The Ultimate Guide to Hiarcs 14 Opening Book Download and Installation
Hiarcs 14 Opening Book Download: A Comprehensive Guide
If you are a chess enthusiast who wants to improve your game and gain an advantage over your opponents, you might have heard of Hiarcs 14, one of the most powerful and versatile chess engines in the world. But did you know that you can also download and use its opening book, which contains millions of moves and variations that can help you play better chess from the very first move?
Hiarcs 14 Opening Book Download
In this article, we will explain what Hiarcs 14 is, what an opening book is, why you need Hiarcs 14 opening book, how to download and install it, how to use it, how to update it, how to customize it, what are its advantages and disadvantages, how much it costs, how to get support for it, and what are some alternatives to it. By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of whether Hiarcs 14 opening book is right for you and how to get started with it.
What is Hiarcs 14?
Hiarcs is a chess engine that was developed by Mark Uniacke, a British computer scientist and chess player. The name Hiarcs stands for Higher Intelligence Auto Response Chess System. Hiarcs is one of the oldest and most respected chess engines in the world, having won several computer chess championships and tournaments since its inception in 1991.
Hiarcs 14 is the latest version of the Hiarcs chess engine, released in 2012. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. It can be used as a standalone program or as a plug-in for other chess software, such as ChessBase, Fritz, Arena, Chess Assistant, Shredder, and more. Hiarcs 14 has many features and benefits that make it one of the best chess engines in the market, such as:
It has a unique and human-like playing style that is adaptive, creative, and dynamic.
It has a deep understanding of chess positions and strategies, not just brute force calculations.
It has a high level of accuracy and reliability, avoiding blunders and errors.
It has a wide range of difficulty levels and playing modes, suitable for beginners to grandmasters.
It has a friendly and intuitive user interface that is easy to use and customize.
It has a comprehensive database of over 2 million games and positions that can be searched and analyzed.
It has a powerful coaching and training feature that can help you improve your skills and learn from your mistakes.
It has a network play feature that allows you to play online against other Hiarcs users or against the Hiarcs cloud server.
It has a tournament play feature that allows you to participate in or organize online or offline chess tournaments with Hiarcs.
What is an opening book?
An opening book is a collection of chess moves and variations that are considered to be the best or most common in the opening phase of the game. The opening phase is the first 10 to 20 moves of the game, where both players try to establish control over the center of the board, develop their pieces, protect their king, and prepare for the middlegame and endgame. The opening phase is very important because it can determine the course and outcome of the game.
An opening book can help chess players in several ways, such as:
It can save time and energy by providing ready-made moves that have been proven to be effective and sound by theory and practice.
It can prevent mistakes and blunders by avoiding traps and pitfalls that can lead to losing positions or material.
It can give an edge over opponents by exploiting their weaknesses or preferences in the opening.
It can increase knowledge and understanding by exposing players to different types of openings and variations that can enrich their repertoire and style.
It can inspire creativity and innovation by suggesting new ideas or improvements that can challenge or surprise opponents.
Why do you need Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Hiarcs 14 opening book is a special opening book that was created specifically for the Hiarcs 14 chess engine. It contains over 20 million moves and variations that cover all major openings and many minor ones. It was compiled by Mark Uniacke himself, with the help of several grandmasters and experts. It is updated regularly with the latest developments and discoveries in opening theory. It is compatible with all versions of Hiarcs 14, as well as other chess software that support Polyglot format.
Hiarcs 14 opening book has many advantages over other opening books, such as:
It is more comprehensive and diverse, covering more openings and variations than any other opening book.
It is more accurate and reliable, avoiding errors and inconsistencies that can be found in other opening books.
It is more adaptive and dynamic, adjusting to different situations and preferences according to the Hiarcs 14's playing style.
It is more informative and educational, providing comments and explanations for many moves and variations that can help you understand the logic behind them.
It is more fun and exciting, offering many surprises and challenges that can make your games more interesting and enjoyable.
How to download Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Downloading Hiarcs 14 opening book is very easy and fast. You just need to follow these simple steps:
Go to the official website of Hiarcs at https://www.hiarcs.com/.
Click on the Products tab and select Hiarcs Chess Software.
Scroll down to the Hiarcs 14 Opening Book section and click on the Buy Now button.
You will be redirected to a secure payment page where you can choose your preferred payment method and enter your details.
After completing the payment, you will receive an email with a download link and a license key for your Hiarcs 14 opening book.
Click on the download link and save the file to your computer.
Extract the file using a program like WinZip or WinRAR.
You will find a folder named Hiarcs14Book that contains two files: Hiarcs14Book.bin and Hiarcs14Book.txt. These are the files that contain your Hiarcs 14 opening book.
How to install Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Installing Hiarcs 14 opening book is also very easy and fast. You just need to follow these simple steps:
Open your chess software that supports Polyglot format, such as ChessBase, Fritz, Arena, Chess Assistant, Shredder, etc.
Create a new database or open an existing one where you want to store your Hiarcs 14 opening book.
In your chess software, go to the menu option that allows you to import or load an opening book, such as File - Open - Book, or Edit - Book - Load Book, or similar.
Browse to the folder where you extracted your Hiarcs 14 opening book, and select the file named Hiarcs14Book.bin.
Your chess software will load your Hiarcs 14 opening book, and you will see a message confirming that it was successfully imported or loaded.
You can now access and use your Hiarcs 14 opening book, by clicking on the book icon or tab in your chess software.
How to use Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Using Hiarcs 14 opening book is very easy and fun. You just need to follow these simple steps:
In your chess software, open a new board or game where you want to use your Hiarcs 14 opening book.
If you want to play against the computer, make sure you select Hiarcs 14 as your opponent's engine. You can adjust its level and settings according to your preference.
If you want to play against another human player, make sure you enable the option that allows you to consult or use an opening book during the game. You can also set a time limit or handicap for each player if you want.
If you want to analyze a position or a game, make sure you activate the option that allows you to show or hide the opening book moves and statistics. You can also change the display mode and color of the moves if you want.
To use your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on any move on the board that is highlighted by your chess software. This will show you all the possible moves and variations that are available in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, along with their frequency, score, depth, and comment. You can also see a graphical representation of the move popularity and evaluation in a bar chart or a pie chart.
To make a move, simply click on the move that you want to play, or drag and drop the piece to the desired square. Your chess software will make the move on the board, and update the opening book moves and statistics accordingly.
To go back or forward in the game or the opening book, simply use the navigation buttons or keys in your chess software, such as Back, Forward, Start, End, etc.
To save or export your game or the opening book, simply use the menu option that allows you to do so, such as File - Save - Game, or File - Export - Book, or similar.
How to update Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Updating Hiarcs 14 opening book is very easy and fast. You just need to follow these simple steps:
Go to the official website of Hiarcs at https://www.hiarcs.com/.
Click on the Support tab and select Hiarcs Chess Software Updates.
Scroll down to the Hiarcs 14 Opening Book Updates section and click on the link that corresponds to your version of Hiarcs 14 opening book.
You will be redirected to a download page where you can download the latest update for your Hiarcs 14 opening book.
Save the file to your computer and extract it using a program like WinZip or WinRAR.
You will find a file named Hiarcs14Book.bin, which is the updated version of your Hiarcs 14 opening book.
Copy and paste this file to the folder where you stored your original Hiarcs 14 opening book, and overwrite the old file.
Your Hiarcs 14 opening book is now updated with the latest moves and variations.
How to customize Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Customizing Hiarcs 14 opening book is very easy and fun. You just need to follow these simple steps:
In your chess software, open your Hiarcs 14 opening book, by clicking on the book icon or tab.
If you want to add a new move or variation to your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply make the move on the board, and click on the button that allows you to edit or add a move to the book, such as Edit - Book - Add Move To Book, or similar. You can also enter a comment or an evaluation for the move if you want.
If you want to delete a move or variation from your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on the move on the board, and click on the button that allows you to delete or remove a move from the book, such as Edit - Book - Delete Move From Book, or similar.
If you want to change the frequency, score, depth, or comment of a move or variation in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on the move on the board, and click on the button that allows you to edit or modify a move in the book, such as Edit - Book - Edit Move In Book, or similar. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks to change these values if you want.
If you want to merge two or more moves or variations in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply select them on the board, and click on the button that allows you to merge them in the book, such as Edit - Book - Merge Moves In Book, or similar.
If you want to split a move or variation in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on it on the board, and click on the button that allows you to split it in the book, such as Edit - Book - Split Move In Book, or similar.
How to customize Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Customizing Hiarcs 14 opening book is very easy and fun. You just need to follow these simple steps:
In your chess software, open your Hiarcs 14 opening book, by clicking on the book icon or tab.
If you want to add a new move or variation to your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply make the move on the board, and click on the button that allows you to edit or add a move to the book, such as Edit - Book - Add Move To Book, or similar. You can also enter a comment or an evaluation for the move if you want.
If you want to delete a move or variation from your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on the move on the board, and click on the button that allows you to delete or remove a move from the book, such as Edit - Book - Delete Move From Book, or similar.
If you want to change the frequency, score, depth, or comment of a move or variation in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on the move on the board, and click on the button that allows you to edit or modify a move in the book, such as Edit - Book - Edit Move In Book, or similar. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks to change these values if you want.
If you want to merge two or more moves or variations in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply select them on the board, and click on the button that allows you to merge them in the book, such as Edit - Book - Merge Moves In Book, or similar.
If you want to split a move or variation in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on it on the board, and click on the button that allows you to split it in the book, such as Edit - Book - Split Move In Book, or similar.
If you want to sort the moves or variations in your Hiarcs 14 opening book by frequency, score, depth, or comment, simply click on the button that allows you to sort them in the book, such as Edit - Book - Sort Moves In Book, or similar. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks to change the sorting order if you want.
If you want to filter the moves or variations in your Hiarcs 14 opening book by color, length, rating, date, source, etc., simply click on the button that allows you to filter them in the book, such as Edit - Book - Filter Moves In Book, or similar. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks to change the filtering criteria if you want.
If you want to search for a specific move or variation in your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply type it in the search box that is located at the bottom of your chess software's window. You can also use wildcards and operators to refine your search if you want.
If you want to save your changes to your Hiarcs 14 opening book, simply click on the button that allows you to save them in the book, such as Edit - Book - Save Book, or similar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut or mouse click to save them if you want.
What are the advantages of Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Hiarcs 14 opening book has many advantages that make it one of the best opening books in the market. Some of these advantages are:
It is compatible with all versions of Hiarcs 14, as well as other chess software that support Polyglot format.
It is updated regularly with the latest developments and discoveries in opening theory.
It is comprehensive and diverse, covering more openings and variations than any other opening book.
It is accurate and reliable, avoiding errors and inconsistencies that can be found in other opening books.
It is adaptive and dynamic, adjusting to different situations and preferences according to the Hiarcs 14's playing style.
It is informative and educational, providing comments and explanations for many moves and variations that can help you understand the logic behind them.
It is fun and exciting, offering many surprises and challenges that can make your games more interesting and enjoyable.
What are the disadvantages of Hiarcs 14 opening book?
Hiarcs 14 opening book has some disadvantages that you should be aware of before using it. Some of these disadvantages are:
It is not free, you have to pay a fee to download and use it.
It is not compatible with some chess software that do not support Polyglot format.
It is not a substitute for your own analysis and understanding of the openings, you still have to study and practice them yourself.
It is not a guarantee for winning, you still have to play well and make good decisions in the middlegame and endgame.
It is not a magic bullet, you still have to face the challenges and risks that come with playing chess.
How much does Hiarcs 14 opening book cost?
Hiarcs 14 opening book costs $29.95, which is a reasonable price for such a high-quality and comprehensive opening book. You can purchase it from the official website of Hiarcs at https://www.hiarcs.com/. You can also get a discount if you buy it together with Hiarcs 14 chess engine or other Hiarcs products. You can also get a free trial version of Hiarcs 14 opening book if you want to test it before buying it.
How to get support for Hiarcs 14 opening book?
If you have any questions, problems, or feedback regarding Hiarcs 14 opening book, you can get support from the official website of Hiarcs at https://www.hiarcs.com/. You can also contact the developer of Hiarcs 14 opening book, Mark Uniacke, by email at mark@hiarcs.com. You can also join the online community of Hiarcs users and fans at https://hiarcs.net/forums/, where you can share your experiences, opinions, tips, and suggestions with other chess enthusiasts.
What are some alternatives to Hiarcs 14 opening book?
If you are not satisfied with Hiarcs 14 opening book, or if you want to try some other opening books, there are many alternatives that you can choose from. Some of these alternatives are:
Komodo Opening Book: This is the official opening book of the Komodo chess engine, whic