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Personal Computing^[1]

Personal Computing,
was a monthlymicrocomputer periodical founded byDavid Bunnell in 1977^[2], launched byBenwill Publishing,BostonMassachusetts, and since December 1980 byHayden Publishing Co. Inc.Rochelle Park, New Jersey,imprint ofMacmillan Publishers, defunct in 1999.

In April 1978, Computer Chess became a monthly department in Personal Computing, initially a continuation ofDouglas Penrod'sComputer Chess Newsletters, from January 1979 until March 1981 edited byHarry Shershow supported byMorris Miller. The magazine also covered computer games likeCheckers,Othello,Gomoku, andGo -Thomas A. Throop had a computerBridge column.Kathe Spracklen's announcement in April 1981 to continue the editorship of the computer chess column^[3], apparently put an end to it.

Most Personal Computing Magazines from 1977 until 1984 are available from theInternet Archive^[4].

Selected Authors

• Ira Baxter
• Alan Biermann
• Mikhail Donskoy
• William Fink
• Peter W. Frey
• Jack Good
• Robert Hyatt
• Evan Katz
• Ephraim Kishon
• Donald Michie
• Monroe Newborn
• Tony Scherzer
• Frieder Schwenkel
• Harry Shershow
• Kathe Spracklen
• Barend Swets
• Thomas A. Throop
• Tom Truscott
• John Urwin
• Mike Valenti
• Larry Wagner
• David E. Welsh
• Norman Whaland
• Patrick Winston

Chess Programs

• 8080 Chess
• Astro 64
• Awit
• BB-1
• Belle
• Black Knight
• Blitz
• Boris
• CAPS II
• CCCP
• Chess 4.x
• Chess Challenger
• Chute
• Compucolor Chess
• Cray Blitz
• Duchess
• Kaissa
• Morphy
• MyChess
• Ostrich
• Pioneer
• Sargon
• SD Chess
• Sfinks
• Steve Stuart Chess

Selected Articles

Volume 1, 1977

Vol. 1, No 5/6, May/June 1977

• David Galef (1977).A Chess Piece.Personal Computing, Vol. 1, No. 5/6

Vol. 1, No 9/10, Septober 1977

• Will Overington (1977).Chess from an information storage angle.Personal Computing, Vol. 1, No. 9/10, pp. 43
• David Galef (1977).Playing Against the Computer: Games with Finite Solutions.Personal Computing, Vol. 1, No. 9/10 pp. 45

Vol. 1, No 11/12, November 1977

• David Galef (1977).Some Comments on Randomness.Personal Computing, Vol. 1, No. 11/12 pp. 35

Volume 2, 1978

Vol. 2, No. 4, April 1978

• Barend Swets, Editor (1978).News on the Toronto Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 103  »WCCC 1977
• Editor (1978).Notes from Seattle's Computer Chess Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 106 »ACM 1977

Vol. 2, No. 5, May 1978

• Editor (1978).Tumult at the Toronto Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 98 »WCCC 1977
• Mike Valenti (1978).A program thesis.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 108 »Chute
• Andrew Koenig (1978).Light-Pen used in game.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 112 »CCCP
• Douglas Penrod (1978).Micro chess tourney.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 112 »MCCT 1978

Vol. 2, No. 6, June 1978

• Editor (1978).Flashes from the Chess Wars.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 87 »WCCC 1977
• Mike Valenti (1978).Valenti's Chess Program - Part II.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 90
• Ira Baxter (1978).Software Dynamics Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 91 »SD Chess
• Editor (1978).Seattle's Third Round.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 93 »ACM 1977

Vol. 2, No. 7, July 1978

• Mike Valenti (1978).Computer Chess Programming.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 7, pp. 77
• Editor (1978).Cyber 176 tops Toronto Chess Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 7, pp. 79
• Mike Valenti (1978).Computer-Chess-Program-Thesis: Part III.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 7, pp. 84

Vol. 2, No. 8, August 1978

• Editor (1978).Toronto Tournament Concludes.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 81
• Editor,Ben Mittman (1978).Echoes from the past.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 84 » panel discussionACM 1972
• Larry Wagner (1978).San Jose Micro Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 87 »MCCT 1978
• Mike Valenti (1978).Part IV of Valenti Thesis on Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 89

Vol. 2, No. 9, September 1978

• Editor (1978).The People Speak Out.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 80 »Chess Challenger
• Editor (1978).Toronto Tally.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 82 »WCCC 1977,Master,Duchess
• Editor (1978).Some San Jose Color.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 82 »MCCT 1978,Compucolor Chess,Steve Stuart Chess
• Tom Truscott (1978).Computer-Checkers.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 86

Alan Biermann (1978).Theoretical Issues Related to Computer Game Playing Programs.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 86-88

• Mike Valenti (1978).Part V Chess Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 88

Vol. 2, No. 10, October 1978

• Ulrich Friedberg (1978).A Roumanian Rhapsody - Computer Felix C-256 Plays Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 76  »Astro 64
• Jack Good (1978).Historical Notes.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 80
• Mike Valenti (1978).Valenti's Chess Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 82
• Editor (1978).Chessboard fray at Jose Color.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 84 »MCCT 1978,8080 Chess,Sargon
• Editor (1978).Computer beats U.S. chess champ.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 84 »Chesstor

Vol. 2, No. 11, November 1978

• Editor (1978).Black-box war.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 11, pp. 17  »Boris,Chess Challenger
• Mike Valenti (1978).Writing a Chess Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 11, pp. 22
• Jack Good (1978).Historical Notes.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 11, pp. 27
• Patrick Winston (1978).Dealing with Adversaries.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 11, pp. 30 »Alpha-Beta

Vol. 2, No. 12, December 1978

• Editor (1978).Rumbles from Roumania.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 12, pp. 62 »Astro 64
• Kathe Spracklen (1978).The Making of Sargon.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 12, pp. 62 »Sargon
• Editor (1978).Chess Chatter.Personal Computing, Vol. 2, No. 12, pp. 67  »Jerusalem CC Tournament 1978

Volume 3, 1979

Vol. 3, No. 1, January 1979

• Kathe Spracklen (1979).The Playing of Sargon.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 70 »MCCT 1978,Sargon
• Mike Valenti (1979).A Chess Program - Part VIII.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 73
• Editor (1979).From Jerusalem.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 71 »Jerusalem CC Tournament 1978

Vol. 3, No. 2, February 1979

• Harry Shershow (1979).A Chessboard Fantasy.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No.2, pp. 24
• Don Gerue, Russ McNeil (1979).Chess Challenger-10 wins Microchess Tourney.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 63 »Chess Challenger,The Penrod Memorial Microchess Tournament
• Editor (1979).He Dwelt in Courage ...Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 65  »Douglas Penrod
• Alan Biermann (1979).When a Duchess Reigned in Jerusalem.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 71 »Duchess
• Editor (1979).Computer Checkers.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 73 »Checkers
• Kathe Spracklen (1979).Micro Graphics and X-Y Plotter.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 75

Vol. 3, No. 3, March 1979

• Harry Shershow (1979).Computer Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 38
• Editor (1979).Romanian Computer Loses to Newspaper Readers.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 45 »Astro 64
• Jack Good (1979).On the Grading of Chess Players.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 47
• Mike Valenti (1979).Valenti Chess Program - Part IX.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 50
• Harry Shershow (1979).The 9th Annual ACM Chess Tournament in Washington, D.C.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 58 »ACM 1978

Vol. 3, No. 4, April 1979

• Harry Shershow (1979).A Little Bit is a Little Better.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 61 »ACM 1978,Awit,Sargon
• Harry Shershow (1979).Playing for the Title.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 63 »Belle
• Mike Valenti (1979).A Chess Program - Part X.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 64
• Editor (1979).Computer Checkers.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 70 »Checkers

Vol. 3, No. 5, May 1979

• Harry Shershow (1979).On Botvinnik's Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 51 »Pioneer
• Editor (1979).Computer GO Has Come.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 55 »Go
• Mike Valenti (1979).Chess Program - Part XI.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 56
• Editor (1979).Computer Checkers - A Checkers Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 60 »Checkers

Vol. 3, No. 6, June 1979

• Herbert L. Dershem (1979).A General Game Playing Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 70 »General Game Playing
• Harry Shershow (1979).A Russian Algorithm for Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 77 »Pioneer
• Don Gerue, Russ McNeil (1979).The Longest Game.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 79 »The Penrod Memorial Microchess Tournament

Vol. 3, No. 7, July 1979

• Editor (1979).Will Blitz be next year's champ?Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 7, pp. 80 »ACM 1978,Blitz 6.5 - Belle
• Mike Valenti (1979).Writing a chess program - Part XII.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 7, pp. 82
• Evan Katz (1979).A Glimpse at the World of Micro-Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 7, pp. 83
• Editor (1979).Computer Checkers - The Tinsely Challange.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 7, pp. 88 »Checkers

Vol. 3, No. 8, August 1979

• Harry Shershow (1979).Man Against Computer.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 8, pp. 73
• Mike Valenti (1979).Writing a chess program - Part XIII.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 8, pp. 75
• Editor (1979).Scuffle in a Corner.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 8, pp. 76 »ACM 1978,BB-1,Sargon
• Editor (1979).Computer Backgammon.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 8, pp. 81  »Backgammon

Vol. 3, No. 9, September 1979

• Harry Shershow (1979).Chafitz' Big Move in Computer Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 9, pp. 59 »Boris,Sargon
• Charles Sullivan Jr. (1979).A Chess Program for the Apple.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 9, pp. 60 »Sargon
• Gary L. Ratliff (1979).Practical Rating Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 9, pp. 62^[5]
• Editor (1979).A Russian View of Chess Computers.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 9, pp. 64 »Pioneer

Vol. 3, No. 10, October 1979

• Donald Michie (1979).The Computer Attacks Moravec Problem.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 73^[6]
• Monroe Newborn (1979).Ostrich IV meets the Black Knight.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 74 »ACM 1978,Ostrich,Black Knight
• Ephraim Kishon (1979).Compushvili.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 76
• Editor (1979).The Gomoku Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 81 »Gomoku

Vol. 3, No. 11, November 1979

• Editor (1979).A Review of Chess Devices and Programs.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 11, pp. 73
• Frieder Schwenkel (1979).Berating the ratings system.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 11, pp. 77 »Ratliff
• John Larkins (1979).Inside Chess Challenger.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 11, pp. 78 »Chess Challenger
• Gene Buza (1979).ABC's of "Z" Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 11, pp. 79 »Z-Chess
• Tony Scherzer (1979).Background on BB-1.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 11, pp. 80 »BB-1

Vol. 3, No. 12, December 1979

• Michael McCann (1979).Basic Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 48 »Basic
• John Urwin (1979).Two New Programs Are Tested.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 71 »MyChess,Video Chess
• John Shaposka (1979)."JS" Takes the Bloss Test.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 75 »Ratliff
• Editor (1979).Misadvantages of a Chess Traveler.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 75 »Chess Challenger
• Editor (1979).Chess Ratings from Problem Solving.Personal Computing, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 77 »CAPS II

Volume 4, 1980

Vol. 4, No. 5, May 1980

• Harry Shershow (1980).The Best of Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 74^[7]
• Mikhail Donskoy (1980).From Russia with Games.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 77 »Kaissa
• Evan Katz (1980).Chess Challenger's Voice comes out of Both Sides of its Mouth.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 80 »Chess Challenger Voice
• Editor (1980).A Checkers Debate.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 83 »Checkers,Martin Gardner

Vol. 4, No. 6, June 1980

• Editor (1980).MyChess goes to college.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 91 »MyChess
• Editor (1980).Battle for Survival.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 92 »PCW-MCC 1979 - Battle for Survival
• Robert Hyatt (1980).A Southern Blitz.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 93 »Blitz

Vol. 4, No. 7, July 1980

• Michael Ham (1980).Modular Game System and Boris / Sargon 2.5.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 7, pp. 79 »Boris 2.5,Modular Game System
• Editor (1980)."Easy Money" Offer.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 7, pp. 81 »The Fredkin Prize
• Editor (1980).Background and Origins of Othello.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 7, pp. 87 »Othello
• Peter W. Frey (1980).Machine Othello.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 7, pp. 89

Vol. 4, No. 8, August 1980

• Harry Shershow (1980).Computers in the Life of Chess.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 71
• Floyd R. Kirk (1980).Bloss Flunks Test.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 72 »Ratliff
• Walter Korn (1980).Electronic Chess: Changing Aesthetics and Mores.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 7, pp. 74
• Editor (1980).Boris on the Move.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 77 »Boris 2.5,Applied Concepts
• Editor (1980).The Challenge of Computer Go.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 79 »Go
• Editor (1980).Zobrist Program in Action.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 8, pp. 81 »Albert Zobrist

Vol. 4, No. 9, September 1980

• Tom Throop (1980).New Chess Products.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 9, pp. 75
• Lynn L. Beavers (1980).Sargon II: A Human View.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 9, pp. 79 »Sargon
• Harry Shershow (1980).On The Science of Chess-Thinking.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 9, pp. 80 »Advances in Computer Chess 2

Vol. 4, No. 10, October 1980

• Harry Shershow (1980).The Nerve of a Chess Player.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 10, pp. 77^[8]
• David E. Welsh (1980).Rating Boris 2.5.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 10, pp. 78 »Boris 2.5
• W. W. Foster (1980).Six Test Problems for Chess Playing Machines.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 10, pp. 81
• Norman Whaland (1980).What Chess Programs Don't Do (Part I).Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 10, pp. 82
• Editor (1980).The battle of Boris 2.5 vs Sargon 2.5Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 10, pp. 83 »Applied Concepts,Chafitz

Vol. 4, No. 11, November 1980

• Harry Shershow (1980).CSC Wins First Microcomputer-Chess Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 81 »MCC 1980
• Editor (1980).MyChess Shines.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 85 »MyChess
• David E. Welsh (1980).Rating Boris 2.5 - Part II.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 87 »Boris 2.5

Vol. 4, No. 12, December 1980

• Editor (1980).A Chess Program & Random Openings.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 12, pp. 75 »MCC 1980,Murray Lane
• Norman Whaland (1980).What Chess Programs Don't Do (Part II).Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 12, pp. 77
• Kevin O’Connell (1980).London's World Micro Chess Champions.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 12, pp. 79 »WMCCC 1980
• Editor (1980).World-Championship Tournament.Personal Computing, Vol. 4, No. 12, pp. 71 »WCCC 1980

Volume 5, 1981

Vol. 5, No. 1, January 1981

• Harry Shershow (1981).The MyChess-CSC Confrontation at San Jose.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 79 »MCC 1980, Interviews withDavid Kittinger andMike Samole
• Editor (1981).Battle of the Chips.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 82 »6502,Z80
• Robert Hyatt (1981).The Cray-1 Plays Chess (Part 1).Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 83 »Cray Blitz,Cray-1

Vol. 5, No. 2, February 1981

• Evan Katz (1981).The Eleventh North American Computer Chess Championship.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 87 »ACM 1980^[9]
• Harry Shershow (1981).Two New Units In Action.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 91 »MCC 1980,John Aker,Morphy
• Robert Hyatt (1981).The Cray-1 Plays Chess (Part 2).Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 95 »Cray Blitz,Cray-1

Vol. 5, No. 3, March 1981

• Evan Katz (1981).The Eleventh North American Computer Chess Championship - Part II.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 71 »ACM 1980
• William Fink (1981).Sfinks riddles Sargon II.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 104  »Sfinks
• David Levy,Ben Mittman,Monroe Newborn (1981).Belle Wins Championship.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 105  »WCCC 1980

Vol. 5, No. 4, April 1981

• Kathe Spracklen (1981).The Past, Present, and Future.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 67
• Editor (1981).Fredkin Incentive Awards.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 68

Vol. 5, No. 7, July 1981

• Robert L. Schuman (1981).Anatomy of a Chess Program.Personal Computing, Vol. 5, No. 7, pp. 55

Volume 6, 1982

Vol. 6, No. 2, February 1982

• Thomas Throop (1982).Computer chess: test your skill.Personal Computing, Vol. 6, No. 2

External Links

• Personal Computing magazine issues 1977-1984 : Free Texts : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
• The Computer Magazine Glut byEric N. Berg,The New York Times, September 8, 1984
• David Bunnell, publisher of tech magazines PC World and Macworld, dies at 69 byMatt Schudel,The Washington Post, October 21, 2016
• David Bunnell from Wikipedia

References

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