Chess tradition in Hastings - An interview with Jürgen Brustkern

by Johannes Fischer
12/20/2023 – The name "Hastings" has a very special ring to it in the chess world. In 1895 one of the most important tournaments in chess history took place in the seaside resort on the south-east coast of England, and chess tournaments are still regularly held there today - no tournament in chess history has a longer tradition. The Berlin FM Jürgen Brustkern is a great expert on Hastings and has written a book on the history of this tradition together with Norbert Wallet. In an interview with ChessBase he reveals what fascinates him so much about Hastings.

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Hello Jürgen, the year 2023 is coming to an end. From 28 December 2023 to 7 January 2024 the Caplin International Chess Congress will take place again in Hastings with an Open and numerous side events. Will you be there?

No. I can no longer ignore the fact that Hastings in its current form has lost its magic and no longer appeals to me.

No chess tournament in the world has a longer tradition than the Hastings tournament. It began in 1895 when the "first super tournament in chess history" was held there. 22 participants took part, including the ten best players in the world at the time. Harry Nelson Pillsbury won with 16.5 out of 21, ahead of Mikhail Chigorin and the reigning world champion Emanuel Lasker. Ever since, the name Hastings has had a special ring to it in the chess world. But how did this great tournament establish such a long tradition?

The English sense of tradition, play and sport, supported by a specific entrepreneurial spirit, created something unique and hitherto unknown in Hastings. Repeated English chess successes (F. Yates, Sir G. Thomas, C. O. Alexander) cemented the tradition and ensured that this tournament left its mark on English (e.g. the "British Chess Explosion" in the 1980s) and modern tournament chess in Europe.

The participants of the tournament in Hastings 1895: tournament winner Pillsbury sits in the centre, between Lasker and Tarrasch.

Hastings 1895: Final standings after 21 rounds

Rk. Name Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Pts.
1 Harry Nelson Pillsbury
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 16.5 / 21
2 Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin
1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 16.0 / 21
3 Emanuel Lasker
0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 15.5 / 21
4 Siegbert Tarrasch
0 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 14.0 / 21
5 William Steinitz
1 0 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 13.0 / 21
6 Emanuel Stepanovich Schiffers
1 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 12.0 / 21
7 Richard Teichmann
0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 11.5 / 21
8 Curt Von Bardeleben
0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 11.5 / 21
9 Carl Schlechter
0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 11.0 / 21
10 Joseph Henry Blackburne
0 1 0 0 0 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 0 1 10.5 / 21
11 Carl August Walbrodt
½ 0 0 0 0 1 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 10.0 / 21
12 Dawid Markelowicz Janowski
1 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 9.5 / 21
13 Amos Burn
0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 9.5 / 21
14 James Mason
0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 0 ½ 1 0 1 1 9.5 / 21
15 Isidor Gunsberg
0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 0 9.0 / 21
16 Henry Edward Bird
½ 0 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 9.0 / 21
17 Georg Marco
0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 ½ 8.5 / 21
18 Adolf Albin
½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 1 ½ 8.5 / 21
19 William Henry Kraus Pollock
0 0 1 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 8.0 / 21
20 Samuel Tinsley
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 0 1 7.5 / 21
21 Jacques Mieses
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 1 7.5 / 21
22 Beniamino Vergani
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 3.0 / 21

Games

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,169,49854%2421---
1.d4949,34555%2434---
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1.Nf3 f5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 e6 4.e3 Be7 5.Nc3 b6 6.d4 Bb7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Qe8 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.c4 Nd8 11.Nf4 Bd6 12.Ne5 Nf7 13.Be2 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Ne4 15.f3 Nc5 16.b4 Na6 17.Qd2 Qe7 18.a3 c5 19.Rad1 Rfd8 20.b5 Nc7 21.Qc3 Nh8 22.Kh1 Ng6 23.Rg1 Rf8 24.Rd2 Rf7 25.Rgd1 Rd8 26.Rd6 Nxf4 27.exf4 Ne8 28.R6d2 g6 29.a4 Ng7 30.a5 Qh4 31.g3 Qh6 32.axb6 axb6 33.Rd6 g5 34.Rxb6 gxf4 35.Bc1 Nh5 36.Rg1 Rb8 37.Rd6 Rg7 38.Rg2 Kh8 39.Qe1 Rbg8 40.Kg1 fxg3 41.Bxh6 gxh2+ 42.Kxh2 Rxg2+ 43.Kh3 R2g6 44.Be3 f4 45.Bf2 Rh6 46.Bh4 Ng3 47.Rxd7 Nxe2 48.Rd8 Rxd8 49.Kg2 Rg8+ 50.Kf2 Rxh4 51.Kxe2 Rh3 52.Qc3 Bxf3+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Albin,A-Bird,H-0–11895A04Hastings International Masters1
Burn,A-Von Bardeleben,C-0–11895D37Hastings International Masters1
Chigorin,M-Pillsbury,H-1–01895C30Hastings International Masters1
Janowski,D-Blackburne,J-0–11895C10Hastings International Masters1
Lasker,E-Marco,G-1–01895D37Hastings International Masters1
Mason,J-Tarrasch,S-1–01895C50Hastings International Masters1
Schiffers,E-Gunsberg,I-1–01895C46Hastings International Masters1
Schlechter,C-Pollock,W-½–½1895C77Hastings International Masters1
Steinitz,W-Vergani,B-1–01895C11Hastings International Masters1
Teichmann,R-Walbrodt,C-0–11895C25Hastings International Masters1
Tinsley,S-Mieses,J-0–11895D05Hastings International Masters1
Albin,A-Von Bardeleben,C-½–½1895C50Hastings International Masters2
Bird,H-Walbrodt,C-½–½1895A03Hastings International Masters2
Gunsberg,I-Burn,A-1–01895C01Hastings International Masters2
Lasker,E-Chigorin,M-0–11895D07Hastings International Masters2
Marco,G-Pollock,W-1–01895C62Hastings International Masters2
Mieses,J-Blackburne,J-1–01895C45Hastings International Masters2
Pillsbury,H-Tarrasch,S-1–01895D55Hastings International Masters2
Schiffers,E-Teichmann,R-½–½1895C49Hastings International Masters2
Steinitz,W-Schlechter,C-½–½1895C54Hastings International Masters2
Tinsley,S-Mason,J-1–01895D05Hastings International Masters2
Vergani,B-Janowski,D-0–11895D05Hastings International Masters2
Blackburne,J-Steinitz,W-0–11895C33Hastings International Masters3
Burn,A-Schiffers,E-½–½1895D45Hastings International Masters3
Janowski,D-Tinsley,S-0–11895B01Hastings International Masters3
Mason,J-Chigorin,M-0–11895C50Hastings International Masters3
Pillsbury,H-Marco,G-½–½1895D46Hastings International Masters3
Pollock,W-Vergani,B-1–01895B21Hastings International Masters3
Schlechter,C-Lasker,E-0–11895B34Hastings International Masters3
Tarrasch,S-Mieses,J-½–½1895D26Hastings International Masters3
Teichmann,R-Albin,A-½–½1895C77Hastings International Masters3
Von Bardeleben,C-Bird,H-½–½1895C01Hastings International Masters3
Walbrodt,C-Gunsberg,I-½–½1895C45Hastings International Masters3
Bird,H-Blackburne,J-½–½1895A02Hastings International Masters4
Gunsberg,I-Schlechter,C-½–½1895E14Hastings International Masters4
Marco,G-Burn,A-0–11895C13Hastings International Masters4
Mieses,J-Janowski,D-0–11895C45Hastings International Masters4
Pillsbury,H-Pollock,W-1–01895C83Hastings International Masters4
Schiffers,E-Chigorin,M-1–01895C56Hastings International Masters4
Steinitz,W-Mason,J-1–01895C41Hastings International Masters4
Tarrasch,S-Walbrodt,C-1–01895C77Hastings International Masters4
Tinsley,S-Albin,A-0–11895E33Hastings International Masters4
Vergani,B-Teichmann,R-0–11895A84Hastings International Masters4
Von Bardeleben,C-Lasker,E-1–01895D37Hastings International Masters4
Bird,H-Lasker,E-0–11895A02Hastings International Masters5
Blackburne,J-Schlechter,C-½–½1895A00Hastings International Masters5
Burn,A-Janowski,D-1–01895E14Hastings International Masters5
Gunsberg,I-Steinitz,W-0–11895C51Hastings International Masters5
Marco,G-Tinsley,S-0–11895C42Hastings International Masters5
Mieses,J-Schiffers,E-½–½1895C28Hastings International Masters5
Pillsbury,H-Albin,A-1–01895C80Hastings International Masters5
Pollock,W-Teichmann,R-½–½1895C44Hastings International Masters5
Tarrasch,S-Chigorin,M-0–11895D00Hastings International Masters5
Von Bardeleben,C-Vergani,B-1–01895D35Hastings International Masters5
Walbrodt,C-Mason,J-½–½1895C14Hastings International Masters5
Albin,A-Schlechter,C-½–½1895C55Hastings International Masters6
Chigorin,M-Teichmann,R-1–01895C00Hastings International Masters6
Gunsberg,I-Tarrasch,S-½–½1895A84Hastings International Masters6
Lasker,E-Janowski,D-1–01895D55Hastings International Masters6
Marco,G-Bird,H-½–½1895C61Hastings International Masters6
Mason,J-Von Bardeleben,C-0–11895C50Hastings International Masters6
Mieses,J-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C27Hastings International Masters6
Schiffers,E-Blackburne,J-1–01895C10Hastings International Masters6
Steinitz,W-Pollock,W-0–11895C53Hastings International Masters6
Tinsley,S-Burn,A-0–11895D00Hastings International Masters6
Vergani,B-Walbrodt,C-0–11895D94Hastings International Masters6
Bird,H-Vergani,B-1–01895A03Hastings International Masters7
Blackburne,J-Albin,A-1–01895C20Hastings International Masters7
Burn,A-Chigorin,M-0–11895D46Hastings International Masters7
Janowski,D-Mason,J-½–½1895C42Hastings International Masters7
Marco,G-Gunsberg,I-½–½1895C67Hastings International Masters7
Pillsbury,H-Steinitz,W-1–01895D35Hastings International Masters7
Pollock,W-Lasker,E-0–11895C53Hastings International Masters7
Schlechter,C-Teichmann,R-½–½1895C84Hastings International Masters7
Tarrasch,S-Schiffers,E-1–01895C29Hastings International Masters7
Von Bardeleben,C-Mieses,J-1–01895D02Hastings International Masters7
Walbrodt,C-Tinsley,S-1–01895C41Hastings International Masters7
Albin,A-Pollock,W-0–11895C50Hastings International Masters8
Chigorin,M-Blackburne,J-1–01895C00Hastings International Masters8
Gunsberg,I-Mieses,J-1–01895C30Hastings International Masters8
Lasker,E-Walbrodt,C-1–01895C66Hastings International Masters8
Mason,J-Burn,A-1–01895D42Hastings International Masters8
Schiffers,E-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C51Hastings International Masters8
Schlechter,C-Von Bardeleben,C-½–½1895C77Hastings International Masters8
Steinitz,W-Bird,H-0–11895D31Hastings International Masters8
Teichmann,R-Janowski,D-½–½1895D35Hastings International Masters8
Tinsley,S-Tarrasch,S-0–11895D00Hastings International Masters8
Vergani,B-Marco,G-½–½1895C50Hastings International Masters8
Albin,A-Vergani,B-½–½1895C65Hastings International Masters9
Blackburne,J-Walbrodt,C-0–11895C44Hastings International Masters9
Burn,A-Tarrasch,S-0–11895A84Hastings International Masters9
Chigorin,M-Gunsberg,I-1–01895C51Hastings International Masters9
Janowski,D-Pillsbury,H-0–11895D37Hastings International Masters9
Lasker,E-Steinitz,W-1–01895C75Hastings International Masters9
Mason,J-Mieses,J-1–01895C71Hastings International Masters9
Schlechter,C-Bird,H-½–½1895C14Hastings International Masters9
Teichmann,R-Marco,G-1–01895D37Hastings International Masters9
Tinsley,S-Schiffers,E-0–11895D00Hastings International Masters9
Von Bardeleben,C-Pollock,W-1–01895A43Hastings International Masters9
Bird,H-Chigorin,M-½–½1895C52Hastings International Masters10
Blackburne,J-Burn,A-1–01895C13Hastings International Masters10
Gunsberg,I-Tinsley,S-0–11895B01Hastings International Masters10
Marco,G-Albin,A-1–01895C01Hastings International Masters10
Mieses,J-Lasker,E-½–½1895C45Hastings International Masters10
Pillsbury,H-Mason,J-1–01895E12Hastings International Masters10
Pollock,W-Janowski,D-½–½1895C44Hastings International Masters10
Tarrasch,S-Teichmann,R-0–11895C77Hastings International Masters10
Vergani,B-Schiffers,E-0–11895C01Hastings International Masters10
Walbrodt,C-Schlechter,C-½–½1895C47Hastings International Masters10
Steinitz,W-Von Bardeleben,C-1–01895C54Hastings International Masters10
Albin,A-Mieses,J-1–01895C73Hastings International Masters11
Blackburne,J-Von Bardeleben,C-1–01895D46Hastings International Masters11
Burn,A-Pollock,W-1–01895A43Hastings International Masters11
Chigorin,M-Marco,G-1–01895C00Hastings International Masters11
Janowski,D-Walbrodt,C-1–01895C79Hastings International Masters11
Lasker,E-Gunsberg,I-1–01895C11Hastings International Masters11
Mason,J-Bird,H-1–01895C14Hastings International Masters11
Schiffers,E-Steinitz,W-0–11895C49Hastings International Masters11
Schlechter,C-Tarrasch,S-½–½1895C48Hastings International Masters11
Teichmann,R-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C60Hastings International Masters11
Tinsley,S-Vergani,B-1–01895D07Hastings International Masters11
Albin,A-Tarrasch,S-0–11895C49Hastings International Masters12
Chigorin,M-Walbrodt,C-½–½1895C31Hastings International Masters12
Lasker,E-Pillsbury,H-1–01895C60Hastings International Masters12
Mason,J-Pollock,W-1–01895C65Hastings International Masters12
Schiffers,E-Marco,G-½–½1895C41Hastings International Masters12
Schlechter,C-Burn,A-1–01895C01Hastings International Masters12
Steinitz,W-Mieses,J-½–½1895C42Hastings International Masters12
Teichmann,R-Blackburne,J-0–11895D26Hastings International Masters12
Tinsley,S-Bird,H-½–½1895A84Hastings International Masters12
Vergani,B-Gunsberg,I-1–01895C54Hastings International Masters12
Von Bardeleben,C-Janowski,D-½–½1895D37Hastings International Masters12
Albin,A-Schiffers,E-1–01895B45Hastings International Masters13
Blackburne,J-Pillsbury,H-½–½1895C33Hastings International Masters13
Burn,A-Bird,H-½–½1895A84Hastings International Masters13
Chigorin,M-Steinitz,W-0–11895C52Hastings International Masters13
Janowski,D-Marco,G-1–01895C79Hastings International Masters13
Lasker,E-Tinsley,S-1–01895C10Hastings International Masters13
Mason,J-Vergani,B-1–01895C50Hastings International Masters13
Pollock,W-Tarrasch,S-1–01895C00Hastings International Masters13
Schlechter,C-Mieses,J-½–½1895C72Hastings International Masters13
Teichmann,R-Gunsberg,I-0–11895C30Hastings International Masters13
Walbrodt,C-Von Bardeleben,C-1–01895C80Hastings International Masters13
Albin,A-Mason,J-½–½1895C67Hastings International Masters14
Bird,H-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C51Hastings International Masters14
Gunsberg,I-Pollock,W-0–11895C26Hastings International Masters14
Lasker,E-Teichmann,R-1–01895D26Hastings International Masters14
Marco,G-Tarrasch,S-0–11895C79Hastings International Masters14
Mieses,J-Walbrodt,C-0–11895C25Hastings International Masters14
Schiffers,E-Janowski,D-1–01895C76Hastings International Masters14
Steinitz,W-Burn,A-½–½1895D35Hastings International Masters14
Tinsley,S-Schlechter,C-0–11895E01Hastings International Masters14
Vergani,B-Blackburne,J-0–11895B01Hastings International Masters14
Von Bardeleben,C-Chigorin,M-0–11895A06Hastings International Masters14
Albin,A-Lasker,E-½–½1895B34Hastings International Masters15
Blackburne,J-Marco,G-0–11895C31Hastings International Masters15
Burn,A-Mieses,J-1–01895D26Hastings International Masters15
Chigorin,M-Tinsley,S-1–01895C00Hastings International Masters15
Janowski,D-Gunsberg,I-0–11895C60Hastings International Masters15
Mason,J-Schiffers,E-½–½1895C77Hastings International Masters15
Pollock,W-Bird,H-1–01895C29Hastings International Masters15
Schlechter,C-Vergani,B-0–11895C66Hastings International Masters15
Teichmann,R-Steinitz,W-½–½1895C75Hastings International Masters15
Von Bardeleben,C-Tarrasch,S-½–½1895C79Hastings International Masters15
Walbrodt,C-Pillsbury,H-½–½1895C60Hastings International Masters15
Bird,H-Janowski,D-½–½1895A03Hastings International Masters16
Gunsberg,I-Mason,J-1–01895C44Hastings International Masters16
Marco,G-Schlechter,C-½–½1895C42Hastings International Masters16
Mieses,J-Teichmann,R-0–11895C45Hastings International Masters16
Pillsbury,H-Burn,A-1–01895D55Hastings International Masters16
Schiffers,E-Lasker,E-0–11895C62Hastings International Masters16
Steinitz,W-Albin,A-1–01895A85Hastings International Masters16
Tarrasch,S-Blackburne,J-1–01895C10Hastings International Masters16
Tinsley,S-Von Bardeleben,C-1–01895D35Hastings International Masters16
Vergani,B-Chigorin,M-0–11895C50Hastings International Masters16
Walbrodt,C-Pollock,W-½–½1895C28Hastings International Masters16
Blackburne,J-Gunsberg,I-0–11895C33Hastings International Masters17
Burn,A-Vergani,B-1–01895C66Hastings International Masters17
Chigorin,M-Albin,A-½–½1895C00Hastings International Masters17
Janowski,D-Steinitz,W-1–01895C72Hastings International Masters17
Mason,J-Lasker,E-½–½1895C50Hastings International Masters17
Pillsbury,H-Von Bardeleben,C-1–01895A40Hastings International Masters17
Pollock,W-Mieses,J-0–11895C68Hastings International Masters17
Schlechter,C-Schiffers,E-1–01895C80Hastings International Masters17
Tarrasch,S-Bird,H-1–01895B34Hastings International Masters17
Teichmann,R-Tinsley,S-1–01895C10Hastings International Masters17
Walbrodt,C-Marco,G-½–½1895C45Hastings International Masters17
Bird,H-Teichmann,R-0–11895A03Hastings International Masters18
Gunsberg,I-Albin,A-1–01895C01Hastings International Masters18
Marco,G-Mason,J-1–01895B06Hastings International Masters18
Mieses,J-Chigorin,M-½–½1895C45Hastings International Masters18
Pillsbury,H-Schlechter,C-0–11895D55Hastings International Masters18
Pollock,W-Blackburne,J-0–11895C41Hastings International Masters18
Steinitz,W-Tinsley,S-1–01895E70Hastings International Masters18
Tarrasch,S-Janowski,D-1–01895D53Hastings International Masters18
Vergani,B-Lasker,E-0–11895C80Hastings International Masters18
Von Bardeleben,C-Schiffers,E-½–½1895B24Hastings International Masters18
Walbrodt,C-Burn,A-0–11895C01Hastings International Masters18
Bird,H-Schiffers,E-0–11895C58Hastings International Masters19
Blackburne,J-Mason,J-0–11895C52Hastings International Masters19
Burn,A-Teichmann,R-0–11895D46Hastings International Masters19
Gunsberg,I-Von Bardeleben,C-0–11895C32Hastings International Masters19
Janowski,D-Schlechter,C-1–01895D35Hastings International Masters19
Marco,G-Steinitz,W-0–11895C76Hastings International Masters19
Mieses,J-Vergani,B-1–01895C25Hastings International Masters19
Pillsbury,H-Tinsley,S-1–01895D52Hastings International Masters19
Pollock,W-Chigorin,M-0–11895C51Hastings International Masters19
Tarrasch,S-Lasker,E-1–01895C67Hastings International Masters19
Walbrodt,C-Albin,A-0–11895C14Hastings International Masters19
Albin,A-Burn,A-0–11895C02Hastings International Masters20
Chigorin,M-Janowski,D-0–11895C26Hastings International Masters20
Gunsberg,I-Bird,H-0–11895C14Hastings International Masters20
Lasker,E-Blackburne,J-0–11895C62Hastings International Masters20
Mason,J-Schlechter,C-0–11895A13Hastings International Masters20
Mieses,J-Marco,G-0–11895C45Hastings International Masters20
Schiffers,E-Walbrodt,C-1–01895C84Hastings International Masters20
Steinitz,W-Tarrasch,S-0–11895A85Hastings International Masters20
Tinsley,S-Pollock,W-1–01895A85Hastings International Masters20
Vergani,B-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C55Hastings International Masters20
Von Bardeleben,C-Teichmann,R-½–½1895D35Hastings International Masters20
Bird,H-Mieses,J-½–½1895C50Hastings International Masters21
Blackburne,J-Tinsley,S-1–01895C10Hastings International Masters21
Burn,A-Lasker,E-0–11895D40Hastings International Masters21
Janowski,D-Albin,A-0–11895A85Hastings International Masters21
Marco,G-Von Bardeleben,C-0–11895B06Hastings International Masters21
Pillsbury,H-Gunsberg,I-1–01895D94Hastings International Masters21
Pollock,W-Schiffers,E-0–11895C56Hastings International Masters21
Schlechter,C-Chigorin,M-0–11895C79Hastings International Masters21
Tarrasch,S-Vergani,B-1–01895C25Hastings International Masters21
Teichmann,R-Mason,J-1–01895D35Hastings International Masters21
Walbrodt,C-Steinitz,W-0–11895C87Hastings International Masters21

You are a big fan of the Hastings tournament. When was the first time you played there and what fascinated you about the tournament?

I was there for the first time in 1977. It was the first time I saw how a grandmaster tournament was organised, I was very studious and wrote down all the moves of my idols. But I was also deeply impressed by all the decoration. The walls of the tournament hall decorated with pictures and photos, the old wooden chess boards, the dignified, incredibly polite organisers, the many volunteers and the kibitzing ladies and gentlemen in fine dresses. The whole traditional, dignified and slightly morbid atmosphere immediately captivated me.

For many years Hastings tournaments were considered glamorous and attracted the best players in the world, but over the decades the reputation of the tournament has suffered. For example, players have repeatedly reported things like a cold tournament hall or unheated accommodation after visiting Hastings. Why have you remained loyal to Hastings?

Because I am an affectionate and probably loyal person. I heard about the complaints of the top players much later, for example in a book by John Nunn ("Best Games 1985-1993", Batsford 1995, p.126). The effect of the damp weather and the generally poor heating in most accommodation meant that many of my acquaintances no longer wanted to travel to the south of England. After England's economic recovery in the mid-1980s, the quality of most accommodation improved.

Hastings has always been a bit of an adventure for me, starting with the ferry across the Channel. The rough seas often put my stomach to the test. I was also always glad to escape the New Year's Eve madness in Germany, because in England you hardly ever hear firecrackers on New Year's Eve. The advantages outweighed the disadvantages and over the years Hastings became a place of longing for me, "my living room".

Despite all the crises, the Hastings tournament still takes place. How is it that this tradition has survived while other traditional tournaments have fallen by the wayside?

For a long time there were stable groups of committed individuals who ensured the extraordinary continuity of the tournament with money (e.g. Jim Slater, 1929-2015), organisational talent (above all Harry Golombek, 1911-1996) and passion (the "father of tradition" Herbert Dobell, 1878-1938), and who did everything they could with almost national zeal to ensure that Hastings did not lose its unique international selling point. The best-known example of the British sporting spirit is the Wimbledon tennis tournament, which has been held since 1877.

Harry Golombek

As well as playing Hastings regularly, you have collected a lot of material about the tournament and its history over the years. What motivated you to do this?

My collector's mentality and my Anglophilia, but above all my burning desire to make a small contribution to ensuring that this fabulous tournament, of which I have so many personal memories, is not forgotten.

Together with Norbert Wallet, you then turned this material into a book about the Hastings tournament. What was the collaboration like, how did you share the work?

I had been carrying around the project of writing a book about Hastings for two decades. I came up with the idea, the basic concept and the content. I was also responsible for selecting and analysing the games. Norbert, a journalist by profession, was responsible for the lively revision of my texts. He also meticulously checked the facts I had researched.

The book was first self-published, then published by Joachim Beyer in 2021, and an English translation was published by New in Chess in 2022. The response from the public and critics was very positive. Nevertheless, books about the history of chess tournaments are probably aimed at a smaller audience. Was the effort and years of work on this book worth it?

Jürgen Brustkern, Norbert Wallet, The Chess Battles of Hastings, New in Chess 2022, 384 pages

Definitely! The opportunity to live out my passion for chess not only in playing but also in the creative process of critical writing has filled me with unbridled joy - even if the project has also caused a lot of effort and stress, for example when trying to find a catchy concept for the presentation of 125 years of chess history in Hastings. But in the end I was and still am very proud that my favourite project has seen the light of day.

What characterises the Hastings tournaments, what makes them special and what has always made them special?

Hastings was a regular meeting place for the world's elite, and it was particularly important during the Cold War years that the tournament always included outstanding, even famous, masters from Eastern and Southern Europe, who were otherwise rarely seen in the West. The city itself also has a special flair. The well-preserved Victorian buildings, the numerous parks and the special vegetation (there are even palm trees because of the St. Lawrence River) and the location on the coast give the city a special atmosphere.

What role does tradition play and how important is tradition? In other words, why should someone who wants to play a tournament over New Year's Eve travel to relatively cold and uncomfortable Hastings rather than the warmer south?

The preservation of tradition is important to me. For me, traditions are also closely linked to human communication and social behaviour. The disrespectful tone of "social" networks and the near disappearance of solidarity in Western societies are good examples of the fact that people's code of behaviour is in a barbaric age. The informal side events and the very polite style of the organising team ensure respectful interaction in Hastings. "Very British!"

The Hastings tournaments have a chequered history. Can you, and what can you learn from this about the history of chess, or even the history of Europe and the world?

Herbert Dobell showed with tenacity and passion that it was possible to organise a world-class tournament (Six Masters 1922). The networker Harry Golombek showed with diplomatic skill and a cosmopolitan attitude that creative ideas were needed to successfully implement FIDE's motto "We are one family" in politically difficult times. With his ingenious idea of the "Coronation Congress" in 1953, he established the regular participation of two strong Soviet grandmasters in co-operation with the Russian Federation, thus ensuring the congress's worldwide reputation.

Your book not only tells the history of the tournament and stories from the tournament, but also contains numerous entertaining and concisely written portraits with games of the many top players who have played in Hastings at some point, practically a who's who of chess history. From Henry Atkins, Vera Menchik and Milan Vidmar to Wolfgang Uhlmann, Wolfgang Unzicker, Paul Keres, Mihail Tal, Viktor Korchnoi, Bent Larsen, Nigel Short, Judit Polgar and Jonathan Rowson, to name but a few. Regardless of those mentioned, who of all those portrayed in the book do you consider to be Mr or Mrs Hastings, who played particularly well and successfully in Hastings?

I have no hesitation in awarding the title of "Mr Hastings" to Sir George Thomas (1881-1972). It was not his sporting success at Hastings, where he only won once (1934/35) in a total of 12 appearances in the Premier League. But his personality makes him one of my all-time favourites: The 1934 tournament, like the 1895 and 1922 tournaments, was absolutely world class, but as a genuine chess amateur Thomas beat both the "chess machine" Capablanca and the future world champion Botvinnik with the black pieces in 1934. And instead of playing a quick draw in the final round with his friend Mitchell, who was bottom of the table, in order to secure sole victory in the tournament, the sporting Thomas sought the fight, lost the game and in the end only won on tiebreak. The victory of the then 52-year-old (!) would go down as the greatest sensation in Hastings history.

Sir George Thomas playing badminton

The multi-talented sportsman was also a model of fair play in other sports. In badminton, he won the British Championship several times and in his prime was considered the best badminton player in the world! He also played tennis at a high level, reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 1911. As for the most successful players at Hastings, the record-breaking GM Svetozar Gligoric deserves special mention with five victories.

Svetozar Gligoric at the Interzonal Tournament Den Haag 1966 | Photo: Eric Koch for Anefo | Photo: Dutch National Archive, Source: Wikipedia

Salo Flohr achieved the feat of winning the traditional congress three times in a row.

How do you explain that?

Hard to say. The Swede Ulf Andersson "only" won the traditional Congress twice (1979-1980), but he achieved outstanding results at the world-class London events in the mid-1980s, which he himself described as the greatest successes of his chess career. He attributed his strong performances on the island mainly to "the mild British weather"!

Most of the people portrayed are very well known, but one stands out who is probably less well known: Reinhard Cherubim. Who is he, and what links him to Hastings so closely that he is included in this illustrious cast?

The Aachen teacher Dr Cherubim was an Anglophile chess propagandist who had fallen in love with the Hastings Tournament and reached wide chess circles in Germany with his lively reports which appeared in the Deutsche Schachzeitung and the Schach-Echo. I like the fact that in the course of his reporting he not only wrote about the lively British chess scene, but also ensured the export of English culture to Germany. The mathematics teacher was committed to improving the strained German-English relations. Because of his merits I gave him the appropriate title in the book: "The Cherubim of German-English Friendship!" (Cherubim means angel).

Your book is illustrated with many beautiful photos and contains many games. Which games from the long history of the tournament did you particularly like?

In addition to the famous game with the "floating rook" (Steinitz - von Bardeleben 1895), two other games immediately come to mind.

The Vaganian-Planinc game was remarkable in many ways. The knight manoeuvre ...Na1 was combined with a beautiful mating finale and the last three moves of this game played a major role in the film "Dangerous Moves" by Richard Dembo (1985 Oscar for Best Foreign Film).

I was there in 1980 when Ulf Andersson used an unprecedented defensive manoeuvre in his game against the American Larry Christiansen to cushion his opponent's aggression in the style of "Ying and Yang". In a hedgehog structure, the American attacked with all four pawns on the king's side, only to be thwarted by the Swedish endgame artist with the astonishing manoeuvre h6/Bh7 and Bh8! Absolutely worth seeing!

From 1895 to the present day, the Hastings tournament has a long tradition. But do you think that it can return to its former glory and that Hastings can once again host top tournaments like those in Wijk, Dortmund, Biel or Prague?

I don't believe in a Hastings renaissance. The golden age of Hastings is over, at the latest since the financially induced cancellation of the Grandmaster tournament. (2003/ 2004). Since then the tournament has survived more or less on the support of the town, smaller companies and private sponsors.

A silver lining on the horizon, however, is the sponsorship of the company "Caplin". The IT specialist has been a loyal financial partner for the past five years and even supported the congress during the difficult coronavirus period with a highly competitive online tournament.

In an interview I conducted with John Ashworth, the CEO of Caplin, which appeared in the German Chess Magazine Schachmagazin 64 (February 2023), I learnt that he is prepared to support the tournament in the longer term. So there is a good chance that the 100th edition will be celebrated in December 2026. I'd like to be involved.

And will you remain loyal to Hastings, both as a participant and as a chronicler?

All the information, anecdotes and England experiences that I have stored with love, passion and care cannot and will not be thrown out of the window. The book describes not only the history of Hastings, but also the importance of England as a pioneer of modern tournament chess (London 1851).

The author Jürgen Brustkern (left) together with the English grandmaster Stuart Conquest, who wrote the foreword for the English edition.

I was also keen to cover the history of the greatest British chess successes (London 1927, the Golden Generation of 1986-1992 and Short's runner-up title in 1993). Surprisingly there is no standard literature on the chess highlights of the island nation! So I could well imagine writing a second book on English chess history.

Good luck then - and thank you very much for the interview!

Link

hastingschess.com


Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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