Connor, as well as some others, might be interested in looking at this link...

http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~chinook/WallofHonor.php or click here

If you scroll way to the bottom of the first list, which is the list of those who played Chinook, the world's strongest checker program for years, on its most difficult setting, you will see...


86. Ed Trice, October 21, 1996
87. Carl "The Gloc" Reno, October 21, 1996
88. Richard Fortman, August 30, 1996
89. Valtas "The Great Huck-A-Buck" Hockenbury, June 10, 1996
90. Carl "The Gloc" Reno, March 31, 1996
91. James "Too Slick" Davis, January 27, 1996
92. Valtas "The Great Huck-A-Buck" Hockenbury, January 27, 1996
93. James "Too Slick" Davis, January 17, 1996

I was the fifth person to defeat Chinook, back in October of 1996. Just to remind everyone,in 1996 there did not exist any program that was nearly as strong as Chinook. This was a time when 100 MHz computers were top of the line, and hard drives were typically half a gig in size.

I beat one of the strongest checker programs of all time, and I was in the company of some truly great players.

I don't need a computer program to assist me to play. I beat the best of the best.

Now look at the "explosion' of names on the list in later years as programs and hardware advances made them more formidable.

Funny how so few had victories in 1996 when I played, but there were many more in later years.