59th Hastings Premier, 28 December 1983 to 12 January 1984

1983/84 Hastings Premier		Fed	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Total
1	Lars Karlsson	SWE	2505g	&;	½	1	½	1	½	0	1	1	½	1	½	½	½	8½
2	Jonathan S Speelman	ENG	2535g	½	&;	½	0	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	½	1	½	8½
3	Jonathan Mestel	ENG	2500g	0	½	&;	½	0	½	1	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	8
4	Lubomir Ftacnik	CZE	2535g	½	1	½	&;	1	½	0	1	½	1	½	0	½	½	7½
5	Mark L Hebden	ENG	2495m	0	½	1	0	&;	1	½	0	1	1	0	½	1	1	7½
6	Andrew D Martin	ENG	2340f	½	½	½	½	0	&;	1	½	0	½	1	1	1	0	7
7	Istvan Csom	HUN	2500g	1	0	0	1	½	0	&;	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	6½
8	Mihai Suba	ROU	2555g	0	½	½	0	1	½	½	&;	1	0	0	1	½	½	6
9	Sergey G Kudrin	USA	2510m	0	0	1	½	0	1	½	0	&;	½	1	½	½	½	6
10	Nigel D Short	ENG	2475m	½	0	0	0	0	½	½	1	½	&;	1	1	0	1	6
11	Lev O Alburt	USA	2570g	0	0	0	½	1	0	½	1	0	0	&;	1	½	1	5½
12	Gyula Sax	HUN	2570g	½	½	0	1	½	0	½	0	½	0	0	&;	½	1	5
13	Igor V Ivanov	CAN	2515m	½	0	0	½	0	0	½	½	½	1	½	½	&;	½	5
14	Dmitry Gurevich	USA	2510m	½	½	0	½	0	1	0	½	½	0	0	0	½	&;	4

Average Elo: 2508, Category 11, norms: GM = 8½, IM = 6 (achieved by Andrew Martin)

Round-by-Round Reports (CHESS, January & February 1984 issues, no.s 48/913-4 & 48/915-6)

Round 1 (28 December)

Ftacnik sacrificed the exchange for a pawn but Alburt returned the material to leave it level. Ivanov v Suba, played on 1st January due to the late arrival of both players, saw multiple exchanges leading to an inevitable draw. Ivanov, who was thwarted last year by the British consul in New York, ran into trouble with British Rail this time on his way from Aberystwyth, where he had spent Christmas. Martin v Speelman petered out after Speelman had weakened his king's side by pawn advances.

Karlsson [vs Sax] sacrificed the exchange for apparently nebulous compensation, but at the adjournment his position proved unbreachable. Mestel [vs Kudrin], faced with his favourite defence, used up too much time, weakened his queen's side and finally blundered away a piece. Short and Hebden, both seeking their final grand master norm of 8½ points, started quietly but finished abruptly as Short gave up a pawn, then overlooked a rook sacrifice forcing mate. Csom made it a good day for Black when he picked off an isolated d-pawn: Gurevich hastened the end by blundering away a knight.

Round 2 (29 December)

Hebden took sole lead by calmly rebuffing Gurevich's attempt to rush him and building up a suffocating king's side attack: a desperate piece sacrifice changed nothing. Hebden used only an hour for the whole game. Mestel [vs Sax] revived an old line of the Dragon, sacrificing a pawn for open lines and getting two back to liquidate into a won rook ending. Martin [vs Suba] emerged from the opening with weak pawns but resourceful defence allowed him to draw in the fifth session — for the last 44 moves he had Q for Q & N. Ivanov won a pawn but Ftacnik escaped into an opposite-coloured bishops ending. The other three draws [Kudrin v Short, Speelman v Karlsson, Alburt v Csom] were perfunctory.

Round 3 (30 December)

Hebden kept his lead, advancing boldly on the king's side to counter Csom's queen's side edge. With only 3 minutes left for 20 moves, Csom was happy to take a draw. Alburt regained his gambit pawn and won another but Ivanov was able to force perpetual check. The other draws* were dull but at least Mestel v Speelman had the merit of originality. Suba's pawn sacrifice [vs Karlsson], denuding his own king, never looked adequate; though he won the exchange, a tactical melee ended with him blundering away his queen to a knight fork. Short scored impressively when Sax put his reliance on opposite-coloured bishops but still found his king in a mating net. (* Gurevich v Kudrin and Martin v Ftacnik were the other draws.)

Round 4 (31 December)

Hebden was caught by the pack when he lost to Alburt, who established a dominating passed pawn which he promoted with the help of a queen sacrifice. Sax v Gurevich was postponed to January 5th as Sax was unwell: a lively skirmish then brought the Hungarian his first win. Speelman reduced Short to passivity, then produced a most original final coup. Ivanov's sacrifice [vs Martin] was absurd. Karlsson [vs Ftacnik] and Mestel [vs Suba] encountered stubborn defence. [Kudrin v Csom, a 17-move draw, is not mentioned. JS]

Round 5 (2 January)

Martin and Hebden forged ahead in contrasting styles. Martin arrived half an hour late but stood well when Alburt finally blundered away a rook. Hebden [vs Kudrin] castled queen's then sacrificed a pawn and the exchange to force mate. It became a good round for England when Short, by an exchange sacrifice won impressively [vs Suba]. Speelman [vs Gurevich] and Mestel [vs Ftacnik] both secured endgame advantages but were thwarted by solid defence. [Karlsson-Ivanov and Csom-Sax were both short draws. JS]

Round 6 (3 January)

Alburt sacrificed pawns for a king's side attack, but a timely counter-sacrifice allowed Kudrin to grind him down in an ending. Sax's rook sacrifice earned only perpetual check against Hebden's apparently lethally exposed king. An exciting duel with Csom lifted Speelman. Gurevich almost scored his first win when Suba overreached, but Short's yoyo performance continued when his exchange sacrifice proved inadequate [vs Ftacnik]. Ivanov gave away a pawn and Mestel took full advantage in the ending. [Martin-Karlsson was a short draw. JS]

Round 7 (4 January)

The leaders all drew, allowing Karlsson, who ground down the off-form Alburt, to join them. Short lost control of an open file and Ivanov clinched his first win by a neat rook sacrifice. Active defence allowed Martin to hold Mestel, while Hebden could well have played on against Speelman. Gurevich v Ftacnik was adjourned three times. Gurevich just saved the knight v bishop ending. [Kudrin-Sax & Csom-Suba were drawn.]

Round 8 (6 January)

Passive play allowed Speelman to take a grip on the centre and offer a bishop sacrifice which Kudrin unwisely accepted, only to be faced with mate or loss of the queen. Hebden's pawn sacrifice seemed inadequate until Suba overlooked a temporary queen sacrifice regaining it: but Hebden then overreached and lost the rook ending. Ftacnik castled queen's side, but Csom's three pawns for the exchange proved stronger. Ivanov sacrificed his queen for three minor pieces and the attack [vs Gurevich], but only managed perpetual check. Karlsson [vs Mestel] kept pace with Speelman in the lead when his counterattack gained control of the seventh rank. A surprise exchange sacrifice [by Alburt] accounted for Sax. [Martin-Short was a quick draw. JS]

Round 9 (7 January)

Mestel obtained a huge space advantage [vs Alburt] which enabled him to manoeuvre at will and eventually win a piece. Short spurned the win of a pawn by 10 Ndb5 but Karlsson insisted on sacrificing pawns and the exchange for a strong attack; he was still the exchange down for nebulous compensation when the draw was agreed. Martin's first loss coincided with Gurevich's first win when the American sacrificed the exchange for two passed a-pawns. Csom v Ivanov and Sax v Speelman both petered out leaving Speelman joint leader with Karlsson. Ftacnik was well prepared for Hebden's favourite system against the Sicilian, while Suba also came out of a theoretical struggle on top [vs Kudrin].

Round 10 (8 January)

Hopes of an English victory surged as Alburt went horribly wrong in the opening [vs Speelman] — he could have resigned on move 12 but prolonged the agony a piece down. Meanwhile Karlsson had two bishops v two knights, but Gurevich managed to keep it safely blocked. Mestel won a tough struggle [vs Short], proving four pawns stronger than a rook, and Martin clinched his second I.M. norm and the title when Csom ran hopelessly short of time. A blunder in a good position led to Ivanov's collapse [vs Hebden] but Kudrin was able to counter Ftacnik's tactics with an exchange sacrifice leading to perpetual check. Sax came a cropper [vs Suba].

Round 11 (9 January)

Speelman, faced with solid defence, took a break [vs Suba] but Karlsson [vs Csom] overpressed in his attempt to catch up. Superior endgame play accounted for Gurevich [vs Mestel], Martin [vs Hebden] and Ftacnik [vs Sax]. Kudrin won a pawn [vs Ivanov] but blundered it back, while Alburt's tale of woe continued [vs Short].

Round 12 (10 January)

Nerves played a part with the fight for first prize so close. Csom won a pawn from Mestel's slow build-up but went wrong and finally blundered away a piece in a time scramble — Mestel's fourth win in a row. Speelman, under pressure, gave up a pawn to reach a rook endgame but delicate play by Ftacnik secured the win. A blunder cost Martin a crucial pawn [vs Kudrin], while Suba's exchange sacrifice [vs Alburt] proved inadequate.

Short left his king in the centre and grabbed two pawns, but nevertheless beat off the luckless Gurevich's attack. Hebden's last chance of a G.M. norm disappeared as he was rocked back by a piece sacrifice [vs Karlsson]. [Ivanov-Sax was a quick draw.]

Round 13 (12 January)

This last round was full of fighting chess, with the only draw going to the bare kings as Short defended well [vs Csom] in a rook ending a pawn down. Mestel gained a slight edge [vs Hebden] but stout defence led him to overreach tragically in the second session in an attempt to win the tournament outright. He was overtaken as both Karlsson [vs Kudrin] and Speelman [vs Ivanov] emerged from complications to win — Karlsson after standing clearly worse. Martin notched up another G.M. scalp [vs Sax], while Ftacnik's king's side attack eventually proved more important than his weak pawns [vs Suba]. Alburt's pressure prompted Gurevich to sacrifice a piece for three pawns, but poor endgame play saw these drop off one by one.

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1983/84 Hastings Challengers, 28 December to 7 January

1983/84 Hastings Challengers		Fed	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Glenn C Flear1	ENG	2380m	b24=	w23=	b21+	w16+	b9=	w10+	b11+	b4+	w2=	w3+	8
2	Klaus Berg	DEN	2400f	w30+	b43+	w3=	b13+	w4-	b33+	w17+	b14+	b1=	w6+	8
3	Stuart C Conquest	ENG	2255f	w42+	b47+	b2=	w4-	b16+	w18+	b9+	w8+	w17+	b1-	7½
4	Colin S Crouch	ENG	2300	w27+	b29+	w5+	b3+	b2+	w8+	b12+	w1-	b6-	w9=	7½
5	Neil L Carr	ENG		w39+	b20+	b4-	w31=	w45+	b17-	w15=	b36=	w26+	b14+	6½
6	John J Cox	ENG	2355f	w50+	b33=	w28-	b41-	w49+	b30+	w7+	b20+	w4+	b2-	6½
7	Neil F Dickenson	ENG	2225	b57=	w18=	b24=	w44+	b33-	w48+	b6-	w46+	b16+	w19+	6½
8	Tom Farrand	ENG	2205	w49=	b54+	w17+	b28=	w20+	b4-	w36+	b3-	w12=	w22+	6½
9	John N Sugden	ENG		w21+	b17=	w45=	b14+	w1=	b32+	w3-	b15=	w13+	b4=	6½
10	Craig R Dawson	ENG		w56+	b45=	w32=	b36+	w28+	b1-	w20=	b17-	w41+	b12=	6
11	Oliver A Jackson	ENG		w20-	b42+	w47+	b15-	w29+	b26+	w1-	b13-	w45+	bye	6
12	Wolfgang Riedel	FRG	2320f	w36+	b14=	w13-	b43+	w30+	b15+	w4-	w19=	b8=	w10=	6
13	Andrew P Smith	IRL		b18=	w57+	b12+	w2-	b48=	b14-	w52+	w11+	b9-	w33+	6
14	Angus J Dunnington	ENG		b51+	w12=	b31=	w9-	b22+	w13+	b28+	w2-	b19=	w5-	5½
15	Joseph G Gallagher	ENG	2250	b19=	w24=	b49+	w11+	b18=	w12-	b5=	w9=	b33=	w23=	5½
16	S Hirsch			w38+	b32=	w26+	b1-	w3-	b29=	w47+	b34+	w7-	b20=	5½
17	Vincent McCambridge	USA	2435m	b35+	w9=	b8-	w24+	b19+	w5+	b2-	w10+	b3-	w/d	5½
18	Wilfried Schroeder			w13=	b7=	w38+	b32+	w15=	b3-	w37=	b28=	w20=	b21=	5½
19	PK Singh	IND		w15=	b49=	w41=	b56+	w17-	b47+	w33+	b12=	w14=	b7-	5½
20	Gert Jan Timmerman	NED	2275	b11+	w5-	b25+	w46+	b8-	w23+	b10=	w6-	b18=	w16=	5½
21	Frank Waldow	FRG		b9-	b53+	w1-	w48-	b35+	w22-	b38+	w52+	b44+	w18=	5½
22	Peter K Wells	ENG	2335f	w26-	b36-	w27+	b39+	w14-	b21+	w41=	b30+	w28+	b8-	5½
23	Thomas E Wiley	ENG		w54=	b1=	w29+	b45=	w26=	b20-	w32=	b37=	w36+	b15=	5½
24	Cesar Becx	BEL		w1=	b15=	w7=	w17-	w43=	b56+	w26=	b45=	w32=	b27=	5
25	Patrick G Donovan	ENG		b28-	b??+	w20-	b42+	w32-	b43-	w53+	b49=	w34+	b26=	5
26	Zahiruddin Farooqui	PAK	2265	b22+	w46=	b16-	w35+	b23=	w11-	b24=	w31+	b5-	w25=	5
27	Josef Freundorfer	FRG		b4-	w40-	b22-	w51+	b50=	w35+	b29-	w48+	b46+	w24=	5
28	Pank A Hoogendoorn	NED	2240	w25+	w31=	b6+	w8=	b10-	b41+	w14-	w18=	b22-	b32=	5
29	Gerhard Kraehenbuehl	SUI	2210	b52+	w4-	b23-	w40+	b11-	w16=	w27+	b41-	w37=	b36+	5
30	Simon C Le Blancq	GUE		b2-	w51+	b40+	w33=	b12-	w6-	b48+	w22-	b31=	w44+	5
31	Alan Phillips	ENG		w53+	b28=	w14=	b5=	w41=	b36-	w34=	b26-	w30=	b45+	5
32	Graham A Waddingham	ENG		b48+	w16=	b10=	w18-	b25+	w9-	b23=	w44=	b24=	w28=	5
33	Robert Zysk			w34+	w6=	b46=	b33=	w7+	w2-	b19-	b43+	w15=	b13-	5
34	R Alan Barton	ENG		b33-	w37-	b48-	w55+	w39+	b42+	b31=	w16-	b25-	w46+	4½
35	Gary B Dawson	WLS		w17-	b39+	w43=	b26-	w21-	b27-	w55+	b42=	b50+	w40=	4½
36	J M Leer			b12-	w22+	b37+	w10-	b38+	w31+	b8-	w5=	b23-	w29-	4½
37	Dr. Ingo Lentze	FRG	2260	def	b34+	w36-	b54=	w56+	w44=	b18=	w23=	b29=	def	4½
38	Gareth D Pearce	WLS		b16-	w55+	b18-	bye	w36-	b52-	w21-	b54+	w39=	b47+	4½
39	Arnold Van't Hof	NED		b5-	w35-	b52+	w22-	b34-	w51=	w56+	w50=	b38=	b49+	4½
40	Timothy P Wall	ENG		w45-	b27+	w30-	b29-	w42-	b55+	w49=	b47+	w43=	b35=	4½
41	Wolfgang Zbikowski			b46-	w52+	b19=	w6+	b31=	w28-	b22=	w29+	b10-	w/d	4½
42	John A Hudson	USA		b3-	w11-	b51+	w25-	b40+	w34-	b50=	w35=	b52+	w43=	4½
43	Stephen J Shutler	ENG		b55+	w2-	b35=	w12-	b24=	w25+	b46=	w33-	b40=	b42=	4½
44	Antonie Peter Luchtmeijer	NED		w47-	b50+	w56=	b7-	w54+	b37=	w45=	b32=	w21-	b30-	4
45	Thomas Pioch	FRG	2305	b40+	w10=	b9=	w23=	b5-	w46=	b44=	w24=	b11-	w31-	4
46	Robert V Elliston	ENG		w41+	b26=	w33=	b20-	w47=	b45=	w43=	b7-	w27-	b34-	3½
47	Ibrahim El-Gheiadi	LBY	2205	b44+	w3-	b11-	w50+	b46=	w19-	b16-	w40-	b53+	w38-	3½
48	Ron Hoffman			w32-	b56-	w34+	b21+	w13=	b7-	w30-	b27-	w49=	b54=	3½
49	Ludwig Franz Robeller			b8=	w19=	w15-	b53=	b6-	w50=	b40=	w25=	b48=	w39-	3½
50	Susan K Walker (Lalic)		1900	b6-	w44-	bye	b47-	w27=	b49=	w42=	b39=	w35-	w51=	3½
51	Wim Jongeneel	NED		w14-	b30-	w42-	b27-	w55+	b39=	w54-	b53=	w56+	b50=	3½
52	Adrian Picton R Lewis	ENG		w29-	b41-	w39-	bye	b53+	w38+	b13-	b21-	w42-	w55-	3
53	Richard W O'Brien	ENG	2205	b31-	w21-	b55=	w49=	w52-	b54+	b25-	w51=	w47-	b56=	3
54	Chris C Sherwood	ENG		b23=	w8-	b57=	w37=	b44-	w53-	b51+	w38-	b55-	w48=	3
55	D W Willis			w43-	b38-	w53=	b34-	b51-	w40-	b55-	w56=	w54+	b52+	3
56	A(lfred?) Schreiber			b10-	w48+	b44=	w19-	b37-	w24-	b39-	b55=	b51-	w53=	2½
57	O Nowka			w7=	b13-	w54=	def	withdrawn						1

¹ qualified for the 1984/85 Premier on tie-break
n.b. crosstable from bulletin. Various errors have been corrected. Where some doubt remains after applying amendments, I have highlighted in red. I think Patrick Donovan must have had the bye in round two though the original crosstable shows him beating no.9, John Sugden, but the latter is also shown as drawing with Vincent McCambridge. The original crosstable showed Robert Ellison as scoring 4/10, with a draw vs Alan Barton, but it also showed Barton as winning this game. My tentative solution to this quandary entailed docking half a point off Elliston - I hope he can find it in his heart to forgive me - JS

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Other Sections

MAIN A: (1-2) P W Fryer, U Wolf (FRG) 6½/9; (3) Paul Carey 6; (4-8) Rev. Peter R Kings, Dietmar Kolbus (FRG), Harry Lamb, D Bernard Scott, Howard L Tebbs 5½; (9-10) M Saremba, R A Walker 5; (11-14) J Goldenboog, G Halli, R H L Hatch, Malcolm R Peacock 4½; (15-17) Nigel W Dennis, R P Moss, C L Ridley 4; (18-22) R G Clark, John A Felton, John A Gorman, C Rebber, D G Woodruff 3½; (23) N D Smith (withdrew after 8 rounds)

Main B: (1) D Meyer (FRG) 7½/9; (2) P Tobczewski 7; (3-8) P Dansey, Christopher Hann, T Laux, W A Shutler, B Ward, Robert Whateley 5½; (9-11) Sydney Ross Capsey, D Hennig, A P Hurt 5; (12-16) David Terence Fairbank, J R Finch, H Moller, Iris Louisa Fanny Morris, J A Nightingale 4½; (17-21) Patrick Albert Baldwin, Marc A Bryant, Charles Conquest, P L Cook, T Thamm 4; (22) John R Cotterell 3½; (23-24) F Turner, F Morcihek 3; (25) I W Green 2½; (26) H F Long 1.

Main C: (1) Kai Sengpiel (FRG) 7½/9; (2) S Schlange 7; (3) T Peter 6½; (4) M Schmidtke 6; (5-7) C Freundorfer, P V Penston, R W Vine 5½; (8-10) H G Crews, Eric Wilfred Knapp, H Michael Lamb 5; (11-15) H Braun, John C Calvert, L Heiermann, M O'Leary, Truman V Parrott 4½; (16-18) M Braun, E Chambers, Bernard Charles M Hodson 4; (19) J H Ward 2½; (20) A Green 2; (21) M Daniel 1½.

Xmas A: (1) Peter W Hempson 4/5; (2-6) Michael P Cook, G J Mason, Simon J Roe, Douglas G A Shallcross, Ian G Thompson 3½; (7) Raymond J Gamble 3; (8-13) Graham E Borrowdale, P Dawes, David J Faulkner, David W Gostelow, Robert C Lynn, K S Reed 2½; (14-16) Juergen Brustkern (FRG), A P Davies, R J Miller 2; (17-19) Otto H Hardy, R Heasman, R W B Moss 1½.

Xmas B: (1) Lucien P Mouillaux (FRA) 4/5; (2-5) D A Law, B H Richards, Jack A Speigel, D J Towers 3½; (6-8) C W Bryan, T Everrett, Brian E Milner 3; (9-11) A R Bellinger, (James) Stuart Ridgway, J Watson 2½; (12-14) Jack Horrocks, P S New, Melvin N Sutton 2; (15-16) R C Shilling, T B Towner 1½; (17) H Schreiner 1; (18) Charles Ambrose Scott Damant (withdrew ill after 3 rounds) ½.

Xmas C: (1) Mark C Rich 4/5; (2) Roger L Baker 3½; (3-8) R P B Brooks, D G Falconer, D J Fowler, Philip B Sargeaunt, Ronald H Saunders, W H Norris 3; (9-11) D C Picton, Alan Forrest Stobo, H Tassell 2½; (12-15) D M Cleasby, Roy W Heppenstall, A Neal, M J Rice 2; (16-17) Mrs. Olive Chataway, P D Poland 1½; (18) Simon C Sellick 1.

Xmas D: (1) Frank Thomas Comber 4½/5; (2) M Everrett 4; (3) J P Lee 3½; (4-6) E Chapman, J F Dennis, M Fowler 3; (7-9) Richard J A Almond, P Ganszczyk, A Hampton 2½; (10-13) G J Broadhead, D J Funnell, S A Napier, A Watson 2; (14) R J Southee 1½; (15-16) N Gray, B J Power 1.

Xmas E: (1) N Shepherd 4½/5; (2) J O'Neill 4; (3-4) P Blake, T Donoghue 3½; (5-6) M Roe, J Stalker 3; (7-11) J Blake, J Jackson, E Newham, M Scott, T Woods 2½; (12-15) E R J Barlow, R Hampton, Gregory Owen J Melitus, J G Wright 2; (16-17) N Herbert, P Vickers 1½.

New Year A: (1-2) Rev. David J Casiot, Kenneth I Norman 4/5; (3-4) Ian D Thompson, Brian H Turner 3½; (5-6) D R Brennan, Simon D Smith 3; (7-11) Stephen D Cunliffe, Dinah M Norman, Ronald G Rusha, Jack A Speigel, John Wilman 2½; (12-13) Brian E Milner, R W B Moss 2; (14--18) Paul R Archer, Brian W Atkinson, David Leslie Barrett, J K Jones, Peter C Wood 1½.

New Year B: (1) Julian M Way 5/5; (2-5) Raymond J Kearsley, Martin C Page, A R Sharp, D Wrobel 3½; (6-8) H Tassell, S Wavell, Gerhard H Wengenmair 3; (9-12) Bryan Allen Fewell, P A Hollister, Geoffrey W Naldrett, Simon C Sellick 2½; (13-14) Frank Thomas Comber, Kenneth A J Francis 2; (15-18) Geoffrey Shervill Coxhead, E F Norris, Alan Forrest Stobo, G Wagner 1½; (19) R S Thornton 1. Messrs. Fewell, Stobo and Thornton all withdrew before the final round.

New Year C: (1) Victor S J Litvin 4½/5; (2) C M Chamberlain 4; (3-10) T Elkan, D Everitt, P Ganszczyk, Sir John Latey, G W Phillips, J Vaughan, E Mitchell, A Mufti 3; (11-15) J Blake, T Donoghue, M B Latey, D M Phillips, P Vickers 2; (16) Gregory Owen J Melitus 1½; (17) M B Deane 1.

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Hastings Weekend Congress (7-8 January 1984) (sponsored by Newtime Foods)

Open: (1) Keith C Arkell 5/5; (2) Julian M Hodgson 4½; (3-6) Colin S Crouch, Stuart C Conquest, Anthony C Kosten, Manuel Rivas Pastor (ESP) 4; (7-8) Glenn C Flear, Simon Macaulay 3½; (9-22) R Alan Barton, Klaus Berg (DEN), D Delamothe, Stephen J Gregory, Daniel J King, Harry Lamb, Edward G Lea, Byron A Jacobs, Sheila Jackson, Gerhard Kraehenbuehl (SUI), Alex Kuznecov, Michael D Nicholas, Ian D Thompson, Thomas E Wiley 3; (23-26) Anthony J Berry, L Butt, David A Wood, D Waddingham(withdrew after rd 4) 2½; (27-36) Michael P Cook, R Davies, Joseph G Gallagher, Ian G Kelly, Andrew P H Kinsman, Adrian P R Lewis, Richard W O'Brien, David C Perrett, Andrew Philip Smith, Brian H Turner 2; (37-42) J Attwood, Stephen C Crowdy, David W Fryer, J R Gorgol, Mandy Hepworth, Julian M Way 1½; (43-45) J Graham, Luke Rutherford, Peter Morrey (w/d after rd 4) 1; (46) C Cross (w/d after rd 4) ½; (47) Rev. David J Casiot 0.

Major: (1-2) Mark Lyell, B H Richards 4½/5; (3-6) Eric Key, Jack A Speigel, P Turf, K N Sivarhman 4; (7-10) Paul R Archer, Robin B W Moss, S Dickenson, P Edwards 3½; (11-20) P R Allen, J Goeldenboog, Russell C Goodfellow, D J Lawrence, John McVicar, J D Plait, R Shilling, S L Scopes, D Thakrar, P F Weinberger 3; (21-31) A R Bellinger, C Costello, A J Fleming, Christopher Hann, M Lucey, M H Micklethwaite, Geoffrey W Naldrett, Philip B Sargeaunt, P Vasilio, B Ward, C R B Young 2½; (32-38) J R Finch, D J Fisher, Kenneth A J Francis, Philip Pinto, Simon C Sellick, M Stanton, D F Thompson 2; (39-45) M Ash, A W Forbes, A R Gurr, Raymond J Kearsley, Ronald H Saunders, S C Scott, A F Zoeftig 1½; (46-49) Barry Blackburn, D G Chambers, K Cohn (w/d after rd 4), H Tassell 1; (50-51) Frank Thomas Comber (w/d after rd 3), D D Roberts (w/d after rd 4); (52) S Edwards 0.

Minor: (1) R P B Brooks 5/5; (2-10) Marc A Bryant, R M Burr, G M Chisango, D L Cook, F Dusetti, S Hart, Iris Louisa Fanny Morris, R F Pooley, H J Williams 4; (11-12) M W Cansdale, Dr.O J Opie 3½; (13-25) R Ayers, Patrick Albert Baldwin, A J Bynnersley, N Driver, N Gallagher, C H Harvey, J C Jones, C Kidd, L Macdonald, B L Malkin, J Vaughan, R W Vine, S H Wengenmair 3; (26-35) J M Baldwin, P Bujok, R C Burroughs, K V Gadd, A D Hargreaves, R J Huston, C Jewell, H Michael Lamb, M Loat, A Rowland 2½; (36-47) Richard J A Almond, J Barcy, N Betts, I S Brooks, M Brandall, D Everitt, R Gawley, W Hampton, Victor S J Litvin, Truman V Parrott, B S Saumes, A White 2; (48-54) J Berberich, W Bradley, C M Chamberlain, E C Dixon, R W Johnson, H F Long, J O'Neill 1½; (55-56) K Jeffrey, B R McDonnell 1; (57-58) R P Johnson, P Vicers ½; (59) J Blake 0.

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THE 59th HASTINGS CHRISTMAS CONGRESS 1983/4 (from the bulletin - written by W Ritson Morry?)

For the second time in recent years Hastings has no U.S.S.R. competitors. This is not the fault of the organisers for an invitation to send two players went to Moscow at the end of July.

A reply was requested to be received here by mid-October, but nothing was received. This in itself was no cause for alarm, for ever since I took on the work of inviting the players, I have never received the courtesy of a reply in writing from the U.S.S.R. Chess Federation. Any communication from that body has been sent to the British Chess Federation, usually well past the date set by me, but I have endured the treatment stoically and turned the other cheek except for one occasion, when the notification came so late that I had already filled their places and had to decline the entries.

In September the U.S.A. Federation told me that Psakhis was playing there and had said he had been asked to come to Hastings and was accepting. I was also informed that Belyavsky would be coming according to a reliable source. On October 29th I wrote the U.S.S.R. Federation saying that I had heard Psakhis and Belyavsky were coming and asked for immediate confirmation. I pointed out that in fairness to our sponsors good advance publicity was a necessity. Needless to say I have never received a direct reply to that communication.

In mid-November the B.C.F's Director of International Chess, Mr.David Anderton, telephoned me to say that he had received a telex from the U.S.S.R. saying that two leading players would be sent to the 1984 Phillips &. Drew Tournament, but that owing to "a change of calendar" no players would be sent to Hastings. Fortunately I was able to take speedy action and replaced the Russians with Grandmasters of similar ratings thereby managing to keep the tournament in Category 11 with a GM norm of 8½ and an IM norm of 6. At least I had kept faith with our new sponsors and the British chess public who, I feel, are entitled to know the true facts and the heavy time pressure under which I had to work in order to maintain an average Elo rating of 2501 or better.

Readers may feel that I can feel justifiably proud of having succeeded in giving then an interesting tournament. From the British point of view there will doubtless be keen interest in our own representatives. GMs Mestel and Speelman have both won high prizes in previous years. Nigel Short needs only one more norm to become a grandmaster. Mark Hebden scored 50% last year despite having to fill in at short notice and with more time for preparation this tine, he could make big strides if the tide runs in his favour. Andrew Martin is a FIDE Master and his showing in the British Championship at Southport and in last year's Challengers' Tournament gives his supporters every right to hope that he might make the IM norm of 6/13.

The visiting grandmasters are all well known and can be expected to play entertaining chess. We are particularly glad to welcome IM Ivanov,the Canadian Champion,whose visit was so cruelly thwarted last year by amazing official blunders by the British Consul in New York. The reward of a GM norm,which he is fully capable of making, would be very popular with the chess public. This time British Rail caused him to be late for the first round, but those small problems were overcome without serious difficulty. You can't keep a good man down!

Play began well on time on December 28th,following the official opening by the Congress Chairman, Councillor Pain, and the Mayor of Hastings and the prospect of an absorbing 2½ weeks seemed set fair.

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EDITORIAL NOTE (from the bulletin)

It is with much regret that I have to apologise for the late appearance of this Bulletin. I had planned to complete it before leaving Hastings at the end of the Congress, but had a serious accident with my Gestetner duplicator which suddenly broke down with a few pages remaining to be completed. It was impossible to get repairs done at Hastings and the Publicity Dept kindly offered me the use of another machine, but it was a small model and could not cope with the job.

There was no alternative but to wait until I could return home and get the repairs completed but inevitably other difficulties beset me in the form of preparations for the Birmingham Congress and also the necessity of moving house because the landlords have a development grant to improve the property and have given me a newly refurbished fiat nearby.

The task of sorting out my files and personal documents has proved a nightmare and has thrown me behind with most of my tasks.

No doubt I shall return to normal soon after Easter, but trust that readers will understand the problems which have caused the delay.

W. Ritson Morry

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File Updated

Date	Notes
Previously	Games from the Premier uploaded as part of the Hastings collection some time ago.
2 January 2025	The same 91 Premier games, plus 14 from other sections, crosstables, reports and results.