As we usher in 2025 the weather has turned worse, with high wind and rain. Perhaps this is poor timing, but we note that in the official programme of the 1949/50 Congress our town is described as having ”the most equable climate in Britain – comparatively mild and dry in Winter and cool in Summer.” Moving on nine years, in the 1958/59 programme we learn that the Hastings air is ”unequalled in Britain for chest troubles and for recuperation.” So now you know!
The three New Year tournaments began at 10am this morning, five rounds being played in each, and we welcome those participants who have newly arrived. We were also joined today by children taking part in a Sussex junior competition, with parents on hand, so that the venue became fuller and busier than usual.
We had a grandmaster clash at the top of the Masters today as tournament leader Pierre Laurent-Paoli was paired with Vignir Stefansson. After an interesting opening the position settled down to equality, and although the Frenchman pressed there wasn’t much to work with. A draw was a fair outcome.
GM Pengxiang Zhang and IM Jung Min Seo also played a solid draw. What might have been a sharp Sicilian took a tranquil path instead, with Black’s bishops and isolated d5 pawn up against the knight pair, one of which was anchored on d4. Neither side could do much other than keep the status quo. On the next board the two top English players here for now, GM Shreyas Royal and IM Aaravamudhan Balaji, both on 4,5/6, also drew their game. An Italian opening led to unclear play, White marched his h-pawn to h5, but it was Black who perhaps stood better. Liquidation, when it came, defused the tension. The endgame lasted to move 70, but a peaceful result was a natural consequence.
Another Italian was seen in the game between GM Kirk Ghazarian and FM Freddy Gordon, and here too Black seemed to be the one in charge. Freddy won a pawn but on the next move sacrificed an Exchange – a surprise. Soon the Queens were exchanged. Perhaps White still stood worse, but it wasn’t long before there were no serious winning chances for either side.
On board four Ukrainian GM Alexander Kovchan played with great originality against Haowen Xue, developing his knight on h3 in a Catalan-type opening, then later cheekily advancing with g3-g4. If this was designed to confuse his young opponent then it didn’t work at all, since by move 20 Black held all the trump cards. White’s position simply collapsed. With this victory the Chinese player moves up to 5,5/7 and shared first place with Pierre Laurent-Paoli – and with just two rounds to go.
Photograph by Prashila Narsing Chauhan