Youngest ever winner at Hastings chess congress

Hastings has a new chess champion – Haowen Xue, at 16 its youngest Masters winner ever. Nick Terdre reports on a successful 98^th edition of the world’s first ever international chess tournament, which still attracts large numbers.

The winner of the 98^th Hastings International Chess Congress Masters tournament was Haowen Xue from China, who swept the board with seven points out of nine. Having turned 16 only in late November, he is reckoned to be by some way the youngest ever winner. As a bonus, he also notched his third and final norm to gain the Grandmaster title, though this still has to be endorsed by Fide, the International Chess Federation.

Haowen took a cool draw with black in the final round to secure his win, having already scored five wins and three draws. His opponent was English veteran GM Danny Gormally, who ended on 6.5/9, in a shared second place with five other GMs: Pengxiang Zhang (China), sole runner-up last year, Pierre Laurent-Paoli (France), Kirk Ghazarian (USA), Eldar Gasanov (Ukraine) and Shreyas Royal (UK).

In addition to the Golombek trophy, which he will hold for a year, Xue won a cash prize of £2,500. The six second-placed players received £783 each.

”Judging from the positive feedback from those who came, this year’s 98th International Chess Congress was another success, and importantly keeps the series going” chairman Stuart Conquest told HOT.

“There is a lot of preparation that goes into organising any major chess event. Hastings remains a big name in the world of chess, and we are truly grateful for the support of the players whose Congress it is. The traditional dates, coming right after Christmas, can be difficult ones, but people do make the effort to be here, which also brings benefits to the town as many of our participants will be staying nine or ten days.”

Youth makes its mark

It is not only in darts that younger players are making their mark. In addition to acknowledging Xue as its youngest winner, Hastings also hosted the UK’s youngest ever GM in 15-year-old Royal. He first attended the Masters last year as an International Master when he ended in joint third place.

Looking through the list of winners since Hastings hosted the first international chess tournament in 1895, traditionally they have all been men well into their adulthood. But these days top players are emerging at ever younger ages. When he won the crown in November, the new world chess champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, was 18.

Last year saw a scintillating performance in Hastings by eight-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, who has since punched well above her weight at other international competitions. She was due to return to Hastings this year but at the last moment family illness made that impossible.

Rating prizes

Junior prizes were won by Svyatoslav Bazakutsa (16) and Oleg Verbytski (11). Svyatoslav, 6 pts, is a Ukrainian refugee living in Liverpool while Oleg, 5.5 pts, was born in this country of Ukrainian parents.

Prize for top female went to Ruqayyah Rida, from Colchester, who finished with 5.5 pts, followed on 5 pts by Valentina Verbin from Moldova who now lives in Norway, and Kanishka Bhatia of Scotland.

The prize for top senior was shared three ways, between veteran Francis Rayner, of Hastings & St Leonards Chess Club, Petr Marusenko, a Ukrainian now living in London, and Cliff Chandler of Maidstone. who all notched up 4.5 pts.

And it is not only budding concert pianists who come to compete in Hastings from South Korea. In a new development a group of 21 young players turned up from that country, eight of whom took part in the Masters.

Rude health

The tournament appears to be in rude health after the interruptions caused by the Covid pandemic, attracting 112 players to the Masters, including eight GMs, up from around 100 last year. Another 300 plus participated in the various other tournaments for players of all grades which comprise the congress: the Con Power Christmas tournament, the New Year tournament and the Weekend Open.

There was another local triumph – and for youth – in the Weekend Minor which was won by Daniel Evans-White, 15, of Hastings & St Leonards chess club.

Sponsorship continues to be provided by Caplin Systems, a financial technology developer, which stepped in in 2019/20 when funding from Hastings Borough Council dwindled. The Masters prizes were as usual awarded by the firm’s CEO, John Ashworth.

Conquest paid tribute to the firm’s support. ”A big thank you to our loyal Sponsors, Caplin Systems Ltd, who steadfastly stood shoulder to shoulder with Hastings at a difficult time for the Congress. Equally, we recognise the firm backing of the English Chess Federation who provided the Congress with vital assistance this year.

“We also extend our grateful thanks to the John Robinson Youth Chess Trust, an independent charitable trust that supports and promotes junior chess in England. Our longtime friends at the White Rock Hotel continue to give us brilliant support, for which we are sincerely grateful.”

And for the time being, the congress seems to have a secure location in the welcoming atmosphere of the pavilion at Horntye Sports Complex, despite the owners’ looming development plans.

 

Also in: Sport

Gupta secures victory at Hastings chess congress »