All posts by Mason Woodhams

Hastings into the final!

Hastings & St Leonards Chess club took a massive step forward in their pursuit of silverware this season by winning their SCCA McArthur Cup semi-final away to Bexhill 2 on Friday night and booked their place in the 2024/2025 final.

Wins by Francis Rayner, John Sugden, Henry Cove & Terry Hoxey and a draw on top board by Daniel Lowe secured the win 4.5-1.5

A reduced-strength Bexhill due to many cup-tied players, gave a good account of themselves, but it wasn’t to be their night.

Hastings now await the victors of the other semi-final, East Grinstead (holders) v Horsham.

Should the home team progress, then Hastings will be at home for the final, however and interestingly should the away team win, then lots will be drawn. The format for lots in the final will be determined on the outcome of another random sporting event, an MLB Baseball match during the week. Hastings were offered the choice of which team to represent them in the draw and although we could have selected the Yankees or Red Sox or even the Dodgers, the choice was obvious, the Pittsburgh Pirates! We are of course, the pirate capital of the world (Guinness Book of World Records holder), so how fitting for us to cheer on the Pirates for us to get home advantage in the McArthur Cup final

Come on you Pirates!!!!

 

McArthur Cup SF 2005 results

Non playing captain: Mason Woodhams

Hastings win tough McArthur Cup QF

Friday 7 March 7:30 PM
Bexhill (2) 3-3 Hastings & St Leonards
(Hastings win 7-8 on board count)

Unbelievable as it sounds, Hastings were the underdogs against Bexhill’s second team in the quarter-final clash of the SCCA McArthur Cup but managed to progress by the skin of their teeth anyway. Giving away over 200 grading points in total across the six boards but still coming up trumps.

To be fair Bexhill did field all their best players sans Howard Tebbs for this fixture, gambling that they would have to play us eventually as their First team was also on the same side of the draw playing Crowborough and would meet us anyway, which indeed is the case as Bexhill 1 won setting up a semi-final clash against Hastings. In this tournament players can only play for one team, effectively being cup-tied so Hastings will now play a much reduced Bexhill next time out with eyes on progressing to the final.

The match itself was a tense affair mainly due to the confusion of the time control. The McArthur Cup is a prestigious tournament and so should reflect this in the time control. The default for a mid-week game was 40 moves in 90 minutes with 10s a move from move one. What the players didn’t realize was that the clocks just added 10s from move one and hence they had to work out that the cut-off time for move 40 was when there was 6:40 left on the clock (40x10s). No one realised this and hence the time control was not met in many the games. This didn’t really affect the final score so the captains let it slide.

In the match Francis was first to finish after agreeing a draw with Anh Nguyen, Francis’ position looked a little open and hard to defend but solid enough that Nguyen couldn’t find any answers. 0.5-0.5

Drawmaster Jim showed his mastery on how to draw a game when two pawns down, with opposite ‘B’s (sorry Henry) Andrew was never going to convert his advantage and after quite a number of moves had to concede the draw. 1-1

Young William Cobb was solid on board 4 going an exchange up and managing his time perfectly compared to his opponent who when playing close to the increment and facing a pair of connected passers on the Kingside thought better of the struggle and resigned. 1-2

John Sugden had a commanding position early in the game with a monster bishop on an outpost deep in enemy territory and with Luke’s King very drafty due to the Dutch opening he played, John just needed to bring his forces to bare and victory was assured. However a few inaccuracies and down on time allowed the youngster back in the game with vigor and vim and converted for the win. 2-2

Adrian, who was heavily outgraded played solidly and although fell for a tactic midgame losing a pawn kept the game complex and unclear right up to the end which was crucial to the match as Henry’s opponent had to keep an eye on the result to determine what to do in his own game.

Henry facing the Jobova London System set up in semi-slav fashion and having his queen’s knight forced to spend time offside on a6 due to defending the Jobova’s typical Bf4-Nb5 manoeuvre threatening the Nxc7 fork had to play a long positional game. However with time short and Adrian’s game unclear Henry’s opponent didn’t realise that he wasn’t getting anymore time when his flag fell and let his flag fell and lost on time. 3-3

The match ended in a draw but Hastings won 7 to 8 on board count and thus progress to the semi-finals.

Hastings face Bexhill again in the semi’s but as both teams were away in the previous fixture lots needed to be drawn to determine who has home advantage. Lots were chosen based on the result of the outcome of last night’s UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool & PSG with Hastings being assigned Liverpool and Bexhill PSG. Suffice it to say Liverpool LOST! and so Bexhill will be at home. However Hastings “will never walk alone” when we face our French cheering counterparts on the 18th April, the date of the SCCA McArthur Cup Semi-final.

You watch, I bet Liverpool go and win the Carabao Cup final this weekend but couldn’t do it last night to give us home advantage!

Friday 18 April 2025 7:30 PM
SCCA McArthur Cup Semi-Final
Bexhill (1) v Hastings & St Leonards

Full match results

 


	

The King is Dead, long live the King

Congratulations to Gukesh Dommaraju the new chess World Champion!

Gukesh defeated reigning world champion Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 over 14 games in classical time control to become, at 18 the youngest ever champion eclipsing Garry Kasparov’s achievement at the age of 22.

The final game of the championship saw both players going for it until Ding decided to try and go for the draw late in the game and take the championship to tie-breaks but it was a strategy that backfired spectacularly. The swapping off of all the pieces left Gukesh with an easy (even for us lesser mortals) K+2p vrs K+1p ending which Ding resigned after realising his blunder.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

Well done Gukesk a worthy champion and inspiration to all juniors out there.

See Ollie Willson’s commentary on the final game of the championship.

World Championship Chess 2024 Roundup

Follow the 2024 World Chess Championship with commentary and highlights by Hastings’ own, Ollie Willson.

I expected the best version of him: Game 1 of Gukesh v Ding.
No quick draws: Game 2 of Ding v Gukesh.
Man out of time: Game 3 of Gukesh v Ding.
I believe in playing the best moves: Game 4 of Ding v Gukesh.
A Queenless Middlegame or an Endgame: Game 5 of Gukesh v Ding.
The one that got away: Game 6 of Ding v Gukesh
Fortune favours the bold: Game 7 of Gukesh v Ding.
Playing the long game: Game 8 of Ding v Gukesh.
Don’t blink: Game 9 of Gukesh v Ding
No way through: Game 10 of Ding v Gukesh
The Critical Blow: Game 11 of Gukesh v Ding
Ding strikes back!!!: Game 12 of Ding v Gukesh
Ding dodges a bullet!!: Game 13 of Gukesh v Ding
18th World Champion: Gukesh Dommoraju: Game 14 of Ding v Gukesh

Ollie’s
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TheKnightPair Instagram account

Hastings draw Bexhill in Cups

Hastings have drawn local rivals Bexhill in both SCCA The McArthur Cup and Paul Watson Trophy.

Hastings will first contest the Paul Watson Trophy on Sunday 1st December before travelling to Bexhill on Friday 7th March 2025 to take part in the prestigious McArthur Cup.

The Paul Watson Trophy is a four board 1825 avg K.O. for both East and West Sussex.

The McArthur Cup which has been going for over 125 years is straight forward 6 board K.O. and is currently held by East Grinstead.

 

McArthur Cup Draw:

1st Round:
 
West: Sussex University v Lewes
2nd Round:
 
West: Sussex University or Lewes v Horsham (home team dependent on winners of the 1st round match).
           Brighton v East Grinstead
East: Bexhill 2 v Hastings & St. Leonards (Friday March 7th)
          Crowborough v Bexhill 1
Schedule:
1st round match to be played by January 18th 2025
2nd round to be played by March 8th
Semi-Finals to be played by April 26th
Final to be played by May 31st
 
 
Paul Watson Trophy:
 
1st Round:
 
West: East Grinstead v Bognor & Arun
East: Bexhill 2 v Crowborough
2nd Round:
West: East Grinstead or Bognor & Arun v Lewes (Home team dependent on winner of 1st round)
           Sussex University v Horsham
East:  Bexhill 2 or Crowborough v Uckfield (Home team dependent on winner of 1st round)
           Hastings & St.Leonards v Bexhill 1 (Sunday 1st December 2:00PM)
Schedule:
1st round matches to be played by January 18th 2025
2nd round to be played by March 8th
Semi-Finals to be played by April 26th
Final to be played by May 31st

Lightning strikes once

The first Lightning tournament to held at the club in long while will be at the club this Saturday 14th September at 2PM.

The Glyde Cup will be up for grabs for members in what’s hoped to be a regular event going  forward.

To enter this competition and play a part of history (Cheshire noted about our 1895 Great Tournament that “Bird and Janowski enlivened us with a little lightning chess.”) please contact Adrian in the first instance

Lightning chess rules for this weekend:

Lightning chess can be a game between two players where the thinking time is regulated either by a buzzer sounding every ten seconds or by using digital clocks set in >Bronstein= mode.
1. The time limit between moves shall be ten seconds.
2. Where a buzzer is used, each player on his turn to move, shall move immediately the buzzer sounds – not before or after.
3. A move must be completed before the buzzer ceases to sound or the time on the clock expires. Any player exceeding this time limit is likely to be defaulted. An Arbiter should only give one warning of this, and thereafter enforce the Rule.
4. If a player completes an illegal move, his opponent can immediately claim the game. If he does not do so, but instead replies to the illegal move with a move of his own, the illegal move stands and the game must continue.
5. A player may not claim a draw on grounds which normally require the existence of a game score (eg repetition or the “50-move” circumstance).
6. Except insofar as they conflict with the Rules given above, the normal Laws of Chess (including the touch move Rule) shall apply.
7. If the Arbiter considers: (a) that neither player is trying to win; (b) that one player is unnecessarily prolonging the game; (c) or that irregularity or malpractice has occurred then, notwithstanding anything stated above, he may: (1) award a win to one player and a loss to the other (2) award a loss to both players (3) declare the game a draw (4) order the game to be replayed with or without colours reversed.
8. In the event of any dispute arising over the interpretation of these Rules, the Arbiter’s decision shall be final.
See you there.

Hastings Dominating Kent

Hastings’ teams in all four divisions/cups entered this season have reached the semi-final stage.

Our Harvey team was runners-up in the Mid-Kent division despite a thumping 5-1 win against Weald Of Kent our final game of the season. An away Semi-Final against Petts Wood & Orpington(5) tonight is the reward.

In the En Passant Cup, our team topped the division and have home advantage against Charlton on Saturday 11th.

Henry’s Super Stevenson Team scraped through as runners-up having the same number of match points and board points as third-placed Rainham but due to head-to-head results were given the nod. Another away semi-final match to Petts Wood & Orpington on Friday 17th. Charlton awaits the winners in the Final.

Umberto’s Underdogs were runners-up in the Tom Fuller Cup and now have a plum tie against Charlton away to look forward to on June 1st.

It’s very rare to have all our teams reach the semi-finals and may cause a bit of a problem if all make it through to the final as we may not have enough players, but that will be a nice problem to have if it happens.

Come on Hastings!

Kent County Chess Association Semi-Finals

Stevenson
17/05/2024 Petts Wood & Orpington v Hastings & St Leonards

En Passant
11/05/2024 Hastings & St Leonards v Charlton

Harvey
03/05/2024 Petts Wood & Orpington v Hastings & St Leonards

Tom Fuller
TBA Charlton v Hastings & St Leonards

 

Hastings promoted!

Haywards Heath (3) 0.5 – 3.5 Hastings & St Leonards (3)

Congratulations to our Third team in the Sussex league who, on Thursday evening won their final game of the season to gain promotion to the second division!

Third placed Horsham fourths put the pressure on us by spanking Haywards Heath seconds on Tuesday night 4-0 winning their game in hand and coming within a point of our team. With one game each, Hastings had to win to seal the promotion , a draw may have been enough but given the form of Horsham, another 4-0 win would draw on match points but their board difference would be superior, denying us promotion.

Hastings currently sit top of the table but Brighton have two games in hand and only a point behind. The title might be ours but it’s unlikely Brighton will slip up.

On the night all our players went up early in all games with Marc a pawn up and 6th rank monster pawn in a Roy Lopez which he converted eventually. Adrian a pawn up in a Queens Gambit and as usual navigated the tactics perfectly to bring home the win. Mason an  exchange up in a Sicilian Mengarini variation (an unusual line involving an early wing attack for white), surrendering the fiachettoed black squared bishop and groveling for the rest of the game but eventually getting a draw.  New team member Caelan Rooney played a little trick in the opening to get massive pawn duo centre although gave up castling rights when his opponent sacked a bishop on f2. The strong centre was too much and Caelan dominated the game from then on.

(b) Falvey James 0-1 Caelan Rooney
(w) Matthew File 0.5-0.5 Mason Woodhams
(b) Alan Davey 0-1 Adrian Cload
(w) Chris Baldry 0-1 Marc Bryant

Congratulations to all team members and good luck in Division 2 next season. The Thirds were:

Adrian Cload
Mason Woodhams (Captain)
Derek Cosens
Chris Hann
Marc Bryant
Jim Wheeler
Leon Sazkissyan
Caelan Rooney
Greg Chandler.

Full Match Result

League Table

 

Victories in Sussex and Kent leagues

Two Hastings teams in both the Sussex and Kent leagues had great results this week. Our Third team in the Mid-Sussex Third Division took a big step towards promotion with a 4-0 win over Worthing(2), the Thirds are just one game away from automatic promotion. Haywards Heath(3) stands in our way to the promised land of the second division.

In the Kent league our En Passant team swept aside last years’ finalist, Weald of Kent 3.5-2.5 on Friday to set up a crunch game against top of the table Medway with the winners guaranteed a place in the play-offs. Hastings didn’t disappoint and scraped a narrow victory 3.5-2.5, and with a game in hand, Hastings can top the league and will play either Charlton or Sidcup in the semi-finals.

Hastings v Medway

Hastings v Weald of Kent

Hastings(3) v Worthing(2)

Hastings unbeaten run ends

Monday night saw Hastings Third team unbeaten run in the Mid-Sussex league Division 3 come to an end with defeat to rivals Brighton 1.5-2.5. This was a top-of-the-table clash with the winners most likely to go on and lift the title. Despite a blistering victory on top board by junior Leon Sazkissyan, a commanding performance by Mason over Robert Counsell and lovely attacking chess by Adrian and Derek it wasn’t to be. Hastings will now need to win their final two games to get promoted to the second division.

On board 1 rising star and junior Leon came flying out of the traps, banging out moves in a most unusual opening, forcing off queens very early whilst decimating the pawn structure of both sides, after the dust settled Leon had an advanced passed pawn on the e-file which when the game reduced to a rook and pawn ending he navigated the complications like a senior with years of experience. 1-0

Mason on board 2 had a very strong opening restricting Robert Counsell to just crumbs of opportunity and although he did manage some queenside initiative it soon fizzled out leaving Mason to rearrange his forces and prepare for an overwhelming attack. Robert at this point was just moving back and forth with a knight awaiting the oncoming storm. With 5 mins on the clock to Robert’s 3 mins and other results from the match undecided, it was time to launch the attack and Nxg6 was played!! Robert didn’t take and instead, Nf8 was selected and after Nxe7,Qxe7,Bg5 white is winning but with very little time on the clock the better player (Robert) found the right moves. 1-1 (Moral, don’t complicate a position when you don’t have any time!)

Adrian on board 3 found himself up against the popular London system and although setting up with the Grunfeld defence which featured in the “Game of the Century” between Donald Byrne and Bobby Fischer wasn’t enough for Adrian. Going a pawn down early doors but having the advantage of the fianchetto bishop versus a knight late on was too much for Adrian 1-2

Derek on board 4 playing Susan Chadwick had a great start with a three pawn centre v Kings Indian Defence, winning an exchange and a pawn, looked good for the win but Susan is no pushover a very solid positional player which Derek could not finish off. In the end a draw and Brighton take the honours.

In summary, Hastings played really well and at one point looked to be winning 3-1 but the extra quality of Brighton carried them through. New team member Leon was outstanding on top board and it won’t be long before he is knocking on the door of our second and even the first team!

Hastings play Worthing at home next before a trip to Haywards Heath for the final game of the season.

Come on you Thirds!

https://ecflms.org.uk/lms/league_fixture/198256