World Computer Chess Championship 2008 Hiarcs wins!

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Sebastian Boehme
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Two more pictures

Post by Sebastian Boehme »

Hey folks,

first of all of course my Congratulations to the Rybka team.

I have to admit that I expected this prepared opening line to go another way, than it actually did. Well seems we still have a lot of work before us, especially against Rybka.

Nevertheless here is 2 more pictures of the final day.

The first one is from the winners awardings, showing all prize winners and the officials standing together:

Image

The last picture for today is somewhat funny again. Hans from Rybka team, who gathered some coins whilst his stay at China, now again tries to get rid of them.
See for yourselves how :wink: :

Image

That's it for now with the pictures, but Harvey promised me there will be a few more to come.

Regards in the night with feelings of being the moral WCCC winner with Hiarcs team,
Sebi
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Harvey Williamson
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Post by Harvey Williamson »

Hans and I took a Taxi into Beijing this morning. The Taxi drivers all seem to get lost in this suburb of Beijing but eventually we got into the centre and got out of the Taxi in Tianaman Square. It was raining and a little bit cold today. We wandered around for a while and took some pictures. We then decided to take a walk and try to find some none Chinese food for Lunch we are all sick of the Hotel food although it is very good. We found a shopping Mall and the lower level was called Gourmet Street, this looked promising. We wandered around for a while and then we saw a Picture of a Steak with Fries on a poster advertising a restaurant called Sizzler. We asked for directions and eventually found it. A New York Steak with Fries and salad - I never new that a Steak could taste so good :)

Most people are flying home tomorrow including Hans and me - so we have one more evening of Banging in the Pub to look forward to!
Last edited by Harvey Williamson on Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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PortCitySlim
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Post by PortCitySlim »

Harvey Williamson wrote: I never new that a Steak could taste so good :)

Hopefully it was a beef steak and not a K-9 steak :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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fallstalk
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Beijing or bust

Post by fallstalk »

Superb effort and superb results! All participants deserve the highest regard. *a special thanks to Watchman for results and broadcasting the Hiarcs games on playchess.
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Dark Horse
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Post by Dark Horse »

return soon Harvey, we should do battle again!!!
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Dark Horse
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Post by Dark Horse »

is that Harvey with the silver plate ? he reminds me of Joss Ackland :)
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Post by Watchman »

Fortunately, the "silver plate" is made of a nigh indestructible material. The significance here is... Harvey learned an unusual Korean martial-arts technique to disable a foe from the below gentleman. Sebi... do you know the meaning of the verb "duck"?

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Post by Harvey Williamson »

The plates had to go back to the engravers as there was a mistake so I will have to wait to get my prize. Soon you will see what Hans did with his prize last night. The Girls on reception asked if it was a Donkey! He gets a replica of the real Horse/Donkey but is invited to go to Tilburg any time(ICGA HQ)to look at the the original.
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Sebastian Boehme
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Some final pictures from China (last day)

Post by Sebastian Boehme »

Hey there all around the world,

there's some pictures from the last day of Harvey's and Hans' stay at China.

First of all some funny thing, nobody seemed to notice until the last day. The Chinese police asks for your help, as a foreigner in China. See this:

Image

Would you expect some Western food in China? Harvey and Hans hoped for it, but almost gave up hope. But then all of a sudden they came to a restaurant and see how Harvey's mood changed:

Image Isn't that just pure happiness? :wink:

And la voilà here it comes, a steak like we know it over here or not? Maybe it was dog's meat. Well judge by your own view:

Image

Here's the contradiction to the belief, Chinese would be friendly. See how evily they smile. On the surface they smile, but if we look deep into their brains, then it says: "Will you now finally buy sth. you d*** customer?" :wink:

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Here's one from the evening, when the win of Rybka seems having been celebrated. Although this picture makes me think, they all seem quite bored by the dominance of the little fish. :D

Image

Even Vincent Diepeveen (author of Diep) was present at this winning ceremony. You don't believe me?
Well then see this: :wink:

Image

My final picture I gonna bring to you, is a happy Gian Carlo P., who won all in all 3 medals at this WCCC. Two in GO and 1 in chess. That's more than the entire Belgian olympic team won.

On the pic furthermore: Jaap van den H., who awarded GCP this medal and GCP's girlfriend Elke, who supported him as good as possible at China.

Image

I hope you liked this visual coverage which I tried giving to you. It sure could have been more pictures, but see it as a selection.

If you want to see more pictures, take a look at:

http://www.czyzewski.org/sebi/WCCC-Beijing-2008/

That's it for now. So enjoy the stuff.

Regards,
Sebi
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Diary last day

Post by Hans van der Zijden »

Sunday 5 oct:
While waiting for the taxi, Harvey and I are offered a nice glass of hot water. The chauffeur only took a wrong way twice, but after driving more than an hour because of traffic, he let us out at Tian'anmensquare for only 130 Yuan (about 8 pounds). To get on the square, bags have to be scanned for weapons. They are not allowed on the square. outside it seems to be no problem. We crossed the Square and started looking for a mall and/or a restaurant. Found the mall and after a little search we found a restaurant with only western food. Happy as a child in a candystore, we looked at the menu. The meat and the fries tasted like heaven after 8 days of chinese food. After the meal I went solo looking for some gifts for home. After 200 meter I found a shop with all kinds of fun things. Every 3 feet a salesperson tried to persuade you into buying things. And of course for "special price", "only for you". If you looked a bit unhappy, they lowered the price. I hate to haggle and I am not really trying. I pay too
much, but it is still cheap. But after paying you are not done yet. They even hold you by the hand, because they have a lot more bargains. I fake an interest in something behind 2 salespersons. They turn around and I run out of the store. A little bit further a nice couple starts to talk to me. They are on their way to their calligraphy study. They ask me to join them and I will get my name calligraphied. Why not, I have time enough. Inside slowly the real reason to ask me inside becomes clear. They show me a lot of pictures and they would like me to buy one. O well, I had a good time there. The taxidriver wants a lot more than the one bringing us. If they would do that on the way over to Beijing, the client can decide to stay in the hotel, but once you are in Beijing they know you have to go back. I was able to lower the price a little bit, and with some difficulty we found the hotel. Later in the bar we had a toast on Rybka's win with champagne, or some cheap champagne lookalike. The name of the champagne happened to be "Royal st. Vincent". Vincent Diepeveen of the Diep-program, withdrew moments before the tournament started. So I said "Vincent is here in spirit". Tomorrowmorning way too early with a taxi to the airport. That could be fun with all that traffic. David Levy already mentioned a 2½ hour ride.
Never do something today, that someone else can do tomorrow. (Confusedius)
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Post by NATIONAL12 »

i expected you to come second and you did.thanks Harvey and your team for all the hard work.without you WCCC would not exist.
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Post by Harvey Williamson »

One final picture Hans decides to sleep with his trophy. This is a replica of the original which he is invited to visit at ICGA HQ in Tilburg

Image

He showed this picture to the girls on reception who said it was a Donkey not a horse,
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Travelling home

Post by Hans van der Zijden »

Monday 6 oct:
Got up very early (6 o'clock), quickly showered and went to the frontdesk with my suitcase and handluggage. Harry Nefkens (who would travel back to holland in the same plane) and I agreed to check out at 7:00, but I wanted to be there a little bit earlier, because I forgot a cable in the playing hall. The two employees didn't have a key though. After 10 minutes another 2 arrived, but again no key. Ten minutes later I asked again and the key was coming. Harry came and had a lot more difficulties checking out. He spillt some juice on the bedsheets and they expected
him to pay for cleaning them. Don't they wash the sheets when guests leave? He also had a 130 Yuan minibarcharge and he only took one 6 Yuan coke. Then it had to be the internetconnection. But Harry didn't ask for one. After Harry haggled the price down a bit, we could finally leave. After 2 kilometers the chauffeurs telephone rang. She pulled over and after the call she mimed that we had to go back. Probably Harry forgot to sign somewhere. When we arrived back at the hotel, one of the employees came out with.... my cable. The rest of the ride went ok, just a couple of trafficjams. A lady at the airport was waiting with a trolley and she was kind enough to transport our suitcases about a 100 yards and she only wanted 20 Yuan for it. I offered here the bag with coins (about 40 Yuan), but she refused. She lowered her price already to 10 and we paid her. Still too much, but otherwise I just would buy chocolate for it. While waiting for boarding a cleaninglady passed by and she was very happy with the coins. The flight was ok, but it was hard to sleep despite
the empty seat next to me. I am curious where we will go next year. Kenia seems to be one of the options.
Never do something today, that someone else can do tomorrow. (Confusedius)
ZZiplex
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Post by ZZiplex »

When will there be a'n update for Hiarcs 12?? Just like Deep Sjeng who give a update for WC 2008?
Or should we buy a new Hiarcs in the future??
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Post by altonjone »

Hi Dark Horse I have been looking for the response of your question if you get please know me that I use to play on line games very often and like. In fact I have never ever got the incoming call while playing ......
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