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Special NEW SUBSCRIBER'S OFFER - see BELOW. Subscribers also get 10% DISCOUNTS off most UK dedicated Computer Chess prices.
I started my Magazine SELECTIVE SEARCH in 1985 - when it was known as 'The Computer Chess News Sheet'.Current readership numbers are dropping slightly nowadays, and subscribers total around 200.
As well as the COMPUTER RATING LISTS a wide range of Computer Chess issues are covered: Articles and Reviews of latest machines and programs, 'Best-Buy' Guides, Tournament and Match results, Analysed Games, occasional contributions by Programmers, discussion on Computer Progress, Playing Styles, Studies of Positions which confuse computers, plus Readers' contributions, and much more. It is produced bi-monthly, and always includes updated and separate Rating Lists for Dedicatedcomputers (top 100) and PC programs(top 50).
I maintain a 'Top Ten' list here, updating it from time to time. The MAGAZINE shows more details, including Ratings of games/matches v. human opposition, and I hope visitors here will consider subscribing, as income I receive from 'SELECTIVE SEARCH' is what keeps the work going!
Each computer/program's rating figure is calculated by combining its computer-v-computer results WITH its results against graded players in proper tournaments. The level of the finished List is determined by the results v graded players, with a strong bias towards most recent results. Considerably more computer-computer games are played than those v. humans, as it is physically and financially impossible to enter enough Tournaments to obtain the number of games v. humans that we would wish.
Gradings from computer v computer results do not always match those of computer v humans: a program CAN be prepared specifically to do its best against other computers, OR it can be programmed to do its best against humans! The latter is what USERS want, but programmers inevitably have an eye on our Rating Lists, and are aware of the preponderance of computer-computer games which produces them! Even so, my view is that it is BETTER to have this type of Computer Rating List, as a guide for interested parties and prospective purchasers, than to rely solely on manufacturers' claims! Another factor is that Chess Players are MUCH more used to playing against Computers and Computer Programs than they were 5, 10, 15 years ago. Programs like the Fidelity Sensory9, Novag Super Constellation, Mephisto Academy, Mephisto Lyon 68030 etc. would NOT be able to obtain the same gradings they did in the 'old' days were they entered in the same Tournaments again today!
The results on which my Ratings are based include my own testing, that of Selective Search readers, and (with permission) the valuable SSDF scores. So the calculations combine MANY results and I believe that they achieve a high level of accuracy. Time controls used are from a minimum G/60 or 60/60 up to and including full Tournament time controls (as used by the SSDF) 40/2hrs. The initial calculations are done in Elo, and converted to British BCF figures using the formula (Elo-600)/8 = BCF.
The current TOP RATINGS in each group (PC PROGRAMS and DEDICATED COMPUTERS) are...
Ratings are for Single Processor, calibrated to Pentium4 machines running at 1200MHz
.............BCF Elo.. Program (DEEP (MP) versions: in general: add +80 Elo for Dual2Core 2GHz PC, or +120 Elo for Quad 3GHz, and another +40 Elo for 64-bit PC!)
Here I show the Computer, Elo grading, Price in UK pounds, and a code to indicate the type of board. w=wood, auto-sensory, ps=press-sensory, pl=portable plug-in, pt=portable touch screen, pc=portable calculator. Current models are in bold - others may not be easily available!
.............BCF Elo.. Computer
The annual subscription (6 Issues per year) is £24 in the UK, £30 overseas. Payments can be made by credit card, by cheque in pounds sterling, or by postal order
NEW SUBSCRIBERS and RENEWALS - SPECIAL OFFER: the HIARCS 7 CD for an extra £4.95. ... written in DOS, a Collector's item that runs fine in Windows. HIARCS manuals are on CD, and my Introduction sheet for PC's gets you started. Sent with your first subscription Issue
| To CONTACT Eric Hallsworth: |
| E-MAIL ERIC .. erichallsworth@gmail.com |
| WRITE to ERIC.. Eric Hallsworth, 45 Stretham Road, Wilburton, Cambs CB6 3RX, England |