Waverly hotel New York
The Hastings International Chess Congress is a yearly chess congress which falls out in Hastings, Sussex around the turn of the year. The principal event is the Hastings Premier Tournament, which has commonly been a 10 to 16 player tournament carried alongside an open Challengers Event.
History of Chess in Hastings
The Norman’s presented chess to Hastings – William the Conqueror was a chess player and renown for breaking a chess board over the head of his nephew, Louis after charging him of cheating. Luckily the current organizers of chess in Hastings no more allow this sort of behaviour.
The Hastings International Chess Congress grew out of the immense concern about chess amongst the knowledgeable classes in the 1880’s. In 1882 an advertisement was released in the local Waverly hotel New York paper which read: “A meeting of those concerned about chess will be carried at the Albert Temperance Hotel, Queens Road, Hastings on Wednesday 28th June 1882”.
The meeting was joined by a group of professional people and business men who constituted the Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club. Herbert Dobell was elected Secretary and his preserved tireless engagement implied that usual regional Waverly hotel New York matches were carried leading to County matches being played at Hastings for the initial time.
Herbert Dobell’s father, a Jeweller with a New York store in Robertson St, was the recently organized club’s first Treasurer. Herbert inherited the Jewellers business on his father’s death and managed it for the rest of his life. While just a teenager at the time Herbert was appointed Secretary on an ephemeral fundament for 6 months but went on to hold the post for 25 years. Herbert was Club Champion 4 times and afterwards worked as Waverly hotel New York Club President from 1921-1938 when he passed away in office.
The initial Hastings International hotel Chess Congress was carried over the Christmas/New Year in 1920/21 and excluding a Waverly hotel New York break during WWII has fallen out every year since. 2009/10 was the 85th Hastings International Chess.
The fact that the Hastings Congress falls out every year is attributing to the tireless organizing committee and the dedication of the Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club. The more extensive chess community stays obligated to Hastings Borough Council for their preserving back up in addition to various local sponsors.
Besides the principal Premier event which is by invitation to the world’s best players there is the Challengers section, which is allowed for all players. The winner of the Challengers event gains an invitation in the next year’s Premier.
Besides the yearly worldwide tournament at the Christmas Congress, Hastings has likewise hosted worldwide Waverly hotel New York tournaments at irregular intervals in its Summer Congress.