Peter R. Jennings

Author of the first commercially successful chess program for microcomputers, Jennings is a Canadian physicist, interdisciplinary scientist, inventor, software developer, computer chess programmer, businessman, and paraglider. Born in England, his family moved to Canada when he was a child. In college, he studied Mathematics, Physics, Fine Art, Philosophy, Psychology, Finance, and Marketing. He received his M.A. in Physics from SUNY Stony Brook University in 1972, and his M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from McMaster University in 1974.

He authored MicroChess for the KIM-1 6502-based microcomputer, released on December 18, 1976, the first commercially successful chess program for microcomputers. MicroChess, as small as it was in terms of program size, could still play passable chess on the KIM-1 with its 6502 microprocessor, 1 kilobyte of memory, simple hex keyboard, and seven-segment display. In 1977, Jennings expanded the program into a more fully featured version with graphics for the TRS-80, Apple II, Commodore PET, and Atari 400/800 computers. It was also licensed to Novag for its dedicated Chess Champion Mk II in 1979.

Selling it at a price of $10 U.S. dollars, he refused to sell the rights of the program to Chuck Peddle (president of MOS Technology) for $1,000. MicroChess became the first microcomputer software package to sell 10,000 copies, almost exclusively on cassette tape. He co-founded Personal Software with Dan Fylstra to publish MicroChess to the growing microcomputer market.

Money made from MicroChess and other software projects allowed them to launch VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet for personal computers. They then created the VisiCorp company to publish VisiCalc. Notably, MicroChess sales helped to finance the development of VisiCalc, which was its greatest success.