Sunday 28 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026 at the Horntye Park Sports Complex, Bohemia Road, Hastings TN34 1EX
‘A chessboard, like the sea, has unplumbed mysteries’ – Lord Dunsany
Few tournaments in chess history rival the legacy of the Hastings International Chess Congress. From its inaugural event in 1895 — widely regarded as one of the greatest tournaments ever held — Hastings has drawn many of the world’s top players. That first edition saw giants like Wilhelm Steinitz, Emanuel Lasker, Siegbert Tarrasch, and Mikhail Chigorin compete, only to be sensationally defeated by Harry Nelson Pillsbury, a relatively unknown American master whose victory stunned the chess world. Since then, Hastings has welcomed an extraordinary list of champions, contenders, and creative forces, each leaving their mark on the game and on Hastings itself!
Download the flyer here – 99th Hastings Chess Congress Flyer
Sponsorship opportunities are available – general enquiries to HICCchairman@yahoo.com