86th Hastings International Chess
Congress
on the technology front with more live games being
shown and webcams for the internet audience. Chris
Ward was able to pick up the games in the commentary
room which enabled him to switch between games
with ease.
Each year, as the Congress draws closer, the organisers
in Hastings begin paying close attention to the weather forecasts and dread a white Christmas. Thoughts of
David Welch being unable to drive down on Boxing
Day with all the equipment or the resulting travel chaos
cause nightmares. The weather prior to the recent
Congress made these scenarios seem likely. However,
Hastings micro-climate seemed to be in evidence again
and on the 28th December the 86th Congress was
opened by Deputy Mayor of Hastings, Councillor Alan
Roberts and Councillor Jeremy Birch, Leader of
Hastings Borough Council.
CJ de Mooi visited the Congress in his capacity as
President of the ECF. He presented a giant chess set
to a local aventure playground, in2play and opened the
28th Weekend Congress. This was won by GM Stuart
Conquest.
The event was again generously sponsored by Hastings
Borough Council with additional help from the White
Rock Hotel, the Chatsworth Hotel, Gwalia, the Pig in
Paradise, KC Computers and Deutsch UK Ltd.
Entries held up despite public transport being affected
by what seemed like one long bank holiday. There were
434 entries and 23 countries were represented. There
was a large Indian contingent in the Masters this year
and they provided commentators and spectators with
some exciting chess as well as joint first-prize winners.
GM Deep Sengupta and Arghydir Das also jointly hold
the Golombek Trophy for one year with 7 points.
Gerhana Chkartina, Yemi Jelsen & GM David Howell
The prize giving was attended by Mayor of Hastings,
Cllr Kim Forward and MP for Hastings & Rye, Amber
Rudd. This followed a reception kindly given by the
Trustees of Horntye Park.
The Congress ran smoothly and the organisers now
turn their attention to the future. Full details of the
games and results can be found on the congress website www.hastingschess.org.uk
- Pam Thomas, HICC Press Officer
Cllr Forward and Amber Rudd, MP, present the joint first prize
Three of last year’s winners, Eduard (FRA), Howell
(Eng) and Istratescu (Rou) joined Gormally (Eng)
Prasanna (Ind) and another former winner, Neverov
(Uk) in joint second place with 6.5 points
Prasanna achieved his first GM norm and Gerhana
Chkartine of Indonesia achieved a WIM norm.
As well as entertaining chess, there were developments
12
Thomas Rendle and Lateefah Messam-Sparkes