The 88th Hastings Masters is under way, lasting from December 28, 2012 to January
6th, 2013. Games start at 2:15 p.m. GMT each day, and there is live coverage
on the official web site and Playchess.com. The participants of the Masters
Tournament include 13 grandmasters and players from 22 countries, as far afield
as New Zealand and Indonesia, Iceland and the USA. Local and regional players
are also well represented. There are tournaments for all playing strengths,
and for spectators (entry free!) there is daily commentary on the Masters Tournament
given by the English grandmaster Chris Ward. This Congress provides an entertaining
feast of chess, but in addition Hastings also provides a wide variety of galleries,
museums and quirky shops to interest non-chess playing accompanying family or
friends. The Chess Congress is sponsored by Hastings Borough Council.
In the lead: GM Daniele Vocaturo, ITA, 2521, 4.5/5 points, TPR 2630
In second place: GM Gawain Jones, 2644, ENG, 4.0/5, TPR 2664
Fourth: GM Sarunas Sulskis, 2550, LTU, 4.0/5, TPR 2612
Fifth: GM Daniel Alsina Leal, 2511, ESP, 4.0/5, TPR 2572
IM Rui Gao, 2450, CHN 4.0/5, TPR 2668
Seventh: IM Gudmundur Kjartansson, 2404, ISL, 4.0/5, TPR 2728
Eighth: GM Nicholas Pert, 2557, ENG 3.5/5, TPR 2481
Ninth: IM Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson, 2516, ISL, 3.5/5, TPR 2533
Tenth: IM Jonathan Hawkins, 2507, ENG, 3.5/4, TPR 2475
12th: IM Raja Panjwani, 2402, CAN, 3.5 /5, TPR 2500
14th: IM Simon Knott, 2325, ENG, 3.5/5, TPR 2206
17th: Ezra Kirk, 2254, ENG, 3.5/5, TPR 2411
18th: Rufus Duff, 2114, ENG, 3.5/5, TPR 2371
20th: GM Kaido Kulaots, 2581, EST, 3.0/5, TPR 2494
32nd: FM Alisa Melekhina, 2221, USA, 3.0/5, TPR 2183
50th: WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni, 2169, LUX, 2.0/5, TPR 2058
55th: Chino Atako, 2117, ENG, 2.0/5, TPR 2144
69th: Brian Tarhon, 1844 ENG, 2.0/5, TPR 1962