Leader of Hastings Borough Council Jeremy Birch opening the Congress
with Chairman Paul Smith (left) and Deputy Mayor Alan Roberts
The Deputy Mayor making the opening move for German fm Jurgen Kaufeld
The Council Leader making the opening reply for local favourite and
third seed GM David Howell of Seaford.
Top seeded Grandmaster Romain Edouard from
France
Vladislav Sergienko, FIDE rated 2133 from Ukraine
2nd seeded Romanian Grandmaster Andrei YIstratescu playing "be
lucky" Chinmay Kulkarni from India
Boards 13 - 15 in the first round. Playing White are Ian Snape, Bhuvanesh
Ramnath and Gunnar Berg Hanssen. Playing Black are Alan Grant and Upadhyaya
Anwesh.
Round 2
International Master Rao Prasanna from India
German fm Jurgen Kaufeld and Yao Yao Zhu from China
Women's International Master Yemi Jelsen from Indonesia
Richard Almond, joint Hastings club champion, alongside Tristan
Clayton and WFM Rasa Norinkeviciute, a fellow member of the Hastings chess
club.
Oksana Neverova playing in the Christmas Afternoon tournament, the
wife of three time winner of the Masters GM Valerij Neverov
GM Chris Ward providing the daily commentary
The Pairs Tournament at the Pig in Paradise
Local Hastings club plyers Francis Rayner and Jude Lenier playing
white in the Pairs
Jurgen Brustkern and Martin Lichte
GM Mark Hebden and Steve Rush
Local players Steve Blewitt and Omer Namouk
IM Thomas Rendle and Lateefah Messam-Sparks
who won the tournament
Hannah Dale and John Sargent
Last year's winners Amy Hoare and IM
Jack Rudd
Tournament controllers Chris Howell and
Marc Bryant
