Here are the results of the Easter rapid event for the Bourne Trophy
24 players took part again this year in another fun event which has become a regular fixture on the clubs calendar
This years winner was Mark Rich
Category Archives: News
Junior Club
Our club for Juniors is run by our members Mark Brougham and Keith Hossack. The Juniors club is for all ability levels: we are happy to teach beginners the moves, and we welcome all youngsters who enjoy playing chess, whether for fun or more competitively. And Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club has plenty of expert members who will be happy to give tips to any budding chess prodigies!
Age groups: The Juniors club is open to all young persons aged five to eighteen who are interested in chess. For five to seven year olds, we ask that a parent or carer accompany the child while they are on the Club premises. Parents who wish to accompany older children are of course very welcome too.
Safeguarding: We have an approved and rigorous safeguarding policy.
Where: The Juniors club meets in the lower playing room in the Club’s own premises at 2 Cornwallis Terrace, Hastings, TN34 1EB.
When: Friday evenings in school term time, 4.30pm until 6.30 p.m. We reopen after the Spring school holiday on Friday 17 April 2026. Then we are open every Friday except 29 May, the school mid-term holiday. We close from 24 July for the Summer school holiday, reopening on 4 September 2026.
Our charges: first three sessions are a free sample, after that £2 visitor’s fee per attendance, or take out a junior membership for £10 to cover attendance for the whole year.
Donations: Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club welcomes donations earmarked for the Juniors club.
For any further details, please contact Keith Hossack at dialethe@yahoo.co.uk
Easter Rapid play
EASTER RAPID PLAY
Monday Bank Holiday April 6th
by courtesy of THE CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE
OF HASTINGS & ST LEONARDS CHESS CLUB
TO BE HELD ON
MONDAY 6TH APRIL 2026
CLOCKS START 2:00 p.m.
(arrive and check in by 1:45 p.m.)
7 Round Swiss of 10 minutes per game plus 5 seconds per move.
Results will be submitted for English Chess Federation rapidplay grading.
ENTRIES FROM CLUB MEMBERS ONLY
Many modest (sometimes silly) prizes to be won by players at all levels.
Prize giving is expected to be finished by 6:30 p.m.
Entrance numbers strictly limited to 24 utter absolute tops
and people will be turned away after that number is reached,
so advance booking is strongly recommended.
Entry fee: £3 pay on the day.
Book by e-mail to hastingschessclub@outlook.com
text or phone Adrian
No tournament if fewer than 12 entries by Monday 30th March.
Haphazard tea time refreshments (self-service) provided.
Visitors’ parking vouchers (cheaper than street parking) available from Jim Wheeler,
07875 712005 or james.wheeler9@btinternet.com
Paul Watson Trophy 2025/26 first round draw
Hastings drawn against holders Lewes in the first round of the Paul Watson Trophy 2025/26
Hastings will be underdogs for the match and with our past record of never progressing past the first round of this trophy, the situation looks grim for us.
The Paul Watson Trophy is a 4 board 1825 average tournament.
The match is scheduled for tomorrow evening at 7:30PM at home.
Draw in full:
Presidents party
This years Presidents party takes place on 14th December at 3pm. RSPV to alan.hustwayte@yahoo.com
Hastings v Bexhill – September 2025
Hastings v Bexhill – September 2025
Arriving at our club on a bright sunny day in Hastings, we looked forward with excitement and anticipation to our annual match against our neighbours from Bexhill, always a highlight of the chess calendar.
The teams were spread across both floors of the club, and play commenced promptly at 1 o’clock with clocks set at 65 minutes plus a 30-second increment.
The first result came on board 3, where John secured a solid draw. Not long after, Bexhill struck first with a win on board 10, as Rose produced an excellent game against Keith – clearly a player to watch for the future.
Two more draws followed in quick succession on boards 13 and 12, with both Steve and Alex putting in strong, steady performances. Hastings then recorded their first win on board 8, with Sarah once again showing her continued rise up the ratings list is no fluke.
The match was now level, and excitement built among those who had already finished. Paul then added another point for Hastings with a fine win on board 7, but Marc’s loss on board 9 quickly cancelled out the advantage.
The next two results also balanced each other out. Daniel won well on board 6, before Martin went down on board 11, leaving the match finely poised once again.
On board 2, Francis scored a valuable win, only for Henry to lose soon after on board 4 – once again leaving the scores tied. Terry then produced a determined performance on board 5 to edge Hastings ahead going into the final game.
All attention turned to the top board, where at one point it looked as though defeat might allow Bexhill to snatch a draw in the match overall. However, Daniel held his nerve in a tense endgame to secure a draw around 4 o’clock, which was enough to clinch overall victory for Hastings in this year’s Challenge Trophy.
Final Score
Hastings 7 – 6 Bexhill
Hastings players
- D. Lowe 2136
- F. Rayner 2067
- J. Sugden 2004
- H. Cove 1927
- T. Hoxey 1906
- D. Evans-White
- P. Kelly 1809
- S. Orsborne 1696
- M. Bryant 1592
- K. Hossack 1454
- M. Fletcher 1453
- A.Watts 1376
- S. Oakman 1166
Captain and reserve A. Cload (1547)
Reserve S. Blewitt (1806)
Glyde Cup, next tournament 5th October 2025. 2pm
The Glyde Cup is won by winning the lightning 10 seconds per move tournament . If you wish to play please email me at HastingsChessClub@outlook.com
These are the rules:-
Rules for Lightning (10 second) chess : 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.
Finals day
It’s the Kent Chess League finals today!
Despite having representations in the semi-finals, County, Stevenson, En Passant, Fuller & Intro only our Fuller team progressed to today’s final.
Good luck Umberto’s Underdogs in the Fuller, make us proud!
Kent County Chess Association Finals
Fuller Cup
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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