World Championship winning computer chess software program & downloads for chess database, analysis & play on PC, Mac and iPhone

Privacy Policy version 2.1    (previous privacy policy is here)

This is the latest privacy policy and applies to users of our website and customers of our products and services. This is effective from 1st January 2021. We are compliant to the best of our knowledge with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and follow the guidance of the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
 

1. About Applied Computer Concepts Ltd and HIARCS

Applied Computer Concepts Ltd was established in 1991 and is registered with the UK Government at Companies House (registration number 02622033). Companies House is the United Kingdom’s registrar of companies.

Applied Computer Concepts Ltd. is also registered (registration reference A8286364) with the UK Government Data Protection organisation known as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Applied Computer Concepts Ltd. has a long and strong reputation for providing premier chess software to chess players and enthusiasts. Our principle activity is the development of World Class chess software under the brand name of HIARCS.


2. Privacy Statement

Your privacy is important to Applied Computer Concepts Ltd. and its brand HIARCS ("HIARCS" or "we" / "us"). We want to make sure that you have a positive experience of HIARCS products now and in the future. Protecting your privacy and your personal data is important to us.

We use partners like MyCommerce who are based in Germany to collect payments for our products, delivery of licenses by email and they deal with email interaction on the product purchase.

We do not collect and store information that can be used to personally identify visitors to our Web sites. We do not use internet cookies in any way so your privacy is maintained when visiting our website.

If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, you should first contact our Data Protection Officer, Mark Uniacke, by writing an email to: .

 

3. Website Links

Our Web site includes links to third party Web sites that are governed by their own privacy policies and statements, and we are not responsible for their operations, including but not limited to their information practices. Anyone submitting information to or through these third party Web sites should review the privacy statements of these sites before providing them with personally identifiable information.

Purchases of HIARCS products are made through the service supplied by MyCommerce (A Digital River company) who maintain a secure ecommerce service for the purchase and delivery of software products via email and downloads.

 

You can access our Web site home page and browse our site without disclosing personal data, although the web server does need to use the IP address supplied in the request to respond with the web page requested - this information is not retained.

When and if you choose to purchase one of our products we direct you to the MyCommerce service (a Digital River company) web site who collect your payment and process your personal details to fulfil your order.  We do not collect or store any of your personal financial details whatsoever.

When you place an order with MyCommerce they process your name, e-mail address and registration details that you provide for the product purchase in question. That processing is performed by MyCommerce and not Applied Computer Concepts Ltd.

We may occasionally ask MyCommerce to resend your registration email to you on your explicit request. We do not collect, hold or process your personal/financial data, that is the purpose and function of the MyCommerce service.

We may retain email correspondence you occasionally send to us in order to provide customer service. We may over time delete these records as permitted by law.

 

5. HIARCS Chess Servers

HIARCS Chess servers provide non personal chess data to our products such as HIARCS Chess Explorer. All HIARCS products which access our chess servers give you the option to prevent the product accessing our chess servers. In HIARCS Chess Explorer this is found in the Preferences Advanced dialog. In order for the HIARCS Chess Server to fulfil requests for chess related data held on our servers we need to process the following data:

1. We need to use a non personal random session id to handle a request/response for non personal chess data like a webpage request. We have the lawful basis of contract and legitimate interests to do this.
2. We need to process an encrypted license to authenticate access and protect our servers. This data is encrypted and non personal. We have a lawful basis of contract and legitimate interests to do this.

The data the server processes is never shared by us with any third-party and cannot be used to identify you personally. While chess data is non personal we recognise your chess work is private to you. We do not record which chess positions a user of our chess servers access so you can be assured your analysis work is private. 

Were we to introduce a service for the customers to share their chess analysis with other customers and in return see a database of shared chess information this will only be done with your explicit clear opt-in permission.

 

6. Product updates and upgrades

When you purchase a product and supply your name and email address to MyCommerce they need to use the email address you supply to fulfil the initial product delivery as well as provide emails on product service and updates.  All emails MyCommerce send to fulfil the purchased product with license keys or login & passwords have the lawful basis of contract and hence you cannot opt-out of being sent these emails unless the contract is cancelled.

Subsequent emails you may occasionally solicit to request information about our products would be responded to under the lawful basis of legitimate interests.  You can at anytime opt-out of receiving emails from us by emailing us at or send an email with your request.
 

We do not send electronic newsletters to customers from the EU.

Outside the EU you may opt-in to receive general promotional or marketing information about HIARCS products from us. We provide you the opportunity to opt-out of receiving promotional or marketing information from us in every newsletter email we send you. You may opt out at any stage by emailing us () a request to remove your email address from our marketing email lists, or replying to the emails we send with your request. Once you opt-out, you will no longer receive further promotional or marketing information from us. You will have the opportunity to opt-in again on our website where we allow opt-in by email confirmation.

 

8. Individual rights

Under GDPR an individual may have the following rights:

If you wish to exercise any of these rights please contact with your request, we will respond to requests without undue delay and within one month of receipt of the request allowed under GDPR. This period may be extended by a maximum of two months depending on the complexity and number of requests.

When you exercise any of the above rights we first have to establish your identity.  The GDPR regulation explicitly enables controllers to require data subjects to provide proof of identity before giving effect to their rights. This helps to limit the risk that third parties gain unlawful access to personal data. However, the GDPR does not oblige controllers to seek out information to identify data subjects. Under the GDPR the controller is exempt from its obligation to comply with certain rights of data subjects if it cannot identify which data in its possession relate to the relevant data subject.

The right to object does not apply to personal data used under a lawful basis of contract. The right to object does not apply to consent but the right to withdraw consent is applicable.

9. Notification of Changes

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes in this area of our Web site. If there is a material change in our privacy practices, we will indicate on our sites that our privacy practices have changed. We will provide the new policy on our site and additionally we will provide a link to the old privacy statement. You can read our previous privacy policy here.

Your continued usage of our web site will mean you accept these changes. If you have any questions about our privacy policy, please contact our data protection officer Mark Uniacke on this email address:

"generally I use HIARCS." - Five time World Chess Champion Vishy Anand, in a recent interview when asked what chess program he uses to analyse with
 
"HIARCS is much better positionally than Deep Blue." - Garry Kasparov 1997 (after game 5 of the rematch)

World Chess Champion, Vishy Anand, used "Powerful" HIARCS machine in preparations for his 2010 & 2012 world title matches

"This level of service is one other big reason to buy HIARCS." - John Jackson

† Highest performance reached depends on computer used. Computer Chess Software with world class chess engine playing strength.
HIARCS is designed and developed by Mark Uniacke in England.

*VAT and local sales tax may be applicable. Prices given in GBP, USD and EUR are subject to change without notice.
Other currencies are subject to conversion rates from GBP.

HIARCS is a trademark of Applied Computer Concepts Ltd. All other product trademarks acknowledged.
Copyright © 1991-2021 Applied Computer Concepts Ltd. All rights reserved.
Email the HIARCS Team: . Please read our Privacy Policy here