1991/92 (67th) Hastings Congress, 28 December 1991 – 13 January 1992

1991/92 Hastings Premier, 28 December 1991 - 13 January 1992, Cinque Ports Hotel

1991/92 Hastings Premier		Fed	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total
1	Evgeny Bareev	USSR	2680g	&;	½1	10	1½	11	½1	½1	½1	10½
2	Simen Agdestein	NOR	2590g	½0	&;	1½	1½	½1	10	½1	½1	9
3	Alexei Shirov	USSR	2610g	01	0½	&;	½½	½1	1½	1½	½1	8½
4	Jonathan S Speelman	ENG	2630g	0½	0½	½½	&;	½0	½1	11	½½	7
5	Michael Adams	ENG	2615g	00	½0	½0	½1	&;	10	½1	11	7
6	Murray G Chandler	ENG	2605g	½0	01	0½	½0	01	&;	½1	½1	6½
7	Julian M Hodgson	ENG	2570g	½0	½0	0½	00	½0	½0	&;	1½	4
8	Alexey S Suetin	USSR	2405g	½0	½0	½0	½½	00	½0	0½	&;	3½

Average Elo 2588, Category 14 - GM = 7½, IM = 4½

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1991/92 Hastings Challengers, 28 December 1991 - 5 January 1992, Falaise Hall

1991/92 Hastings Challengers		Fed	Elo	Residence	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Total	+/-
1	Colin S Crouch1	ENG	2400m	Harrow	128+	w4=	b57+	w15+	w21+	b2+	b5=	w7=	b9+	7½	+3.54
2	Ilya Gurevich	USA	2495m	USA	153=	83+	35+	b28+	w25+	w1-	b19+	w8=	b17+	7	+1.12
3	Mark L Hebden	ENG	2485m	Leicester	b55=	w27+	b40+	w6+	b24+	w5-	b28+	w33+	b7=	7	+1.36
4	Anthony C Kosten	ENG	2535g	Eastleigh	w42+	b1=	w29=	b87+	w54+	b34=	w16=	b20+	w5+	7	+0.81
5	Matthew D Sadler1	ENG	2480m	Chatham	78+	b48+	w8+	b34+	w13+	b3+	w1=	w9=	b4-	7	+2.05
6	Stuart C Conquest	ENG	2465m	Bristol	87+	b39+	w53+	b3-	w23+	b9-	w21=	b42+	w35+	6½	+1.19
7	Glenn C Flear	ENG	2515g	Leicester	w23=	61=	108+	b41+	39=	52+	w34+	b1=	w3=	6½	-0.18
8	James C Howell	ENG	2445m	Harrogate	97+	62+	b5-	w74+	b15=	w55+	w12+	b2=	w11=	6½	+1.37
9	Valeriy Neverov	USSR	2540g	Ukraine	39-	82+	116+	w26+	b107+	w6+	w17+	b5=	w1-	6½	-0.18
10	Vadim Ruban	USSR	2575g	Russia	w46+	b53-	w85+	b72-	58+	30+	w48+	b23=	w28+	6½	-0.74
11	Mihai Suba	ENG	2520g	Sunderland	b86+	w49+	b24-	w79=	b66+	53=	38+	w50+	b8=	6½	+0.11
12	Gennadij A Timoscenko	USSR	2505g	Russia	b58-	w102+	99+	128+	b14=	w37+	b8-	w70+	b33+	6½	-0.26
13	Mikhail S Tseitlin	USSR	2480g	Russia	b50+	w37+	b17=	w36+	b5-	w14+	b33-	w40+	b39+	6½	+0.92
14	Johan Van Mil	NED	2415m	Netherlands	45=	75+	79=	94+	w12=	b13-	w46+	b29+	w34+	6½	+0.26
15	Ketevan Arakhamia	USSR	2475wg	Georgia	30=	95+	w52+	b1-	w8=	b51+	w72=	b37+	w23=	6	-0.36
16	Keith C Arkell	ENG	2455m	Derby	62-	120+	131+	w38+	22=	40+	b4=	w24-	50+	6	-0.12
17	Leonid Gofshtein	ISR	2455m	Israel	51+	58+	w13=	b23=	w72+	w18+	b9-	21+	w2-	6	+1.05
18	A Jonathan Mestel	ENG	2520g	Cambridge	w72-	b94+	w61+	b101+	w48+	b17-	w42=	b52=	w44+	6	-1.00
19	Paul Motwani	SCO	2440m	Dundee	w47+	b79=	w23-	b111+	w115+	b76+	w2-	b22=	58+	6	-0.12
20	Kevin J O'Connell	IRL	(177)		102-	135=	60=	97+	127+	86+	b49+	w4-	w53+	6	2404
21	Semon Palatnik	USSR	2470g	Ukraine	b26+	w38+	b107+	w24=	b1-	w39+	b6=	17-	52+	6	+0.60
22	Jonathan F Parker	ENG	2335f	Edinburgh	w31+	34-	137+	65+	16=	b25=	24=	w19=	b70+	6	+1.62
23	Aaron P Summerscale	ENG	2325	London	b7=	w151+	b19+	w17=	b6-	w68+	b53+	w10=	b15=	6	+1.90
24	Peter K Wells	ENG	2465m	Cambridge	w56+	b72+	w11+	b21=	w3-	42=	22=	b16+	31=	6	+0.87
25	David I Bronstein	USSR	2460g	Russia	60=	91+	55+	w29+	b2-	w22=	b50-	84+	38=	5½	-1.19
26	Graeme N Buckley	ENG	2285		w21-	111+	75+	b9-	w138+	b31+	w35=	b34-	77+	5½	+0.70
27	Alexander Cherniaev	USSR			109+	b3-	54-	b78+	46=	153+	65+	b35-	87+	5½	2362
28	John M Emms	ENG	2425m	Norwich	127=	106+	84+	w2-	b57+	w44+	w3-	b72+	b10-	5½	-0.22
29	Nicholas E Foster	ENG	(187)		113+	w70+	b4=	b25-	w88+	w33-	b74+	w14-	60+	5½	2381
30	Michael J Franklin	ENG	2285f	London	15=	w99-	110+	69+	68=	10-	105+	49+	36=	5½	+1.40
31	Joseph G Gallagher	ENG	2520g	London	b22-	116=	143+	50+	79=	w26-	121+	62+	24=	5½	-1.53
32	Mads Smith Hansen	DEN	2345	Denmark	57-	131-	135+	104+	92=	w66=	67=	68+	81+	5½	-1.34
33	Sergey Janovsky	USSR	2425m	Russia	41+	88+	w34-	b76=	w47+	b29+	w13+	b3-	w12-	5½	-0.14
34	Jonathan P Levitt	ENG	2465m	London	67+	22+	b33+	w5-	b49+	w4=	b7-	w26+	b14-	5½	+0.28
35	Neil R McDonald	ENG	2390m	Gravesend	84=	119+	2-	w131+	144+	107=	b26=	w27+	b6-	5½	-0.74
36	Colin A McNab	SCO	2425m	Dundee	b66+	w57=	b127+	b13-	w76-	w92+	b44=	55+	30=	5½	-0.71
37	Philip J Morris	ENG	2385m		98+	b13-	148+	85=	103+	b12-	96+	w15-	b66+	5½	-0.13
38	Louis Roos	FRA	2360m	France	81+	b21-	w144+	b16-	w108+	b41+	11-	76+	25=	5½	+0.21
39	Richard J D Tozer	ENG	2340f	Peterborough	9+	w6-	141+	112+	7=	b21-	101+	87+	w13-	5½	+0.91
40	Alexander Volzhin	USSR	2335	Russia	103=	77+	w3-	43+	85+	16-	47+	b13-	75+	5½	-0.32
41	Timothy P Wall	ENG	2265		33-	68+	120+	w7-	b114+	w38-	100=	99+	90+	5½	-0.84
42	Andrew A Webster	ENG	2340f		b4-	110+	80=	116+	84+	24=	b18=	w6-	64+	5½	+0.42
43	Jonathan G Wilson	ENG	2210	Weybridge	121=	67=	114=	40-	141+	bye+	52-	107+	72+	5½	+0.90
44	Simon T Ansell	ENG	2255		54+	w107-	119+	46+	53=	b28-	w36=	86+	b18-	5	+1.68
45	Richard L Britton	ENG	2255f		14=	125=	134+	w107-	67=	58-	116=	136+	100+	5	-0.48
46	Douglas M Bryson	SCO	2340f		b10-	59+	90+	44-	27=	82+	b14-	71=	89+	5	-0.68
47	David J Coleman	ENG	2265	Harlow	b19-	124+	106=	91+	b33-	119+	40-	110+	59=	5	-1.02
48	John Grantley Cooper	WLS	2370m	Benfleet	74+	w5-	155+	95+	b18-	w121+	b10-	69=	57=	5	-0.70
49	Sinisa Drazic	YUG	2405m		115+	b11-	117+	83+	w34-	b79+	w20-	30-	98+	5	-0.48
50	Michael T Hennigan	ENG	2300f	London	w13-	126+	93+	31-	77+	b54+	w25+	b11-	16-	5	+0.83
51	Christopher K D Holland	ENG	2275	London	17-	147+	112-	89+	95+	w15-	69-	121+	97+	5	-0.01
52	Andrew J Ledger	ENG	2345f	Bedford	64=	157+	b15-	59+	139+	7-	43+	w18=	21-	5	-0.22
53	Alisa Maric	YUG	2420wg	Yugoslavia	73+	w10+	b6-	92+	44=	11=	w23-	90+	b20-	5	+0.08
54	Andrew D Martin	ENG	2415m	Hounslow	44-	105+	27+	w121+	b4-	w50-	90-	116+	92+	5	-1.25
55	Petr Marusenko	USSR	2305	Ukraine	w3=	118+	25-	102+	98+	b8-	81=	36-	103+	5	+0.06
56	Robin B W Moss	ENG	2285	Hastings	b24-	112=	130=	90=	99-	125=	123+	104+	105+	5	+0.14
57	Jonathan W Rogers	ENG	2245	Brentwood	32+	b36=	w1-	b155+	w28-	63-	149+	96+	48=	5	+0.50
58	Philip J Rossiter	ENG	2320f	London	w12+	17-	102=	99+	10-	45+	76=	97+	19-	5	+0.70
59	Robert F Willmoth	ENG	2205	London	122=	46-	156+	52-	123+	87-	140+	101+	47=	5	-0.35
60	Susan K Arkell->Lalic	ENG	2275wg	Derby	25=	85-	20=	132+	136=	112=	83+	81=	29-	4½	+0.22
61	Andrew Bryce	ENG	2220	Milton Keynes	104+	7=	b18-	139-	105-	124=	130+	106=	119+	4½	-0.25
62	Graham K Burgess	ENG	2275f		16+	8-	77=	136=	87=	103=	93+	31-	82=	4½	+0.63
63	Blair N Connell	ENG	(180)		82-	159+	74-	118=	91+	57+	70-	64-	110+	4½	2017
64	Nicholas A Down	ENG	2230		52=	b108-	140+	144-	148+	65-	95+	63+	42-	4½	+0.06
65	Mark Ferguson	ENG	(160)		106-	100+	82+	22-	74=	64+	27-	92=	68=	4½	2265
66	Stephen W Giddins	ENG	2260f	Chatham	w36-	b137=	w149+	b148+	w11-	b32=	w77=	b91+	w37-	4½	-0.45
67	Demis Hassabis	ENG	2285	London	34-	43=	132=	134=	45=	131+	32=	82=	71=	4½	-0.07
68	Thomas Hinks-Edwards	ENG	(151)		134=	41-	129+	80+	30=	b23-	79+	32-	65=	4½	2230
69	Christopher I Howell	ENG	(188)		155=	87-	142+	30-	117=	122+	51+	48=	w/d	4½	2218
70	Oliver A Jackson	ENG	2345	Macclesfield	88-	b29-	145+	137+	94+	96=	63+	b12-	w22-	4½	-1.44
71	Sheila Jackson	ENG	2225wm	London	110=	84-	147=	100=	90=	143=	148+	46=	67=	4½	-0.15
72	Dharshan Kumaran	ENG	2330f	Harrow	b18+	w24-	b125+	w10+	b17-	w105+	b15=	w28-	43-	4½	+0.46
73	Feliks J Kwiatkowski	ENG	2260	Haywards Heath	53-	141-	100-	150=	133+	130=	w125+	b102+	80=	4½	-0.32
74	David J Ledger	ENG	2245	Bedford	48-	132+	63+	b8-	65=	85+	w29-	77-	120+	4½	-0.56
75	Stephen C Ledger	ENG	(189)	Bedford	150+	14-	26-	105-	130+	106=	119+	127+	40-	4½	2062
76	Dr. Ingo Lentze	GER	2250		79-	136+	105+	w33=	b36+	w19-	58=	38-	84=	4½	+0.46
77	Francois Marchand	FRA			114+	40-	62=	127=	50-	94+	b66=	74+	26-	4½	2179
78	Mirjana Maric	YUG	2300wg	Yugoslavia	5-	121=	b136-	w27-	124-	133+	150+	143+	134+	4½	-0.04
79	Ali Mortazavi	ENG	2275f		76+	w19=	14=	b11=	31=	w49-	68-	83=	117+	4½	+1.20
80	Horst Niedermayr	AUT	2225	Austria	83-	142+	42=	68-	134=	113-	108+	139+	73=	4½	+0.20
81	Robert C Noyce	ENG	2245	Southampton	38-	155-	113+	130=	125+	139+	55=	60=	32-	4½	-0.60
82	Stephen R Pickles	ENG	2220	Australia	63+	9-	65-	123=	129+	46-	126+	67=	62=	4½	-0.24
83	Andrew P Smith	ENG	(197)		80+	2-	151+	49-	86-	128+	60-	79=	114+	4½	2221
84	Peter Trzaska	GER	2255	Germany	35=	71+	28-	b117+	42-	136=	98+	25-	76=	4½	+0.27
85	Rajko Vujatovic	ENG	(183)		159+	60+	b10-	37=	40-	74-	92-	140+	128+	4½	2227
86	Gerard Welling	NED	2330f	Netherlands	w11-	117=	122+	108=	83+	20-	113+	44-	88=	4½	-0.97
87	Pierre Wilde	GER	2290		6-	69+	89+	w4-	62=	59+	107+	39-	27-	4½	+0.22
88	David A Wood	ENG	2245	Chatham	70+	33-	139=	114=	b29-	116=	143+	89=	86=	4½	+0.78
89	Alastair I Armstrong	ENG	(189)		126-	109+	87-	51-	142+	149+	103=	88=	46-	4	2037
90	John M Bennett	ENG	(182)		118-	123+	46-	56=	71=	138+	54+	53-	41-	4	2200
91	Jose-Claude De Sousa	FRA			149+	25-	115=	47-	63-	109+	94+	w66-	116=	4	1993
92	Ian R Dutton	ENG	2230		108=	153=	96+	53-	32=	b36-	85+	65=	54-	4	-0.45
93	Zahiruddin Farooqui	PAK	2230		116-	146+	50-	151+	b121-	114+	62-	124+	w/d	4	-0.84
94	Simon P Finn	ENG	(201)		152+	w18-	bye+	14-	70-	77-	91-	138+	139+	4	2185
95	Iain A Galloway	ENG	(190)		139+	15-	153+	48-	51-	126=	64-	148+	107=	4	2204
96	Roger M Hutchings	ENG	(180)		100+	127-	92-	120+	128+	70=	37-	57-	99=	4	2095
97	Paul A Hutchinson	ENG	2245		8-	148-	109+	20-	137+	134+	136+	58-	51-	4	-1.88
98	Nick S Jakubovics	ENG	2245		37-	134=	150+	106+	55-	100=	84-	135+	49-	4	-1.48
99	Ralf Kotter	GER			111=	b30+	12-	58-	56+	101-	117+	41-	96=	4	2204
100	Hugues Magnier	FRA			96-	65-	73+	71=	111+	98=	41=	103=	45-	4	2255
101	Mark Quinn	IRL	2275		107-	130+	118+	w18-	119=	99+	39-	59-	106=	4	-1.44
102	Peter Ulrik Roder	DEN			20+	b12-	58=	55-	143=	117=	139=	w73-	135+	4	2056
103	Wilfried Schroeder	GER	2235		40=	143-	146+	141+	37-	62=	89=	100=	55-	4	-1.20
104	Vladimir Shtivelband	USSR			61-	149=	123=	32-	126-	147+	132+	56-	136+	4
105	Leslie J Smart	ENG	2210		145+	54-	76-	75+	61+	b72-	30-	113+	56-	4	-1.28
106	Kevin J Thurlow	ENG	(185)	Redhill	65+	28-	47=	98-	122=	75=	118=	61=	101=	4	2137
107	Christopher G Ward	ENG	2435m	Sevenoaks	101+	b44+	w21-	b45+	w9-	35=	87-	43-	95=	4	-1.62
108	Jacob Aagaard	DEN			92=	w64+	7-	86=	b38-	127-	80-	131=	152+	3½	2208
109	Richard J A Almond	ENG	(173)	St Leonards	27-	89-	97-	159+	120=	91-	152=	130=	148+	3½
110	Daniel Andersen	DEN			71=	42-	30-	133+	118+	115-	129+	47-	63-	3½	1912
111	Malcolm J Armstrong	ENG	2210		99=	26-	124+	w19-	100-	123=	114=	120-	146+	3½	-0.60
112	Frank Babar	GER			146=	56=	51+	39-	bye=	60=	127=	withdrew		3½	2288
113	Aron J Cohen	ENG	(166)		29-	138-	81-	145+	152+	80+	86-	105-	121=	3½	2176
114	Deborah M Cooper->Evans	WLS	(169)		77-	145+	43=	88=	w41-	93-	111=	137+	83-	3½	2083
115	Lawrence Cooper	ENG	2275f	Stafford	49-	129+	91=	143+	b19-	110+	withdrew			3½	-0.35
116	Neil Davey	ENG	(211)		93+	31=	9-	42-	153=	88=	45=	54-	81=	3½	2271
117	Nigel P Donovan	ENG	(184)		135+	86=	49-	w84-	69=	102=	99-	146+	79-	3½	1994
118	Yann Doornbos	FRA			90+	55-	101-	63=	110-	150+	106=	128-	124=	3½
119	Joern Galonska	GER			140+	35-	44-	126+	101=	47-	75-	147+	61-	3½	1915
120	Harry Lamb, snr	ENG	(184)		133+	16-	41-	96-	109=	140-	142+	111+	74-	3½	2101
121	David R MacDonald	ENG	(194)		43=	78=	w126+	b54-	w93+	b48-	31-	51-	113=	3½	2173
122	Robert S McFarland	ENG	(194)		59=	128-	86-	135+	106=	69-	146=	134=	126=	3½
123	Adrian O Pickersgill	ENG	(166)		143=	90-	104=	82=	59-	111=	56-	145=	151+	3½	2053
124	Neil A W Preece	ENG	(153)		148=	47-	111-	149-	78+	61=	131+	93-	118=	3½	2161
125	Mark C Rich	ENG	(191)		bye=	45=	w72-	153=	81-	56=	b73-	149=	147+	3½	2089
126	Steven J L Rix	ENG	(174)		89+	50-	b121-	119-	104+	95=	82-	129=	122=	3½
127	Werner Rottstaedt	GER	2265		28=	96+	w36-	77=	20-	108+	112=	75-	w/d	3½	-0.08
128	Erika Sziva	NED	2255wm	Hungary	1-	122+	138+	12-	96-	83-	134=	118+	85-	3½	-0.48
129	Christopher P Botham	ENG	(185)		142=	115-	68-	156+	82-	151+	110-	126=	w/d	3
130	Clive R Bowley	ENG	(179)		144=	101-	56=	81=	75-	73=	61-	109=	141=	3	2108
131	Christine Flear	FRA	2210wm		137=	32+	16-	b35-	149=	67-	124-	108=	132=	3	-0.16
132	Simon Florence	ENG	(179)		141=	74-	67=	60-	151=	146=	104-	152=	131=	3	2100
133	Michael J Gibbons	ENG	(160)		120-	139-	152=	110-	73-	78-	159=	158+	150+	3
134	Jeff A Goldberg	ENG	(180)		68=	98=	45-	67=	80=	97-	128=	122=	78-	3	2101
135	Edward R Goodall	ENG	(159)		117-	20=	32-	122-	156=	145+	138+	98-	102-	3
136	Ronald F A Harman	ENG	(185)	London	147=	76-	w78+	62=	60=	84=	97-	45-	104-	3	2163
137	Andrew H L Hon	ENG	(194)		131=	w66=	22-	70-	97-	152=	151+	114-	140=	3	2078
138	Aurelien Mathe	FRA			151-	113+	128-	147+	b26-	90-	135-	94-	149+	3
139	Joerg Patzer	GER			95-	133+	88=	61+	52-	81-	102=	80-	94-	3	2107
140	Timothy R Spanton	ENG	(156)		119-	154=	64-	146=	150=	120+	59-	85-	137=	3
141	Stephen J Willetts	SCO	(191)		132=	73+	39-	103-	43-	148-	145-	159+	130=	3	1977
142	Charles Bonati	FRA			129=	80-	69-	152=	89-	156=	120-	150-	159+	2½
143	Sarah Christopher->de Lisle	ENG	2090		123=	103+	31-	115-	102=	71=	88-	78-	w/d	2½	+0.12
144	Andrew Kitchlew	ENG	(165)		130=	152+	b38-	64+	35-	withdrew				2½	2303
145	Frank Kordonowski	GER			105-	114-	70-	113-	159+	135-	141+	123=	w/d	2½
146	Alex Lewis	ENG	(168)		112=	93-	103-	140=	147=	132=	122=	117-	111-	2½
147	Herve Magnier	FRA			136=	51-	71=	138-	146=	104-	156+	119-	125-	2½
148	Helen Milligan	SCO	2040	St Andrews	124=	97+	37-	w66-	64-	141+	71-	95-	109-	2½	-0.05
149	Richard W O'Brien	ENG	(170)		91-	104=	b66-	124+	131=	89-	57-	125=	138-	2½
150	Marcus E Osborne	ENG	(175)		75-	156=	98-	73=	140=	118-	78-	142+	133-	2½
151	John Rety	ENG	(164)		138+	b23-	83-	93-	132=	129-	137-	156+	123-	2½
152	Martin Wilke	GER	2230		94-	144-	133=	142=	113-	137=	109=	132=	108-	2½
153	Frank Parr	ENG	2315	Epsom	2=	92=	95-	125=	116=	27-	withdrew			2	+0.14
154	Iris/Irene Bourne	ENG	(115)			140=	159+							1½
155	Stephen J Pullinger	ENG	(175)		69=	81+	48-	w57-	withdrew					1½
156	Markus Schurch	SUI			157-	150=	59-	129-	135=	142=	147-	151-		1½
157	Adul Bhuiyan	BAN			156+	52-								1
158	Marc A Bryant	ENG	(132)							159+		133-		1
159	Paul Stimpson	ENG	(153)		85-	63-	154-	109-	145-	158-	133=	141-	142-	½

¹ Crouch and Sadler achieved GM norms - Crouch with a point to spare - and both also qualified for the 1992/93 Premier.
For English-resident players without a FIDE rating, their 1991/92 BCF/ECF grade is placed in brackets. It can be converted to an approximate Elo rating, thus: (BCF x 8) + 600 = Elo.

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Hastings Weekend Congress - took place January 10-12 1992. The following game may have been played in it, though we cannot be sure...

Also played at the congress or at the weekender was the following game (wrongly attributed to the Challengers on the Mega Database 2022)...

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CHESS, March 1992, p26

IM Colin Crouch reveals why he had to win the HASTINGS CHALLENGERS...

I was not originally going to write a report on the Challengers (after all, Hastings usually gets very full coverage in CHESS), but getting my first grandmaster norm with a point to spare seemed something suitably self-flattering to write about! In fact it was Matthew Sadler, moving fast towards his grandmaster title at the age of 17, who made most of the early running, winning his first six games, and maintaining his lead until the start of the final round. He slipped up at the end though, losing as Black to Tony Kosten after leaving himself a nasty hole on d5 in a Closed Sicilian. Matthew’s results in the previous eight rounds were, despite this accident, sufficient to give him both a GM norm, and (on tiebreak) a place in next year’s Premier.

Leading scores: C. Crouch (IM, England) 7½/9; M. Sadler (IM, England), A. Kosten (GM, England), M. Hebden (IM, England), I. Gurevich (IM, USA) 7.

There were two notable features about these results. Firstly, the IMs were outscoring the GMs; of the eleven GMs only Kosten, Flear and Neverov were in contention for a top place. Secondly, it was a result to warm David Norwood’s heart; the Russians (plus Ukrainians, Georgians, etc.) were kept well away from the main prizes. Can this be repeated in France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, etc.? Difficult!

The domination of the IMs, combined with the inadequacies of the top half-bottom half pairing system, had a most unfortunate side effect; at least four IMs were deprived of the chance to play for GM norms. The system being used means that on any particular score group, the higher rated players are deliberately kept apart from each other, so that in the middle rounds there is a strong bias against highly rated IMs meeting GMs. In round six, the top pairing was Hebden-Sadler; Sadler had played one GM and Hebden none at all! Given that three GM opponents are required for a GM norm to be valid, the problems this caused in later round pairings should be very clear. Hebden lost and was paired against a non-GM in round 7; his chances of a norm were gone. When Sadler drew with me in the same round, he achieved the score necessary for a norm, but still needed to play two GMs in the last two rounds. Two losses against GMs would give him a norm, but wins against an IM and a GM would be insufficient!

The round eight pairings were:

V Neverov (GM) 6 - M Sadler (IM) 6½
C Crouch (IM) 6 - G Flear (GM) 5½
I Gurevich (IM) 5½- J Howell (IM) 5½
M Hebden (IM) 5½ - S Janovsky (IM) 5½

At a stroke, three more IMs were deprived of the chance to play for a norm, the likely qualifying score being 7/9. Hebden and Gurevich would have had the most reason to feel aggrieved, as they both reached seven points. When these pairings were posted, I examined the tournament crosstable to see what the pairings would have been under the pairing system I proposed in the March 1990 British Chess Magazine. The top two pairings would have been identical, while all four IMs on 5½ would have been downfloated to 2500+ GMs on 5!

The suggested system is basically very simple. Once the top two boards have been paired, Gurevich (2495) is the highest rated unallocated player on 5½. Howell (2445) is the highest rated opponent on 5½ due the opposite colour, but there is an available opponent on 5 rated more than 80 Elo points (10 BCF points) higher than Howell, and so Gurevich plays this opponent. Hebden (2485) is the next highest rated player on 5½, and would play Howell, except that again there is a potential opponent on 5½ rated more than 80 points ahead of Howell, so again there is a downfloating. By a similar process, both Howell and Janovsky would have been downfloated to GMs on 5.

Apologies to the unstatistically minded readers for carrying on about Swiss systems, but there are few things more annoying for a norm-hunting player than to be deprived of the chance of a norm through a faulty pairing system. Perhaps some chess would be welcome? Here is my last round game against Neverov; exciting for the spectators, but inaccurate, perhaps because both players were suffering from the bug that was freely circulating in the Falaise Hall. So many players have asked me what was happening; let me try to explain.

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File Updated

Date	Notes
Previously	All 56 Premier games (undated) uploaded as part of the Hastings collection some time ago.
20 January 2025	As well as the Premier games, 128 Challengers games, 25 from other sections and a full Challengers crosstable. Colin Crouch recorded a GM norm with a round to spare in the Challengers and Matthew Sadler also made a GM norm. Both qualified for the 1992/93 Premier. I have included Colin Crouch's annotation of his win vs Neverov in the download. Many thanks to Steve Giddins for supplying details from the bulletin.
23 January 2025	Added the game N Foster 0-1 J van Mil, Challengers rd 8.
24 January 2025	Added four more games from the Challengers: (1) S Pickles 1-0 C Botham, rd 5; (2) S Pickles 1-0 S Rix, rd 7; (3) S Pickles ½-½ D Hassabis, rd 8; (4) G Burgess ½-½ S Pickles, rd 9.
3 March 2025	Added three further games from the Challengers: (1) V Neverov 1-0 S Conquest (rd 6); (2) M Rich 0-1 F Kwiatkowski (rd 7); (3) F Kwiatkowski 1-0 P Roder (rd 8). I have also added the game B Cafferty 1-0 S Macdonald-Ross to the above text as it was probably played in the weekend event which followed the main congress (10-12 January 1992). The game already appears in the Cafferty file. I've also included in the above text the score of another game whose section has yet to be identified - R Harman 1-0 M Rich.