BRITBASE - British Chess Game Archive
Tournament: Hastings 1998/99 • 45 Premier games + 145 others • uploaded
Tuesday, 24 March, 2026 3:46 PM
Venue: Cinque Ports Hotel, Hastings • Date: 29 December 1998 - 7 January 1999 • Download PGN
1998/99 (74th) Hastings Congress, 29 December 1998 – 7 January 1999
1998/99 Hastings Premier, 29 December - 7 January, Cinque Ports Hotel
| 1998/99 Hastings Premier |
Fed | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 19 | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivan Sokolov | BIH | 2620g |
|
½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 7 | |
| 2 | Matthew D Sadler | ENG | 2660g | ½ |
|
½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 5 | |
| 3 | John M Emms | ENG | 2585g | 0 | ½ |
|
½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5 | |
| 4 | Jonathan Speelman | ENG | 2600g | ½ | ½ | ½ |
|
½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5 | |
| 5 | Ruslan Ponomariov | UKR | 2585g | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ |
|
½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5 | |
| 6 | Sergei Shipov | RUS | 2635g | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ |
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| 7 | James Plaskett | ENG | 2455g | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
0 | ½ | ½ | 3½ | |
| 8 | Laurent Fressinet | FRA | 2455m | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 |
|
½ | ½ | 3½ | |
| 9 | Anthony J Miles | ENG | 2590g | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ |
|
½ | 3½ | |
| 10 | Mihail Saltaev | UZB | 2525g | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ |
|
2½ | |
Average Elo: 2571, Category 13, GM norm = 5
1998/99 Hastings Challengers, 29 December 1998 - 7 January 1999
| 1998/99 Hastings Challengers |
Fed | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Klaus Bischoff | GER | 2550g | w19+ | b30+ | w9+ | b6= | w2= | b15+ | w18= | b5= | w3= | b11+ | 7½ |
| 2 | Bogdan Lalic | CRO | 2560g | b26+ | w24+ | b21= | w10+ | b1= | w8= | b7= | w34+ | b18+ | w4= | 7½ |
| 3 | Saidali Iuldachev | UZB | 2505g | b15= | w40+ | b33+ | w16= | b24+ | w20= | b10= | w7+ | b1= | w18+ | 7½ |
| 4 | Keith C Arkell | ENG | 2470g | w70+ | b9- | w38+ | b12+ | w15- | b22+ | w36= | b53+ | w6+ | b2= | 7 |
| 5 | Dimitry Kayumov | UZB | 2460m | b33- | w65= | b25+ | w28= | b40+ | w39+ | b13+ | w1= | b14+ | w8= | 7 |
| 6 | Petr Kiriakov | RUS | 2545g | b48+ | w13+ | b16= | w1= | b21+ | w34+ | b8= | w18= | b4- | w17+ | 7 |
| 7 | Andrew J Ledger | ENG | 2450m | b37+ | w33= | b39+ | w8= | b13= | w46+ | w2= | b3- | b21+ | w20+ | 7 |
| 8 | Normunds Miezis | LAT | 2515g | w31= | b54+ | w46+ | b7= | w9+ | b2= | w6= | b12+ | w11= | b5= | 7 |
| 9 | Welf Aumann | GER | 2295 | b42+ | w4+ | b1- | w66+ | b8- | w55= | b37+ | w13- | b32+ | w33+ | 6½ |
| 10 | Alexander Cherniaev | RUS | 2415m | w27+ | b17+ | w36= | b2- | w53+ | b19+ | w3= | b14- | w31+ | b12= | 6½ |
| 11 | Daniel W Gormally | ENG | 2405m | b17- | w66= | b65+ | w42+ | b33+ | w13= | b21+ | w16+ | b8= | w1- | 6½ |
| 12 | Ingo Lentze | GER | 2205 | b75+ | w21- | b63+ | w4- | b25+ | w24+ | b20+ | w8- | b34+ | w10= | 6½ |
| 13 | Peter J Sowray | ENG | 2320f | w43+ | b6- | w51+ | b56+ | w7= | b11= | w5- | b9+ | w36+ | b15= | 6½ |
| 14 | Simon K Williams | ENG | 2335f | b47+ | w16- | b66= | w65- | b80+ | w54+ | b55+ | w10+ | w5- | b29+ | 6½ |
| 15 | Christopher R Duncan | ENG | 2265f | w3= | b29+ | w41+ | bye= | b4+ | w1- | b34- | w25+ | b16= | w13= | 6 |
| 16 | Mark L Hebden | ENG | 2590g | w23+ | b14+ | w6= | b3= | w36+ | b18- | w30+ | b11- | w15= | b19= | 6 |
| 17 | David J Ledger | ENG | 2220f | w11+ | w10- | b73= | b57- | w50+ | b56+ | w23+ | b36= | w35+ | b6- | 6 |
| 18 | Petr Marusenko | UKR | 2380 | bye= | b56= | w61+ | b44+ | w31+ | w16+ | b1= | b6= | w2- | b3- | 6 |
| 19 | Robin B W Moss | ENG | 2260 | b1- | w55= | b58+ | bye+ | w57+ | w10- | b33= | w32= | b22+ | w16= | 6 |
| 20 | Nicholas Pert | ENG | 2415m | w53= | b38= | w56= | b61+ | w65+ | b3= | w12- | b43+ | w27+ | b7- | 6 |
| 21 | Gozewijn Van Laatum | NED | 2355f | w79+ | b12+ | w2= | b31= | w6- | b70+ | w11- | b41+ | w7- | b43+ | 6 |
| 22 | R Alan Barton | ENG | 2180 | b46- | w52= | b68= | w64+ | b58+ | w4- | b47= | w39+ | w19- | b65+ | 5½ |
| 23 | Juergen Brustkern | GER | 2255 | b16- | w63+ | b80+ | w55+ | b34- | w32= | b17- | w42= | b54= | w49+ | 5½ |
| 24 | Vladimir Chtivelband | RUS | w41+ | b2- | w67+ | b32+ | w3- | b12- | w64+ | b27- | w40= | b54+ | 5½ | |
| 25 | Nigel P Donovan | ENG | 2145 | w45= | b70+ | w5- | b30= | w12- | b69+ | w56+ | b15- | w48+ | b27= | 5½ |
| 26 | David B Graham | ENG | 2265 | w2- | b67+ | w44- | bye= | b61= | w73= | b51= | w63+ | b42= | w55+ | 5½ |
| 27 | Adrian Jackson | ENG | 2225 | b10- | w64= | b69+ | w58= | b51= | w75= | b40+ | w24+ | b20- | w25= | 5½ |
| 28 | Jeremy F S Menadue | ENG | 2205 | w30- | b51= | w29+ | b5= | w70- | b44- | w76+ | b64+ | w41+ | b31= | 5½ |
| 29 | Ben Ogunshola | NGA | 2145 | b62+ | w15- | b28- | w68= | b60= | w77= | b58+ | w47+ | b46+ | w14- | 5½ |
| 30 | Oleg Pavlenko | AZE | 2300f | b28+ | w1- | b55= | w25= | b66+ | w47+ | b16- | w33= | b37= | w34= | 5½ |
| 31 | Richard G Pert | ENG | 2250 | b8= | w49+ | b34= | w21= | b18- | w51+ | b32= | w66+ | b10- | w28= | 5½ |
| 32 | Thomas E Rendle | ENG | b73= | w37= | b40+ | w24- | w43+ | b23= | w31= | b19= | w9- | b53+ | 5½ | |
| 33 | Hans Gerd Schmedders | GER | 2235 | w5+ | b7= | w3- | b60+ | w11- | b65+ | w19= | b30= | w53+ | b9- | 5½ |
| 34 | Aaron P Summerscale | ENG | 2455g | w35+ | b46= | w31= | b54+ | w23+ | b6- | w15+ | b2- | w12- | b30= | 5½ |
| 35 | Remco Van Vaalen | NED | 2235 | b34- | w73= | b50= | w63= | b62- | w72+ | b60+ | w55+ | b17- | w58+ | 5½ |
| 36 | Timothy P Wall | ENG | 2370f | b39= | w80+ | b10= | w47+ | b16- | w41+ | b4= | w17= | b13- | w37= | 5½ |
| 37 | Laurence Webb | ENG | 2225 | w7- | b32= | w78+ | b76= | w56= | b57+ | w9- | b44+ | w30= | b36= | 5½ |
| 38 | Thomas Barth | GER | 2165 | b76+ | w20= | b4- | w46- | b68= | w60= | b62= | w52= | b72+ | w42= | 5 |
| 39 | Maxim L Devereaux | ENG | 2215 | w36= | b59+ | w7- | b53= | w73+ | b5- | w44= | b22- | w71+ | b40= | 5 |
| 40 | Ingrid Lauterbach | ENG | 2170wm | w60+ | b3- | w32- | b71+ | w5- | b76+ | w27- | b75+ | b24= | w39= | 5 |
| 41 | Richard O'Donovan | IRL | 2195 | b24- | w77+ | b15- | w45+ | w76+ | b36- | b75+ | w21- | b28- | w62+ | 5 |
| 42 | David R Oates | WLS | w9- | b44+ | w57= | b11- | w54= | b45= | w71+ | b23= | w26= | b38= | 5 | |
| 43 | Marcus E Osborne | ENG | 2205 | b13- | w62+ | b75- | w59+ | b32- | w68+ | b63+ | w20- | b66+ | w21- | 5 |
| 44 | Timothy R Spanton | ENG | 2115 | b74+ | w42- | b26+ | w18- | b47- | w28+ | b39= | w37- | b52+ | w46= | 5 |
| 45 | Holger Telke | GER | b25= | w47- | b48= | b41- | w67+ | w42= | b54- | w61+ | b51= | w63+ | 5 | |
| 46 | Peter Varley | WLS | 2290 | w22+ | w34= | b8- | b38+ | w75+ | b7- | w53- | b65+ | w29- | b44= | 5 |
| 47 | Viraf Avari | IND | 2200f | w14- | b45+ | w59+ | b36- | w44+ | b30- | w22= | b29- | w50= | b48= | 4½ |
| 48 | Bernard Cafferty | ENG | 2240f | w6- | b61= | w45= | bye= | b63= | w58= | b73+ | w54= | b25- | w47= | 4½ |
| 49 | Peter Cafolla | IRL | 2110 | w71+ | b31- | w53- | b70- | w52- | b82+ | w69= | b74+ | w68+ | b23- | 4½ |
| 50 | David Ian Calvert | ENG | 2065 | w54- | b78= | w35= | bye= | b17- | b67= | w57= | bye+ | b47= | w51= | 4½ |
| 51 | Anthony Fox | IRL | 2115 | b64= | w28= | b13- | w74+ | w27= | b31- | w26= | b57= | w45= | b50= | 4½ |
| 52 | Leo A Keely | ENG | w61- | b22= | w79- | b69= | b49+ | w66- | w67+ | b38= | w44- | b72+ | 4½ | |
| 53 | Feliks J Kwiatkowski | ENG | 2220 | b20= | w58= | b49+ | w39= | b10- | w62+ | b46+ | w4- | b33- | w32- | 4½ |
| 54 | Stephen C Ledger | ENG | 2175 | b50+ | w8- | b64+ | w34- | b42= | b14- | w45+ | b48= | w23= | w24- | 4½ |
| 55 | Nicholas Moloney | ENG | 2120 | w72+ | b19= | w30= | b23- | w79+ | b9= | w14- | b35- | w57+ | b26- | 4½ |
| 56 | Frank Parr | ENG | 2140 | b68+ | w18= | b20= | w13- | b37= | w17- | b25- | w60= | w76= | b74+ | 4½ |
| 57 | John Rety | ENG | 2045 | b65- | w84+ | b42= | w17+ | b19- | w37- | b50= | w51= | b55- | w73+ | 4½ |
| 58 | Christopher B Rice | ENG | 2095 | w81+ | b53= | w19- | b27= | w22- | b48= | w29- | b69+ | w70+ | b35- | 4½ |
| 59 | Michael Schulz | GER | 2105 | b84+ | w39- | b47- | b43- | w64- | w74= | b72- | w83+ | b81+ | w75+ | 4½ |
| 60 | Mark A Whitehead | ENG | 2050 | b40- | w74= | b77+ | w33- | w29= | b38= | w35- | b56= | w67= | b70+ | 4½ |
| 61 | Richard J A Almond | ENG | 2120 | b52+ | w48= | b18- | w20- | w26= | b64- | bye= | b45- | w75= | b76+ | 4 |
| 62 | Terence J Bean | ENG | 2040 | w29- | b43- | w81+ | b67= | w35+ | b53- | w38= | b70= | w65= | b41- | 4 |
| 63 | Roger D de Coverly | ENG | 2110 | w78+ | b23- | w12- | b35= | w48= | b79+ | w43- | b26- | w64+ | b45- | 4 |
| 64 | Paul D Dupré | ENG | 2050 | w51= | b27= | w54- | b22- | b59+ | w61+ | b24- | w28- | b63- | bye+ | 4 |
| 65 | Jerry G Humphreys | ENG | 2160 | w57+ | b5= | w11- | b14+ | b20- | w33- | b77+ | w46- | b62= | w22- | 4 |
| 66 | Jonathan B Mutton | ENG | 2135 | w69+ | b11= | w14= | b9- | w30- | b52+ | w70+ | b31- | w43- | 4 | |
| 67 | David Parr | ENG | 2135 | b77+ | w26- | b24- | w62= | b45- | w50= | b52- | w81+ | b60= | w68= | 4 |
| 68 | Edmund Soh | ENG | w56- | b71= | w22= | b29= | w38= | b43- | w79+ | bye= | b49- | b67= | 4 | |
| 69 | Thirumurugan Thiruchelvam | ENG | 2020 | b66- | b79= | w27- | w52= | b74+ | w25- | b49= | w58- | bye= | b81+ | 4 |
| 70 | Elchin Allahverdiyev | AZE | 2235 | b4- | w25- | b84+ | w49+ | b28+ | w21- | b66- | w62= | b58- | w60- | 3½ |
| 71 | James Bourne | ENG | 2065 | b49- | w68= | b74= | w40- | b72= | w80+ | b42- | w77+ | b39- | 3½ | |
| 72 | Paul Isherwood | ENG | b55- | w75- | b83- | b78+ | w71= | b35- | w59+ | b73+ | w38- | w52- | 3½ | |
| 73 | Alvin N Kissoon | ENG | 2115 | w32= | b35= | w17= | bye= | b39- | b26= | w48- | w72- | b78+ | b57- | 3½ |
| 74 | David Path | IRL | w44- | b60= | w71= | b51- | w69- | b59= | b81+ | w49- | b77+ | w56- | 3½ | |
| 75 | William M Purkiss | ENG | 2100 | w12- | b72+ | w43+ | bye= | b46- | b27= | w41- | w40- | b61= | b59- | 3½ |
| 76 | Melvyn J Young | ENG | 2050 | w38- | b81+ | bye= | w37= | b41- | w40- | b28- | w78+ | b56= | w61- | 3½ |
| 77 | Eoin Campbell | SCO | 2015 | w67- | b41- | w60- | bye+ | b81+ | b29= | w65- | b71- | w74- | w78= | 3 |
| 78 | Bent Corneliussen | DEN | b63- | w50= | b37- | w72- | b82- | w81= | bye+ | b76- | w73- | b77= | 2½ | |
| 79 | Stephen Mulligan | ENG | 2210 | b21- | w69= | b52+ | w80= | b55- | w63- | b68- | def- | 2 | ||
| 80 | Robert Parker | ENG | 2125 | bye+ | b36- | w23- | b79= | w14- | b71- | 1½ | ||||
| 81 | Aylmer Crompton | ENG | b58- | w76- | b62- | bye= | w77- | b78= | w74- | b67- | w59- | w69- | 1 | |
| 82 | Harry Iyengar, sr | ENG | w78+ | w49- | 1 | |||||||||
| 83 | Paul J Kelly | WLS | w72+ | b59- | 1 | |||||||||
| 84 | Ian S McLeod | ENG | w59- | b57 | w70- | 0 | ||||||||
Prizes, etc
(1-3) Klaus Bischoff (Germany), Bogdan Lalic (Croatia/Slough), Saidali Iuldachev (Uzbekistan) 7½/10 - £650 each. Bischoff and Lalic qualified for the next Hastings Premier. Klaus Bischoff also wins the Ritson Morry Trophy.
(4-8) Keith Arkell (Derby), Dimitry Kayumov (Uzbekistan), Normunds Miezis (Latvia), Petr Kiriakov (Russia), Andrew Ledger (Bedford) 7/10 - [prize not listed in bulletin]
Highest Placed Female: Ingrid Lauterbach (BCM) 5/10 - £100
IM Norms: Peter Sowray (Wood Green), Chris Duncan (Pinner)
Highest non-GM/IM: Welf Aumann, Ingo Lentze, Peter Sowray, Simon Williams - £25 each.
Highest non-FIDE-rated (at start of event): Vladimir Chtivelband, Thomas Rendle - £50 each
British Championship qualifying places: Chris Duncan, Peter Sowray
1998/99 World Amateur Chess Championship, Hastings, 29 December - 7 January
| 1998/99 World Amateur Chess Championship |
BCF Grade |
Elo Conv |
est/ jun |
Fed | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaguik Oganessian | 167 | 1936 | ARM | w41+ | b16+ | w17- | b24+ | w4+ | b9= | w22+ | w8+ | b7= | w3= | 7½ | |
| 2 | Dan Erichsen | 161 | 1888 | DEN | w37+ | b13+ | w4= | b9- | w5= | b28= | w40+ | b17+ | b8+ | w7+ | 7½ | |
| 3 | Peter J Mercs | 170 | 1960 | ENG | w29+ | b10= | w30+ | b12- | w28+ | b20+ | w9+ | b7= | w5= | b1= | 7 | |
| 4 | Lorin A R D'Costa | 172 | 1976 | j | ENG | b25+ | w15+ | b2= | w33+ | b1- | w8= | b21= | w20+ | w9+ | b5= | 7 |
| 5 | Sergey Kayumov | 182 | 2056 | UZB | b26+ | w6= | b7= | w15= | b2= | w25+ | b16+ | w10+ | b3= | w4= | 7 | |
| 6 | Sam Essen | 153 | 1824 | ENG | w46+ | b4= | w9- | b32+ | w22- | b42+ | b11= | w27+ | b16= | w18+ | 6½ | |
| 7 | Gino Scamardella | 153 | 1824 | ENG | w45+ | b9= | w5= | b14= | w30+ | b40+ | w17+ | w3= | w1= | b2- | 6½ | |
| 8 | Frank Lennart Vang | 173 | 1984 | DEN | w27= | b32+ | w14+ | b17= | w12+ | b4= | w15+ | b1- | w2- | w21+ | 6½ | |
| 9 | Vanik Zakarian | 175 | 2000 | ARM | b20+ | w7= | b6+ | w2+ | b17= | w1= | b3- | w21+ | b4- | w16+ | 6½ | |
| 10 | Adrian G Elwin | 167 | 1936 | ENG | b31+ | w3= | b19+ | bye= | w20= | b15- | w12+ | b5- | w29+ | w11= | 6 | |
| 11 | Christopher Jones | 171 | 1968 | ENG | w32= | b47+ | w40- | b29+ | w21= | b12= | w6= | b15+ | w14= | b10= | 6 | |
| 12 | Christopher Sherwood | 159 | 1872 | ENG | b17- | w34+ | b37+ | w3+ | b8- | w11= | b10- | w38+ | b20= | w25+ | 6 | |
| 13 | Todor Dimitrov | 143 | 1744 | e | SCO | b18+ | w2- | b33- | w36+ | b25- | w19+ | b27- | w30+ | b23+ | w26= | 5½ |
| 14 | Angus J French | 153 | 1824 | ENG | b36+ | w33= | b8- | w7= | b27- | w39+ | b25+ | w18= | b11= | w20= | 5½ | |
| 15 | Paul J Kelly | 148 | 1784 | WLS | w42+ | b4- | w39+ | b5= | b33+ | w10+ | b8- | w11- | b18- | w34+ | 5½ | |
| 16 | Gavin R Lock | 162 | 1896 | ENG | b34+ | w1- | b43+ | w25+ | b40= | w17= | w5- | b22+ | w6= | b9- | 5½ | |
| 17 | (Josiah) Ezra Lutton | 117 | 1536 | j | ENG | w12+ | b22+ | b1+ | w8= | w9= | b16= | b7- | w2- | b21- | w29+ | 5½ |
| 18 | Konrad Scheffler | 199 | 2192 | e | RSA | w13- | b38+ | w27+ | b20- | w24+ | b21- | w28+ | b14= | w15+ | b6- | 5½ |
| 19 | Gilles Suez-Panama | 100 | 1400 | e | FRA | w28= | b21+ | w10- | b30- | w32+ | b13- | w29- | b44+ | b33+ | w35+ | 5½ |
| 20 | Geoff Thurman | 150 | 1800 | ENG | w9- | b41+ | w42+ | w18+ | b10= | w3- | b33+ | b4- | w12= | b14= | 5½ | |
| 21 | Michael Waddington | 178 | 2024 | ENG | b40= | w19- | b26+ | w23+ | b11= | w18+ | w4= | b9- | w17+ | b8- | 5½ | |
| 22 | Andrew Walden-Jones | 163 | 1904 | j | WLS | b44+ | w17- | b25- | w46+ | b6+ | w27+ | b1- | w16- | b35= | w31+ | 5½ |
| 23 | Stephen D Cunliffe | 176 | 2008 | ENG | w30= | b27= | w29= | b21- | w43+ | b38= | w24= | b36= | w13- | b41+ | 5 | |
| 24 | Jessie L Gilbert | 116 | 1528 | j | ENG | bye= | b39+ | w28= | w1- | b18- | w26+ | b23= | w35= | b25- | w36+ | 5 |
| 25 | Christopher Price | 132 | 1656 | ENG | w4- | b45+ | w22+ | b16- | w13+ | b5- | w14- | b28+ | w24+ | b12- | 5 | |
| 26 | Ingrid Voigt | 142 | 1736 | e | GER | w5- | b46+ | w21- | b45= | w39= | b24- | w31+ | b34= | w30+ | b13= | 5 |
| 27 | Gian Carlos Bimbatti | 139 | 1712 | VEN | b8= | w23= | b18- | w47+ | w14+ | b22- | w13+ | b6- | w31- | b32= | 4½ | |
| 28 | Nigel W Dennis | 148 | 1784 | ENG | b19= | w43= | b24= | w35+ | b3- | w2= | b18- | w25- | b39= | w46+ | 4½ | |
| 29 | David Flynn | 128 | 1624 | ENG | b3- | w36+ | b23= | w11- | b42- | w43+ | b19+ | w33+ | b10- | b17- | 4½ | |
| 30 | David Gebhardt | 142 | 1736 | ENG | b23= | w31+ | b3- | w19+ | b7- | w33- | w42+ | b13- | b26- | w39+ | 4½ | |
| 31 | Eamonn Goggin | 126 | 1608 | ENG | w10- | b30- | w45- | bye+ | b36= | w46+ | b26- | w41+ | b27+ | b22- | 4½ | |
| 32 | George Murphy | 132 | 1656 | e | SCO | b11= | w8- | b34+ | w6- | b19- | w36= | b41= | w39= | b38+ | w27= | 4½ |
| 33 | Arthur Pinkerton | 162 | 1896 | IRL | w38+ | b14= | w13+ | b4- | w15- | b30+ | w20- | b29- | w19- | bye+ | 4½ | |
| 34 | Liam Roche | 124 | 1592 | ENG | w16- | b12- | w32- | w44+ | b47+ | b35- | bye+ | w26= | b42+ | b15- | 4½ | |
| 35 | Peter J B Wilson | 123 | 1584 | GCI | b43= | w40- | w47= | b28- | b37+ | w34+ | w38= | b24= | w22= | b19- | 4½ | |
| 36 | Thomas Cleary | 112 | 1496 | IRL | w14- | b29- | w41+ | b13- | w31= | b32= | b39= | w23= | w44+ | b24- | 4 | |
| 37 | James S Macrae | 126 | 1608 | SCO | b2- | bye+ | w12- | b39- | w35- | b44= | b43+ | w42- | b46+ | w38= | 4 | |
| 38 | Gary Walker | 124 | 1592 | ENG | b33- | w18- | b44+ | bye= | w45+ | w23= | b35= | b12- | w32- | b37= | 4 | |
| 39 | David W L Howell | 104 | 1432 | j | ENG | bye= | w24- | b15- | w37+ | b26= | b14- | w36= | b32= | w28= | b30- | 3½ |
| 40 | Ross Jempson | 144 | 1752 | ENG | w21= | b35+ | b11+ | bye= | w16= | w7- | b2- | 3½ | ||||
| 41 | Siegrun MacGilchrist | 128 | 1624 | SCO | b1- | w20- | b36- | bye= | b46= | bye+ | w32= | b31- | w43+ | w23- | 3½ | |
| 42 | Maor Shine | 97 | 1376 | j | ENG | b15- | w44+ | b20- | bye= | w29+ | w6- | b30- | b37+ | w34- | 3½ | |
| 43 | Monica Vann | 122 | 1576 | ENG | w35= | b28= | w16- | bye= | b23- | b29- | w37- | w46+ | b41- | b44+ | 3½ | |
| 44 | Hugh S Flockhart | 136 | 1688 | SCO | w22- | b42- | w38- | b34- | bye+ | w37= | b46+ | w19- | b36- | w43- | 2½ | |
| 45 | Adewale Adelakun | 100 | 1400 | e | NGA | b7- | w25- | b31+ | w26= | b38- | 1½ | |||||
| 46 | John Constable | 109 | 1472 | ENG | b6- | w26- | bye+ | b22- | w41= | b31- | w44- | b43- | w37- | b28- | 1 | |
| 47 | Ali Kikoyo | 100 | 1400 | e | UGA | bye= | w11- | b35= | b27- | w34- | 1 | |||||
Gaguik Oganessian (ARM) won the World Amateur Championship title on tie-break and received the FM title
Jessie Gilbert, aged 11, won the Women's World Amateur Championship title on tie-break and received the WFM title.
Bulletin Editorial (by Richard W O'Brien - comments in bold are as given by him)
The 74th Hastings Congress, was held at the Cinque Ports Hotel & at the YMCA around 600 yards away. With no snow and ice this year the journey between the two was most comfortable.
Overall media coverage was on the up from previous years. There were daily columns in the Telegraph, Times, Guardian & Independent of very varying lengths.
The return of Jon Speelman to regular journalism (Independent & Observer {Sundays)) is most welcome.
For the first time there was live coverage of all the Premier games on the web and the resultant material reached many of the major sites. This proved to be a great attraction. Considering it was live and achieved without any sensory boards an excellent service was provided to the chessworld. There were slight transpositional errors in around 30% of the games - only one was serious. All these were corrected during the event. The service compared well to that supplied at the British Championships last July. Here there were more daily live games, and despite the playing ability of those working at this event being lower and the cost to the organisation being less the accuracy of the games supplied to the chessworld was of similar quality. The Hastings organisers were happy to keep the viewers on the website aware of errors whereas those at the British rarely did. Well done Hastings!
Stewart Reuben must be commended for getting the new kid on the block, 15-year-old Rusian Ponomariov, to take part in the Premier. For around a year he has been the world's youngest ever GM and has had excellent results at the recent Olympiad (representing Ukraine for whom he won a medal as well as an individual medal), in Ukraine where he was a surprise winner of a World Championship Zonal tournament, as well as in France. All these events have taken place since September. Somewhat surprising for someone of such a young age his playing style is very quiet with tactics almost never seen. It has been effective for a few years so why change?
The other youngster taking part was 18 year old Laurent Fressinet from France. This invitation was condemned in some quarters. His rating was low and he was almost unheard of. Still, his spectacular win over Jim Plaskett made his invitation justified. Jim, for once, was stunned and almost speechless after the game. Less than ten moves from the end he thought his position was OK - then pieces arrived from everywhere.
Chris Ward's commentary was excellently received, which was no surprise as he is clearly one of the best, if not the best commentator in the country. Indeed there were often more spectators in the commentary room than spectating in the playing hall.
As usual the Buswell/Bryant duo ran the popular evening Blitz events. How 60 people, usually including about 6 GMs want to play in such conditions — cramped, noisy (especially the organisers) with drunks around (one organiser & GMs etc) is beyond me. I tried it twice but never again. However if 60+ want to take part may it continue!!
Last year my main gripe in the bulletin was on the dates of the Challengers. In my opinion then and even more so now this event must start on Dec 28th and be played over 9 rounds. This allows people to take part using up just a few days of their holiday entitlement. It came as no surprise to me that, the entry for the Challengers dropped from 111 to the lower eighties. A few years ago, with less competition at this time of year from other European events it must be admitted, over 170 took part. The current schedule, with 10 rounds starting on Dec 29th meant competitors had to take two additional days off work. It must be remembered that the majority of entrants are amateurs. I understand that the venue at the YMCA was not available until Dec 28th. However I believe there was no reason why the first round could not have started at 4.00pm on the 28th as against the normal time of 2.15pm. Committee - please note.
Congratulations go to Ivan Sokolov, who easily won the Premier - with a round to spare. As usual the most entertaining games involved the local player, Jim Plaskett, sometimes winning, sometimes on the receiving end.
The weather continues to be mild in Hastings. German players Klaus Bischoff and Ingrid Lauterbach had the following interesting comment to make about the congress. People are always making the same comment about Hastings - you must be mad to play there - In fact the conditions in the Challengers are no worse than most open events in Germany, indeed play is less cramped than most there. Of course, the weather is cold at this time of year. The YMCA is rather shabby, but so what? Conditions for the Premier are very good indeed. Yet people continually decry Hastings and, of course, this causes people to choose not to play.
Clearly I must mention the performances of two exceptional youngsters:
Firstly, Thomas Rendle, the local 12 year old who had an exceptional congress. A year ago his playing strength was in the region of BCF 140, having shown only a small improvement during the previous two years. In the early part of the summer he caused a surprise by qualifying for the British Championship proper. There he exceeded most people's expectations by gaining an international rating of FIDE 2010, playing only rated players. Here at Hastings he showed further improvement. In the Challengers his FIDE rating comfortably exceeded Elo 2200 (BCF 200) and to prove it was no second fluke followed up with 6 x BCF 197 in the weekender. Clearly his playing strength is now in excess of BCF 180, if not more. Much of the credit must go to Francis Rayner, an excellent local coach.
Secondly the performance of Jessie Laura Cory Gilbert, an 11-year-old from Woldingham, Surrey must be noted. Her performance here, 10 games at BCF 137, gained her the World Amateur Ladies title.
Eighteen months ago she was ranked outside the top 20 in her age group. Since then she has made remarkable strides and is now in the top ten (under 12's including boys). Her latest published rating, based on results up to and including April 1998 is BCF 116. This compares most favourably to Harriet Hunt (the current England no.2) at the same age, who was BCF 100 and, also at the same age, Ruth Sheldon (the current England no.3 and reigning World U18 champion) whose rating was lower.
Will Jessie will reach these dizzy heights or even further?
On the Worldwide Web - http://www.chess.ndirect.co.uk/recorder/1998/artwjcc.htm it is claimed that any 11-year-old with a BCF 110+ should be seriously considered for international selection. For some unexplained reason Jessie seems to be missing out. Although clearly improving faster than most she is being overlooked. Indeed, I understand that the BCF Junior Director, Brian Jones, with his casting vote actually preferred NOT to send a player at all to an event rather than to send Jessie, who was ideal in both age and ability. Various publications, including, just to name a few, CHESS; Daily Telegraph; ChessMoves and Guardian have recently been highly critical of junior selection: and Jessie is one of the five who appears to have suffered the most. I also understand that at least two junior selectors, a senior selector, a BCF Director and coaches are unhappy with the current policy of the BCF Junior selectors. This result and her recent winning of the London U12's & U14's titles are not just freak results — they were happening prior to her being ignored for international selection.
Like Thomas she has had excellent coaches over the last couple of years — Chris Dunworth, Dave Rumens and recently Andrew Martin.
Comparing Thomas to Jessie it should be noted that during the past 12 months Thomas has been allowed to play in Junior international events and has improved his playing strength considerable whereas Jessie has improved despite lack of international opportunity.
Thanks are due to Hastings Borough Council for supplying considerable funds to help the event go close to breaking even; to Castleham Industries, a local printing firm, having supplied much of the print work as well as demonstration boards etc and finally to Onyk UK for their continuing support.
Hastings Congress: Pre-play Thoughts on Day One by STEWART REUBEN
Once a round robin tournament, such as this Premier, is off and running, it is no longer necessary to worry about the pairings. Prior to the start of play, it is a perpetual worry that a player will simply fail to arrive. This year Rusian Ponomariov was the one who kept me up at night. First of all it was difficult to contact him and then to come to terms. Then he decided to travel with his coach from France on December 26th. Only if you are English can you realise the problems this can cause. We take Christmas extremely seriously and the 26th is called Boxing Day. It is a holiday, there is little public transport and taxis charge double. Then today, he still hadn't appeared at the board at 2.20pm (play started at 2.00pm), despite having arrived at the hotel three days ago! When he finally returned to the hotel, he still didn't come straight to the playing hall, but returned to his room. I don't know why it was so, although strickly speaking it was against the rules. He speaks no English and his game against Jim Plaskett lasted so long, there was no time to set up a conversation with a Russian interpreter.
The night before, at the Drawing of Lots Ceremony, the players decided they preferred 40/2, 20/1 and all the rest in 30 minutes, rather than 40/100. 20/50, all in 10, but every time a move was made 30 seconds would be added to the clock. I have no problem with the players' rules, OK. However it means it is still possible for me, the arbiter, to be placed in a position where I have to decide the result of a game. Truth to tell, when I first introduced quickplay finishes to the world, I used to like the power this brought. Now I prefer the arbiter not to interfere. In the first round I was hard pressed to monitor four time scrambles. With the cumulative (so-called Fischer) mode, there would have been none.
The Challengers is a Swiss and thus the non-appearance of a couple of players or a few late entries is not vital. Unfortunately this year two foreign gms and one foreign im were late withdrawals. It is true this saves the congress money, but it will make the pairings much harder. For title norms it will be essential for players to meet an adequate number of non-English opponents.
Entries for the World Amateur are also down. This is a crying shame because it is a unique international event, being restricted to players without FIDE Ratings. The drop is partly caused by FIDE imposing a new £20 entry on the players. This would have been reasonable in the days when FIDE was poor, but it is no longer the case. This is the only event where FIDE do anything for the weaker player. I would have thought that they would want to encourage the event, not to try to make a few pounds from it.
So the 74th Hastings is on its way.
Stewart Reuben
Other Sections
Last year 77 year old junior Patrick Baldwin won a prize. This time 78 year old junior Patrick Baldwin won a prize. Clearly there is plenty of local junior talent!
Xmas A: (1-2) Robin Moss,
John Sugden 4/5; (3-4) Matthew Broomfield,
Robert Clark 3½ (18 competitors (same as last time) rated 160-208 took part.)
Xmas B: (1) Karl Forman (Coventry) 4/5; (2-4) Paul Dupré, Eric Key, Paul Patience 3½ (17 competitors (18 last time) rated 138-170 took place. The highest & lowest rateds finished equal on 2½. The winner is from Coventry.
Xmas C: (1) Ian Brooke (Oxford) 4/5; (2-4) Alan Collins, Omer Namouk, Barry Sandercock 3½ (17 competitors (20 last time) were rated between 105 & 136.)
Xmas D: (1-2) Raouf Mamedov, Simon Werner 4/5; (3-6) Patrick Baldwin, Alan Bloom, Raymond Gosden, Michael Gunn 3½ (21 competed (17 last time) rated 65 to the equal top rated overseas player Raouf Mamedov (112) from Azerbaijan.
CARLISLE BLITZ: (1) Keith Arkell 6½/7; (2-3) P Kiriakov, S K Williams 6; (4-5) D Gormally, B Lalic 5½ - the huge first prize of £25 attracted 60 players (66 last year) including 7 GMs!!
Other prizes were awarded for Worst German; Worst Dutch-Speaking; Sartorial Elegance, Norwich City Scarf etc. I will spare the winners blushes by not naming them.
For the first time the event qualified for ONYX Grand Prix points. Mark Hebden, the 1998 Grand Prix winner was an also ran.
Competitors came from England (32); Germany (5); Ireland (5); Russia (4); Belgium (3); India (2); India (2); Wales (2); Croatia (1); Nigeria (1); Scotland (1); Uganda (1); Zimbabwe (1).
PALACE BARS BLITZ: (1) B Lalic 6½/7; (2-3) J Brustkern, M
Hebden 6; (4) A Summerscale 5½. 42 entries this time — one of the weakest quickplays seen in Hastings for a long time - just 3 GMs! More ONYX Grand Prix points for Bogdan Lalic, who by the end of the Congress had established a substantial lead — a healthy bonus for finishing high up last year, points in both Quickplay events here at Hastings as well as a big score with bonus points in the Challengers — all since mid-December. He has even managed to come =second in a GM packed quickplay in Croatia in between.
NEW YEAR
18 entries (20 last time) of which 16 played more than two games — 15 scored between 1.5 & 3.5 points, clearly the closest contested tournament of the whole event. This was somewhat of a surprise as only one point seperated the highest rated player (208) & the lowest (129).
New Year A: (1) Hans Haas 4/5; (2-6) Maxim Devereaux, John Dodgson, Paul Dupré, Brian Johnson, Tobias Stock 3½
New Year B: (1-3) Marc Bryant, Rod Burroughs, Omer Namouk 4/5
Another success for the local hustler, top seed & organiser Marc Bryant, who including the New Year Quiz, has won a total of 6(!!) prizes in the last two congresses. Clearly he should only be allowed to play in the Challengers next time so as to give players a chanced?) of winning some money.
WEEKEND
Weekend Open: (1) Mark Hebden 6/6; (2-3) Oleg Pavlenco, Jim Plaskett 4½
The winner bore little resemblence to the Hebden of the previous week who played in the Challengers. This one played outstandingly well and won all six games, the last four against a GM, an IM & two others over 200. Nine of the 34 (33 last time) were rated in excess of 200.
Weekend Major: (1) Geoff Thurman 5/6; (2-5) David Hall, Daren Harris, Ross Mooring, David Parr 4½
Entries were down on last year when 43 competed, just 36 this time.
Weekend Minor: (1) Greg Tebble 5/6; (2-4) Marc Bryant, Adam Harvey, Raouf Mamedov 4½
37 (40 last time) rated between 90 (Keith Findley who scored a most creditable 3.5) and the winning top seed from Norwich, Greg Tebble took part.
Weekend Novice: (1) James Robertson 5/6; (2-5) Brian Drew, Victor Litvin, Henry Sinkala, Victor Zaiger 4½
30, as compared to 34 last time took part. The performance ol Henry Sinkala, who won his last 4 games is to be highly commended. He had an estimated grade of 27. Grades varied from 26 to the winner @ 99.
With three top seeds out of four winning sections outright the BCF grading system is to congratulated.
Hastings Junior Events (2 January 1999)
Organised by Colin Rendle et al
Junior U16: (1) Josiah Lutton (Basildon, Essex) 6/6; (2) Daniel Abela (Malta) 5; (3) Matthew Moore (Lindfield, Sussex) 4; Best Girl Petra Rose (Hastings, Sussex) 3. Junior U12: Tom Poulson Bexhill, Sussex 3.0
Junior U11: (1) Daniel Diamond (London) 6/6; (2-3) Nicolas Campion (Hurstpierpoint, Sussex), Michael Hamilton (Hove, Sussex) 5. Best Girls: Georgina Draper (Hurstpierpoint, Sussex) and Sarah Hegarty (Woking, Surrey) 4/6. U11 (Sussex): Theo Penty (Hurstpierpoint, Sussex) 4. U10: Felix Sullivan (Sedlescombe. Sussex) 4. U9: Nicolas Vanderhallen (Belgium) 5. U8: Sebastian Pozzo (London) 4. U7: Kajtek Skowronski (Hastings, Sussex) 3.
In total 66 took part.
The overall improved standard from a couple of years, when most games were over inside five minutes, was duly noted.
THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORGANISATION OF THE EVENT INCLUDE:
- M Bigg Committee Member representing Hastings Borough Council
- Francis Bowers Main bookstall
- Marc A Bryant ** Equipment officer; Organiser at YMCA; Joint organiser of Blitz events
- Paul Buswell ** Congress Secretary; Organiser at Y MCA; Joint organiser of Blitz events
- Reg A S Cload ** Committee Member representing Hastings & St Leonards Chess Club
- Godrey Daniel (Councillor) ** (The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Hastings) President of the Committee
- S Edmonds Committee Member representing Hastings Borough Council
- D Flynn Website controller
- Richard A Furness ** Arbiter @ YMCA including Challengers; Organiser of Quiz
- J Haas Doorkeeper & Sales at Premier
- C Harvey Doorkeeper & Sales at Premier
- D Harvey Demo board operator
- Raymond D Keene (GM) ** Committee Member
- Julie Leonard Arbiter at YMCA
- M Marsh ** Committee Member representing Hastings Borough Counci Community & Leisure Department
- Richard W O'Brien Trends Bookstall; Bulletin editor
- Con Power ** Congress Director
- Stewart Reuben ** Director of Premier; Arbiter of Premier; Advisor to Challengers
- John Robinson Arbiter at YMCA including Challengers
- David R Sedgwick ** Committee Member
- M Shorrocks Assistant organiser at the YMCA
- P Smith ** Chairman of the Committee
- Pam A Thomas ** Publicity Officer
- John Turnock Arbiter at YMCA
- Monica Vann Website operator
- Chris G Ward Commentator
- Gerry F Walsh ** Arbiter at YMCA
- David Welch ** Arbiter at YMCA including Challengers
- J Wheeler ** Treasurer
[n.b. the bulletin editor does not explain why some names are accompanied by double asterisks - my guess is that they mark members of the congress committee - JS]
File Updated
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| Previously | Uploaded as part of the Hastings collection some years ago. All 45 Premier games, undated, minus round numbers. |
| 24 March 2026 | Now with Premier games dated and with round numbers. 124 Challengers games; 16 from the World Amateur Ch'ships; 5 from the Weekend Open. Crosstables and results. |