS format book can be used by HIARCS engines on Mac and PC.
Prices*: £37.49 / €44.95 / $49.95
† Computer Opening Books contain positions, moves, statistics and play recommendations, they do not include games and textual comments.
- ⇒World Class Chess Software for iPhones
- ⇒Suitable for chess players from beginners to strong Grandmasters
- ⇒Load, save or delete games to/from PGN databases
- ⇒Portrait view only
- ⇒Opening book and databases included
- ⇒8 Piece sets and 9 colour schemes
- ⇒World Class Chess Software for iPads
- ⇒Suitable for chess players from beginners to strong Grandmasters
- ⇒Load, save or delete games to/from PGN databases
- ⇒Portrait and Landscape views with extra analysis
- ⇒Large HIARCS tournament opening book
- ⇒8 Piece sets and 9 colour schemes
HIARCS Chess for iPhone
World Class Chess Software for iPhone
Suitable for beginner to Grandmaster with human-like play, energy saving handicap levels and coaching
Platform: iPhone (iOS 9.0 or later) - all editions - inc. Retina graphics
Playing Level: Beginner (800 Elo) to Strong Grandmaster (2950+ Elo)†
HIARCS is a multiple 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.
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 for iPhone 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.
In addition it offers these great features:
- Super strong chess program on iPhone - genuine strong super GM level
- Suitable for all with low energy settable Elo levels and opponents
- Play white or black, analyse or watch game with settable chess clock for timed play
- Rates your play in Elo, a coach warns about mistakes with hint moves and takebacks
- Friendly user interface with 8 piece sets, 9 colour schemes and figurine notation
- Access strong HIARCS tournament book with move stats and opening names displayed
- Exchange PGN databases, Load/Save/Email games, set up positions, navigate through games
HIARCS Chess for iPad
World Class Chess Software for iPad
Suitable for beginner to Grandmaster with human-like play, energy saving handicap levels and coaching
Platform: iPad (iOS 9.0 or later) - all editions - inc. Retina graphics
Playing Range: Beginner (800 Elo) to Strong Grandmaster (2950+ Elo)†
HIARCS is a multiple 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 iPad.
This power enables your iPad 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 for iPad 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.
In addition it offers these great features:
- Super strong chess program on iPad - genuine strong super GM level
- Suitable for all with low energy settable Elo levels and opponents
- Play white or black, analyse or watch game with settable chess clock for timed play
- Rates your play in Elo, a coach warns about mistakes with hint moves and takebacks
- Friendly user interface with 8 piece sets, 9 colour schemes and figurine notation
- Access strong HIARCS tournament book with move stats and opening names displayed
- Exchange PGN databases, Load/Save/Email games, set up positions, navigate through games
HIARCS Forum
For announcements, general discussions and Tournament Results & Games please visit HIARCS Forums at www.hiarcs.net