Chess - The Scotsman 02/02/2013

HASTINGS pier – burnt to a skeletal shell following an arson attack in 2010 – is set to be restored to its gaudy Victorian glory, thanks to a recent £11.4m Heritage Lottery grant.

It was designed by the genius of Victorian pier architecture, Eugenius Birch, and went on to host big name pop concerts, including the Rolling Stones, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd.

“The peerless pier” as it was once known as, also staged some of the biggest names in the chess world as it played host to many Hastings Premiers during a golden period when it was one of the world’s top tournaments. Eight world champions have won first prize at Hastings, launched in 1895 and held annually over the holiday season since 1919.

Now, like the pier, Hastings is in dire need of a lottery grant to restore it to its glory years as its very survival is dependent on a team of dedicated local volunteers and its council, which bravely continues to support the world’s longest-running international chess tournament, despite ever-worsening budget cuts.

But despite now being a more modest open with a £2,000 first prize, Hastings remains a strong chess brand name with a glorious past. This year’s 88th edition has 12 grandmasters in the field and 22 nations represented, including Scotland, led by IM Stephen Burns-Mannion, whose opening round win proved a trademark squeeze.

S Burns-Mannion - J Anderson

88th Hastings Masters, (1)

French Defence, Tarrasch

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 c3 c5 6 f4 Nc6 7 Ndf3 Qb6 8 a3 Be7 9 h4 f6 10 Bd3 c4 11 Bc2 Nf8 12 h5 f5 13 Nh3 Bd7 14 Rb1 Na5 15 Be3 0–0–0 16 Nhg5 Be8 17 h6 g6 18 Bf2 Kb8 19 Bh4 Rc8 20 Nd2 Nd7 21 Nf1 Bf8 22 Bg3 Be7 23 Nf3 Rf8 24 Bh4 Bxh4+ 25 Rxh4 Rf7 26 Ne3 Nf8 27 Kf2 Qc6 28 Ng5 Rfc7 29 g4! Qd7 30 Qf3 fxg4 31 Nxg4 Qe7 32 Nf6 Rd8 33 Rhh1 a6 34 Qh3 Rc6 35 Qh4 Rdc8 36 Ba4 b5 37 Bd1 Nb7 38 Bf3 Rd8 39 Ke3 Rb6 40 Rhg1 Nd6 41 Bg4 Nf5+ 42 Bxf5 gxf5 43 Ngxh7 1–0