1929/30 (10th) Hastings Premier, 27 December - 4 January, Hastings Town Hall

1929/30 Hastings Premier		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	José Raúl Capablanca	CUB	&;	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	6½
2	Milan Vidmar Sr	YUG	½	&;	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	5½
3	Fred Dewhirst Yates	ENG	½	½	&;	½	½	1	½	½	0	1	5
4	Geza Maroczy	HUN	½	½	½	&;	½	½	½	½	½	½	4½
5	Sir George Alan Thomas	ENG	0	½	½	½	&;	½	1	1	0	½	4½
6	Sandor Takacs	HUN	½	½	0	½	½	&;	0	½	1	1	4½
7	Edward Guthlac Sergeant	ENG	0	0	½	½	0	1	&;	1	½	1	4½
8	William Winter	ENG	½	0	½	½	0	½	0	&;	1	1	4
9	Vera Menchik	ENG	0	½	1	½	1	0	½	0	&;	0	3½
10	Hubert Ernest Price	ENG	0	½	0	½	½	0	0	0	1	&;	2½

BCM, February 1930, ppn 45-57

HASTINGS XMAS CONGRESS.

The tenth annual Christmas Congress, organised by the Hastings and St. Leonards Club, was opened on the evening of December 27th by the Mayor, Councillor F. M. Russell Davies, supported by the members of the Corporation, with Messrs. A. F. Kidney and E. A. Lewcock representing the local chess club.

This and subsequent photos are from The Graphic, Saturday 4 January 1930

In welcoming the fine array of home and foreign competitors, the Mayor alluded to the good number of lady players and
made a neat hit when he said that nowadays even the essential congress notice, “Silence, please,” was no deterrent to the fair sex.

On behalf of the club Mr. Kidney extended a warm hospitality to both players and visitors and at his suggestion a message of sympathy was carried to Mr. H. E. Dobell, whose illness prevented attendance at the congress for which he had done so much.

After a few preliminary instructions from Mr. Lewcock, the able director of the congress, play in all the ten tournaments began and a very gratifying feature was that in no section was there any change from the personnel given in the official programme.

Naturally, the exceptionally strong entry in the Premier Tournament aroused great interest and accounted for the goodly concourse of spectators each day. Señor Capablanca, ex-champion of the world, Dr. Milan Vidmar, reputed to be the “strongest amateur in the world,” Herr Geza Maroczy, to whom Hastings is almost a “hometown,” and A. Takacs, who made a great name for himself at the previous Hastings Congress, made up the foreign contingent, with six of the best British players completing the entry, namely, Sir G. A. Thomas, F. D. Yates, W. Winter, E. G. Sergeant, H. E. Price, and Miss Vera Menchik, the woman champion of the world, whose long residence in Hastings makes her British by adoption at any rate.

Of such a galaxy of talent much was expected, but to tell the truth, little was forthcoming; on the whole, the play in the Premier Tournament was distinctly dull and lifeless. Out of forty-five games no fewer than twenty-five were drawn and many of these at an unusually early stage—about twenty moves. Nothing could surpass the excellent arrangements made by the congress authorities to ensure the welfare of the competitors, and to them and to the chess public the general outcome of the Premier Tournament must have been very disappointing.

Promoters and followers alike want sporting contests—brighter or harder games—not just an elaborated opening which can be found in the text-books. One can excuse a player who is building up a reputation for adopting “safety first” tactics, or even a master to whom a draw or two is sufficient to ensure a place in the prize-list, but to masters whose reputation is safe little praise is due for such a big proportion of more or less premeditated draws.

The way in which the spectators deserted the masters’ arena to watch Tylor’s brilliant game against Koltanowski spoke volumes. Play, not personalities, may become “the writing on the wall.’’ The summary of play given on page 48 tells its own tale.

The actual tournament record is, therefore: Games played, 45; won, 10; drawn, 25; lost, 10—the percentage of draws being 55.5%.

Maroczy’s personal score of nine unbroken draws is, so far as a quick research reveals, an absolute record of its kind; but in fairness to him it must be stated that he played hard on several occasions to gain a victory.

Capablanca, as expected, kept victory in hand all along. He was never in danger of defeat but bigger efforts by some of the other competitors in their individual games might have made it necessary for the famous ex-champion to pick up one or two more points.

Dr. Vidmar took second prize with 2 wins and 7 draws, but there was nothing very impressive in the performance. He added a touch of gallantry to his game against Miss Menchik by making a pretty symmetrical position when he found the draw to be inevitable. One of the exciting episodes of the tournament was Vidmar’s game against Winter. The latter resigned on the 17th move under the subsequently discovered misapprehension that he was losing a piece immediately, in a variation which Dr. Vidmar had prepared for, but was unable to use at Carlsbad. Winter would no doubt have lost in any case, but he was again the victim, as at Ramsgate against Sultan Khan, of hallucination.

Of the British players Yates alone had a better score than some of the foreign masters, and he fully deserved third prize. He did well to draw with Capablanca, Dr. Vidmar and Maroczy, and to score a very clever win against Takacs, but spoilt his chances of an even higher place by an unexpected loss to Miss Menchik.

The quadruple tie for fourth prize between Maroczy, Takacs, Sir George Thomas and Sergeant, was rather remarkable for such a small tournament, but the two British players well merited their share of the honours. Both started the tournament in very promising fashion, Sir George drawing with Dr. Vidmar and Sergeant drawing with Yates. Both also had games in which “the clock” played a decisive part. In a time scramble against Miss Menchik the former lost sufficient material to enforce his resignation, and in the game between Sergeant and Takacs the Hungarian player’s flag actually fell. Sergeant was loth to take the win but, of course, the rules left him no option in the matter.

Edward Guthlac Sergeant

Winter’s best achievement was his well-earned draw against Capablanca. He had, perhaps, more than his share of bad luck, as in addition to his premature resignation against Dr. Vidmar he had the misfortune to transpose opening moves against Sir George Thomas and collapsed in twelve moves—the shortest game of the tournament.

Although Miss Menchik finished near the bottom she probably played the best chess of her career. Her game against Capablanca might have been drawn, Dr. Vidmar was fully extended also, and to actually win against Sir George Thomas and Yates justifies Capablanca’s own words concerning the woman champion, "It is remarkable how well she plays." That is praise, indeed, but Miss Menchik deserves it for the keenness and staying power which marked most of her games.

William Winter

Price took the "wooden spoon" but, not being of the "drawing-master" temperament or type he took risks, losing points perhaps but not popularity. He plays the sporting game all through with no eye on the score-board, and more chess of this kind is desirable, especially when no great honour or prizes are at stake.

1929/30 Hastings Premier Reserves

1929/30 Hastings Premier Reserves		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	George Koltanowski	&;	0	½	½	1	1	1	1	1	½	6½
2	Theodore Henry Tylor	1	&;	1	½	0	½	½	1	1	1	6½
3	Salo Flohr	½	0	&;	1	1	1	0	0	1	1	5½
4	Josef Rejfir	½	½	0	&;	1	0	½	1	1	1	5½
5	Ludwig Rellstab	0	1	0	0	&;	1	1	1	1	½	5½
6	C Hugh O'D Alexander	0	½	0	1	0	&;	0	½	½	1	3½
7	Edward Mackenzie Jackson	0	½	1	½	0	1	&;	0	0	½	3½
8	Daniel Noteboom	0	0	1	0	0	½	1	&;	1	0	3½
9	Milan Vidmar jnr	0	0	0	0	0	½	1	0	&;	1	2½
10	(William) Arthur Winser	½	0	0	0	½	0	½	1	0	&;	2½

The Premier Reserves section provided very keen and interesting play, only 11 games out of the 45 being drawn, and most of these were well fought. A very strong foreign entry, including G. Koltanowski, who played in the Premier Tournament last year, foreshadowed little hope for the home players, but T. H. Tylor, the old Oxford University player and now a Fellow of Balliol College, showed splendid form and narrowly missed being the clear winner. His success was most popular and, incidentally, he supplied the most brilliant game of the whole congress against Koltanowski, who shared first place with him. The Belgian expert went wrong in his favourite defence—Philidor’s—and Tylor brought off a grand double sacrifice resulting in a fine win. Strangely enough, Tylor himself adopted the same defence against Rellstab the very next day and went to pieces in almost equally dramatic fashion.

Much was expected of Salo Flohr in view of his recent success at Rogatska-Slatina where he took second prize after Rubinstein and ahead of such famous players as Maroczy, Takacs, Sämisch, Canal and Grünfeld. This was his first appearance in England. Though he only shared third prize with Rejfir, also of Prague, and Rellstab, of Berlin, there is no doubt that Flohr is a player with a future. He is only twenty-two years of age and has being playing chess for about five years. His board perception is remarkably quick as he showed in the lightning and rapid transit tournaments.

Rejfir and Rellstab are also young players, in fact this section was the most youthful of any, a feature to which Capablanca, with an eye on future champions perhaps, drew attention at the farewell meeting.

C. H. O’D. Alexander, the Cambridge University top board, made a very creditable score considering it was his first trial against continental experts and finished level with E. M. Jackson, the well-known Sussex player, and D. Noteboom, the young Dutchman, who is now a familiar figure at English tournaments.

Dr. Vidmar’s son seems to have made his debut in too high a circle, as he finished at the bottom with W. A. Winser, a young Hastings player, but both showed promising ability.

1929/30 Hastings Major A

1929/30 Hastings Major A		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Salo Landau	&;	1	0	0	1	1	1	1	½	1	6½
2	Leonard Illingworth	0	&;	1	½	1	1	½	1	½	½	6
3	Heinz Multhaup	1	0	&;	0	½	0	1	1	1	1	5½
4	(Francis) Percival Wenman	1	½	1	&;	1	0	½	0	½	½	5
5	Harold Brown	0	0	½	0	&;	½	½	1	1	1	4½
6	Erwin Kipke	0	0	1	1	½	&;	1	0	1	0	4½
7	William John Berryman	0	½	0	½	½	0	&;	½	½	1	3½
8	Alfred Mortlock	0	0	0	1	0	1	½	&;	0	1	3½
9	Hans Otto Schmidt	½	½	0	½	0	0	½	1	&;	½	3½
10	Emil Leidl	0	½	0	½	0	1	0	0	½	&;	2½

In the Major A group several strong foreign players were competing. and it was quite expected that S. Landau would win the first prize, but he had a little fright in the last round when H. Multhaup beat him in a long-drawn out game. He also lost to P. Wenman, the Yorkshire county player. L. Illingworth played steadily right through, losing only one game to Landau, and well deserved second place. There was not much to choose between the remaining players and on the whole the British representatives did quite well in this section.

1929/30 Hastings Major B

1929/30 Hastings Major B		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Philip Ashley Ursell	&;	1	1	1	1	1	½	1	1	½	8
2	Alan Hamilton Crothers	0	&;	0	1	1	½	1	½	1	1	6
3	Rev. Alan Maurice Ewbank	0	1	&;	0	½	1	½	1	½	1	5½
4	Leslie Edward Vine	0	0	1	&;	1	½	½	1	½	1	5½
5	Ferenc Safran	0	0	½	0	&;	1	0	1	1	1	4½
6	(Alfred) Rupert Neale Cross	0	½	0	½	0	&;	1	0	1	1	4
7	Capt. Arthur Edward Dickinson	½	0	½	½	1	0	&;	0	½	1	4
8	Alfred Dudley Barlow	0	½	0	0	0	1	1	&;	½	0	3
9	George Clifford Brown	0	0	½	½	0	0	½	½	&;	1	3
10	George W Powell	½	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	&;	1½

P. Ursell, of Birmingham, proved much too good for the other competitors in the Major B section, and this success, following good performances at Ramsgate and elsewhere, should ensure his promotion to a higher class next time. A. H. Crothers, the old Oxford University player, fell off a little towards the end but just secured second prize. The Rev. A. M. Ewbank, who has just left London for Bath, tied for third prize with L. Vine of Bridgwater. Rupert Cross, the blind boy, did quite well and had the honour of defeating his headmaster, G. C. Brown, of Worcester College for the Blind.

Blind player Rupert Cross playing Leslie Vine

1929/30 Hastings First Class A

1929/30 Hastings First Class A		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	George Wright	&;	1	½	1	0	½	1	1	1	1	7
2	Richard William Barnes Clarke	0	&;	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	6
3	Miss Minnie Musgrave	½	½	&;	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	6
4	Albert H Hart	0	½	1	&;	0	1	1	0	1	1	5½
5	Cyril Maxwell	1	½	0	1	&;	0	0	1	½	1	5
6	Henry Edmund Tudor	½	½	0	0	1	&;	½	1	0	1	4½
7	Edward Buddel Puckridge	0	0	1	0	1	½	&;	0	0	1	3½
8	Miss Emily Eliza Abraham	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	&;	1	0	3
9	Rev. Charles Fenton Bolland	0	0	0	0	½	1	1	0	&;	0	2½
10	H J Kemp	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	&;	2

G. Wright, of York, an experienced tournament player, carried off the honours in First Class A, with R. W. B. Clarke, a promising Cambridge University player and an old Christ’s Hospital boy, sharing second place with Miss Musgrave of Hastings, whose success was very popular. Fourth place was taken by A. H. Hart, but C. Maxwell, of London, had hard lines in not at least sharing the position. He was the only player to beat the first prize-winner.

1929/30 Hastings First Class B

1929/30 Hastings First Class B		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Max Demby	&;	½	½	1	1	1	½	1	½	1	7
2	W Barker	½	&;	0	1	½	1	½	½	½	1	5½
3	Arthur John Adrian Goetzee	½	1	&;	0	1	0	1	½	1	½	5½
4	Sydney Meymott	0	0	1	&;	1	0	1	1	0	1	5
5	J H Wise	0	½	0	0	&;	½	1	1	1	1	5
6	Willington Lucette Wakefield	0	0	1	1	½	&;	1	0	½	½	4½
7	C Baan	½	½	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	1	4
8	S Kaali	0	½	½	0	0	1	0	&;	1	1	4
9	Hon. Arthur James Beresford Lowther	½	½	0	1	0	½	0	0	&;	1	3½
10	Mrs Amy Eleanor Wheelwright (née Benskin)	0	0	½	0	0	½	0	0	0	&;	1

In the First Class B section S. Meymott, of Ealing, appeared almost certain of first prize when he had to retire from the last few rounds owing to a family bereavement. His only serious rival was M. Demby and, unfortunately, these two did not meet, leaving M. Demby an easy winner of the chief prize. W. Barker, the Midlander, tied for second and third prize with A. J. A. Goetzee, a local player and thus Meymott finished just outside the prize list after leading up to the time of his retirement. Mrs. Wheelwright, who did very well in the Women’s championship at Ramsgate, was much below form, but this was largely due to recent indisposition and consequent advice to take things easily.

1929/30 Hastings First Class C

1929/30 Hastings First Class C		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Eustace Neville Fox	&;	1	1	1	1	½	1	½	½	1	7½
2	Maj. Edgar Montague-Jones	0	&;	1	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	6
3	George Dallimore Self	0	0	&;	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	6
4	Charles Henry Taylor	0	0	0	&;	1	1	1	½	1	1	5½
5	Miss M Andrews	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	1	1	0	4
6	Samuel Frederick Dalladay	½	1	1	0	0	&;	½	0	0	1	4
7	Hon. Frederick Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	0	1	0	0	0	½	&;	1	½	½	3½
8	Alfred Herman Reeve	½	0	0	½	0	1	0	&;	½	1	3½
9	Miss Olga Menchik	½	0	0	0	0	1	½	½	&;	½	3
10	Leonard Stanley Hanson-Powter	0	0	0	0	1	0	½	0	½	&;	2

The First Class C section contained several players well known because of their official association with important organisations namely, Hon. F. G. Hamilton-Russell, treasurer of the B.C.F., Major Montague Jones, treasurer of the S.C.C.U., G. D. Self, the Sussex secretary, and L. S. Hanson-Powter, the congress publicity manager. The first prize went to E. N. Fox who was easily the best player in the section, and by a good win in the last round G. D. Self managed to share second and third prizes with Major Montague Jones. Curiously enough Miss Olga Menchik occupied the same position in this section as her more famous sister did in the Premier Tournament, but with half a point less.

1929/30 Hastings Second Class

1929/30 Hastings Second Class		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Alfred John Friend	&;	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	½	1	7½
2	C Lewis	0	&;	1	1	½	1	1	0	1	1	6½
3	F M Turner	1	0	&;	0	1	1	1	1	1	0	6
4	T Moody	0	0	1	&;	1	0	½	1	1	0	4½
5	Herbert William Tidball	0	½	0	0	&;	1	1	1	0	1	4½
6	H N Collins	0	0	0	1	0	&;	½	1	1	½	4
7	Capt. Hugh Windsor Fiesch Heneage	0	0	0	½	0	½	&;	1	1	1	4
8	Edmund Rice Pigrome	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	3
9	Ernst Hermann Albert Behrndt	½	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	&;	1	2½
10	M Winser1	0	0	1	1	0	½	0	0	0	&;	2½

¹ I'm wondering if this was a BCM/press release misprint for 'Mrs Winser' in which case it could be Ena Florence Winser (née Hazelden, 1906-2000) who was the wife (m. 1928) of leading Hastings player (William) Arthur Winser. Ena Winser played in the 1930/31 Hastings Congress.

1929/30 Hastings Third Class A

1929/30 Hastings Third Class A		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Leonard Rex Bodley Scott	&;	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	8
2	R Crouch	0	&;	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	7½
3	Miss Drummond	0	0	&;	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	6
4	Douglas Andrew Breach	1	½	0	&;	1	0	0	1	0	1	4½
5	John E Coleman	0	0	0	0	&;	½	1	1	1	1	4½
6	Mrs Florence Jane Fish	0	0	1	1	½	&;	1	0	0	1	4½
7	L Banks	0	0	0	1	0	0	&;	1	1	1	4
8	W F Freeman	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	&;	1	1	3
9	W Howgrave	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	&;	1	3
10	Cyril Herbert Breach	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	0

1929/30 Hastings Third Class B

1929/30 Hastings Third Class B		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Mrs Pauline Peckar	&;	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9
2	J S Wilson	0	&;	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	8
3	Mrs Clara Margaret MacVean (née Sanders)	0	0	&;	1	½	0	1	1	1	1	5½
4	Miss Marian J McCombie	0	0	0	&;	0	1	1	1	1	1	5
5	Stanley H Hanson-Powter	0	0	½	1	&;	0	1	½	1	1	5
6	George Shoesmith	0	0	1	0	1	&;	½	1	½	1	5
7	Mrs Helen Muriel Cobbold (née Blagg)	0	0	0	0	0	½	&;	1	1	1	3½
8	C Scrivener	0	0	0	0	½	0	0	&;	½	1	2
9	Thomas Gasson	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	½	&;	½	1½
10	Leslie J Message	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	&;	½

The results of the two Lightning Tournaments were as follows. First Tournament—(1) Rev. A. M. Ewbank; (2) S. Flohr; (3) P. Wenman; (4) D. Noteboom. Second Tournament—(1) S. Flohr; (2) L. Rellstab; (3) J. Rejfir; (4) E. G. Reed. The rapid tournament resulted as follows: (1) S. Flohr; (2) R. W. B. Clarke; (3) H. Multhaup; (4) H. J. Kemp. Flohr thus won two firsts and a second in these events.

Geza Maroczy gave a simultaneous exhibition and out of 27 games played he won 18 and drew 9.

The farewell gathering was presided over by the Mayor, who said that the Corporation of Hastings now regarded the congress as one of the regular attractions of the municipality and assured the promoters of future interest and help.

The prizes were presented by Lady Margaret Hamilton-Russell and additional éclat was given to the ceremony by the formal handing over to Miss Vera Menchik of the handsome cup which Lady Margaret has given to the F.I.D.E. as a permanent trophy for the women’s championship of the world.

In making the presentation Lady Margaret gave all the credit for the cup and its inception to her husband and announced that he had also promised six gold medals as personal mementoes for the holders, though it is hardly likely that Miss Menchik will want more than one—with many inscriptions! The reigning woman champion received a great ovation when she accepted the cup, of which she is the first holder.

Señor Capablanca and Geza Maroczy thanked the Mayor and Corporation and the Hastings Club, on behalf of the competitors, for the excellent arrangements made for the congress, and the memorable gathering closed with a well-deserved presentation to Miss Lewcock, the most obliging and efficient keeper of the congress records.

The best congress “joke” was provided by a well-known London daily which in one of its reports included the following astounding item: "Maroczy drew with Yates and Ruy Lopez."

There were quite enough draws in the Premier Tournament without resurrecting poor old Ruy Lopez, who lived in the sixteenth century, to add another!

Appended are a few interesting positions from the chief tournaments. Pride of place must be given to T. H. Tylor’s brilliant combination against his chief rival, Koltanowski, the critical moves only being given.

---

File Updated

Date	Notes
18 June 2021	First upload of 25/45 Premier games as separate file. (Previously uploaded as part of zipped file of 1920s Hastings games)
12 December 2022	Still the 25 Premier games, but now with 18 games from subsidiary events, 1 part-game, crosstables, reports and photos.
14 December 2022	Added three games and two part-games: (1) Rejfir 1-0 Vidmar jnr (Prem Res); (2) Rejfir 1-0 Rellstab (Prem Res, part-game); (3) Kipke 0-1 Mortlock (Major A, part-game); (4) Schmidt 1-0 Mortlock (Major A); (5) Safran 1-0 Cross (Major B). Many thanks to Brian Denman and Ulrich Tamm for the games.
16 December 2022	Added the game A.Wheelwright 0-1 S.Kaali (First Class B) which Ulrich Tamm submitted, for which many thanks.
18 December 2022	Score corrections applied: (1) Takacs-Maroczy (rd 1); (2) Capablanca-Thomas (rd 2); (3) Sergeant-Price (rd 3); (4) Price-Capablanca (rd 5); (5) Menchik-Yates (rd 5). My thanks to Andy Ansel for help with this.
01 January 2024	Added one game: G.Koltanowski ½-½ J.Rejfir, Premier Reserves, rd 6. Many thanks to Andy Ansel.
11 March 2024	Michael Kühl has sent some additional sources for four games. In the case of Safran-Cross there are two additional half-moves and a different final move in Noteboom-Flohr. Rellstab-Tylor and Kipke-Schmidt are the other two games with additional source details. Many thanks to Michael.