99th Hastings International Chess Congress - Masters

SwissStandard

111 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 28 Dec 2025 to 02 Jan 2026 in Hastings, England. 42 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2467, and top seed was Pierre Laurent-Paoli (🇫🇷 FRA, GM, 2539).

Alex Golding (🇬🇧 ENG, IM, 2370) won with 7.0/9, ahead of Alexander Kovchan (7.0) and Marius Deuer (6.5). Golding won on tie-break after catching the field in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 6: Reyansh Saxena (1641) beat Bert Both (2102), a +461-point gap.

Location

🇬🇧Hastings, England

Dates

28 Dec 2025 → 02 Jan 2026

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇫🇷GMPierre Laurent-Paoli2539

Avg top 10

2,467

Participants

111

Titled players · 42

GM×8

IM×10

FM×9

CM×9

WFM×5

WCM×1

Federations · 8 represented

🇬🇧England×66

🇬🇧Wales×4

🇩🇪Germany×4

🇰🇷South Korea×4

🇱🇹Lithuania×3

🇳🇱Netherlands×3

🇫🇷France×3

🇳🇴Norway×3

Top 3

🥇
IMAlex Golding
🇬🇧ENG·2370
7.0pts·2545perf+21.3
🥈
GMAlexander Kovchan
🇺🇦UKR·2447
7.0pts·2566perf+13.7
🥉
GMMarius Deuer
🇩🇪GER·2475
6.5pts·2538perf+9.0

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Tight race until R9; 2 players tied at 7.0/9, decided on Buchholz. Title race narrowed from 4 co-leaders at R4 to 2 at the finish.

Co-leaders

Kovchan7Golding7Hagner6.5Deuer6.5Ghimpu6.5Vaidyanathan6

R9 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

2 players finish on 7.0/9. Golding takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (46.5).

R1–R3 · WIN STREAK

IM Bennet Hagner won 3 in a row (R1–R3).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMAlexander Kovchan	*	—	—	1
2IMAlex Golding	—	*	—	0
3IMBennet Hagner	—	—	*	½
4GMMarius Deuer	0	1	½	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Golding, AlexIM	2370	ENG	+110B	−3N	+23B	+47N	=8B	+15N	+5B	=7N	+11B	7.0	46.5	47.0	34.50	2545	+21.3
2	Kovchan, AlexanderGM	2447	UKR	+61N	+19B	−6N	=15B	+42N	+41B	=7N	+9B	+3B	7.0	44.5	48.5	36.75	2566	+13.7
3	Deuer, MariusGM	2475	GER	+45N	+1B	=10N	+11B	=4N	+29B	=6N	+16B	−2N	6.5	49.0	53.5	37.25	2538	+9.0
4	Hagner, BennetIM	2451	GER	+48N	+27B	+16N	=6B	=3B	=5N	+10B	=11N	=14B	6.5	47.5	52.0	36.50	2546	+12.0
5	Ghimpu, Samuel-TimoteiIM	2428	ROU	+28N	+41B	=7N	+9B	=6N	=4B	−1N	+42B	+17N	6.5	46.5	51.0	34.75	2520	+11.8
6	Kaasen, Tor FredrikIM	2471	NOR	+13B	+18N	+2B	=4N	=5B	=10N	=3B	=8N	=7B	6.0	50.5	56.0	37.25	2540	+8.6
7	Plat, VojtechGM	2461	SVK	+71B	+14N	=5B	=8N	=27B	+30N	=2B	=1B	=6N	6.0	48.5	52.5	33.75	2485	+3.5
8	Laurent-Paoli, PierreGM	2539	FRA	+42N	+17B	=9N	=7B	=1N	+18B	−11N	=6B	+28N	6.0	47.0	51.5	33.00	2488	-4.4
9	Kuru, AtillaIM	2449	TUR	+57B	+30N	=8B	−5N	+13B	+21N	=12B	−2N	+31B	6.0	47.0	51.5	32.00	2451	+1.2
10	Wang, Hao(ZJ)IM	2426	CHN	+25B	+52N	=3B	=12N	+19B	=6B	−4N	=31N	+46B	6.0	45.5	50.0	31.75	2408	+0.5
11	Williams, Simon KGM	2434	ENG	+44B	=79N	+21B	−3N	+33B	+46N	+8B	=4B	−1N	6.0	45.5	49.0	30.50	2409	-0.4
12	Gordon, Stephen JGM	2465	ENG	=34N	+35B	+56N	=10B	=18N	=17B	=9N	+41B	=13N	6.0	43.5	48.0	31.00	2420	-4.2
13	Vaidyanathan, AdithyaFM	2189	ENG	−6N	+33B	+85N	=17B	−9N	+72B	+50N	+18B	=12B	6.0	42.0	45.0	27.25	2349	+75.6
14	Kalavannan, KobyFM	2275	ENG	+37N	−7B	+77N	−19B	+43N	+80B	=56N	+29B	=4N	6.0	40.5	44.0	27.00	2299	+8.6
15	Grutter, TimIM	2397	NED	=23N	+34B	+79B	=2N	=41N	−1B	+22N	=28B	=16N	5.5	45.0	48.5	27.75	2327	-6.2
16	Sulskis, SarunasGM	2475	LTU	+31B	+20N	−4B	=30N	+45B	=27N	+19B	−3N	=15B	5.5	44.5	49.0	28.25	2404	-7.1
17	Gormally, Daniel WGM	2396	ENG	+65B	−8N	+44B	=13N	+85B	=12N	=31B	+27N	−5B	5.5	43.0	46.0	25.00	2343	-4.1
18	Badacsonyi, StanleyFM	2317	ENG	+43B	−6B	+75N	+63N	=12B	−8N	+25B	−13N	+44B	5.5	42.5	46.0	25.00	2303	+0.8
19	Hobson, KennethFM	2264	ENG	+68B	−2N	+64B	+14N	−10N	+85B	−16N	=43B	+51N	5.5	41.5	44.5	23.75	2278	+6.2
20	Mazur, StefanIM	2392	SVK	+32N	−16B	+28N	−27B	−29N	+38B	+96N	+26B	=22N	5.5	41.5	44.0	25.75	2193	-17.6
21	Demac, Elias	2230	NOR	=77N	+50B	−11N	+66B	+32N	−9B	−28N	+80B	+52N	5.5	38.5	42.0	23.25	2229	+0.4
22	Liu,Yiyi	1791	CHN	+53B	−43N	+86B	−35N	+73B	+23N	−15B	+61N	=20B	5.5	38.0	41.0	23.25	2181	+166.8
23	Verbin, ValentinaWFM	2122	MDA	=15B	=24N	−1N	+72B	+89N	−22B	+84N	=79B	+42N	5.5	38.0	41.0	21.25	2191	+18.4
24	Skytte, RasmusIM	2354	DEN	=76N	=23B	=32N	−41B	+38N	=96B	+62N	=44B	+43N	5.5	36.5	39.0	24.00	2163	-18.8
25	Blanquet, CamilleWFM	2132	FRA	−10N	=74B	+96N	−29B	+95N	+67B	−18N	+72B	+41N	5.5	34.5	37.0	18.75	2144	+4.2
26	Lee, Younggyu	1892	KOR	=49B	=98N	−31B	+99N	+64B	=79N	+34B	−20N	+88B	5.5	33.0	35.5	19.75	2132	+69.8
27	Balaji, AaravamudhanIM	2270	ENG	+64B	−4N	+43B	+20N	=7N	=16B	=29N	−17B	=32N	5.0	43.5	47.5	24.75	2306	+9.6
28	Adams, Henry	2159	ENG	−5B	+95N	−20B	+53N	+47B	=49N	+21B	=15N	−8B	5.0	42.5	45.0	22.00	2267	+21.8
29	Ward, Cian	1947	ENG	+99B	−44N	+54B	+25N	+20B	−3N	=27B	−14N	=45B	5.0	42.0	44.5	22.75	2196	+103.2
30	Southcott-Moyers, IndyFM	2266	ENG	+51N	−9B	+46N	=16B	+48N	−7B	=57N	=32B	=37N	5.0	41.0	45.5	23.50	2265	-0.4
31	Saunders, Aron	2201	ENG	−16N	−75B	+26N	+52B	+77N	+84B	=17N	=10B	−9N	5.0	40.0	43.0	22.25	2225	+6.4
32	Hill, Alistair	2104	ENG	−20B	+97N	=24B	+74N	−21B	+92N	=35B	=30N	=27B	5.0	38.0	40.5	19.25	2191	+20.6
33	Herzwurm, Robert	2047	GER	+78N	−13N	+87B	+84B	−11N	=57B	−42N	=36B	+62N	5.0	36.5	39.5	18.25	2066	+3.4
34	Kapechun, MikhailoCM	2184	UKR	=12B	−15N	=70B	F	+63N	+89B	−26N	+73N	+49B	5.0	36.0	36.0	20.00	2119	-9.2
35	Sivanandan, BodhanaFM	2229	ENG	F	−12N	=73B	+22B	=50N	+102B	=32N	=51B	+58N	5.0	35.5	35.5	20.75	2167	-22.0
36	Eldridge, Albert	1781	ENG	−39B	+111N	=53B	=64N	=55B	=68N	=65B	=33N	+73B	5.0	34.5	35.0	17.00	2047	+119.2
37	Rida, RuqayyahWFM	2068	ENG	−14B	=62N	+81B	−85N	=74B	=95N	+78B	+47N	=30B	5.0	33.0	35.5	19.00	2004	-26.8
38	Ashton, AlannahWCM	1983	ENG	=54B	=87N	+101B	−45N	−24B	−20N	+86B	+88N	+61B	5.0	33.0	35.0	15.75	2077	+36.8
39	Gorskovs, Andrejs	1920	ENG	+36N	=61B	−76N	−51B	−92N	+98B	=69N	+63B	+66N	5.0	32.0	34.5	19.50	1973	+23.2
40	Barbu, Simon-Alexandru	2051	ROU	−41N	−45B	=67N	+100B	+97N	−62B	=89N	+94B	+95N	5.0	28.0	30.5	14.00	1995	-13.2
41	Martin, NilsFM	2222	FRA	+40B	−5N	+52B	+24N	=15B	−2N	+76B	−12N	−25B	4.5	45.5	49.0	21.25	2267	+19.2
42	Bryant, HarryCM	2207	ENG	−8B	=68N	+55B	+73N	−2B	+47N	+33B	−5N	−23B	4.5	43.0	46.5	19.50	2176	-16.8
43	White, Stuart A	2072	SCO	−18N	+22B	−27N	+67B	−14B	+53N	+87B	=19N	−24B	4.5	41.5	44.5	19.75	2103	+7.0
44	Yoon, Jacob DCM	2165	ENG	−11N	+29B	−17N	+58B	−46B	+70N	+60B	=24N	−18N	4.5	41.0	45.0	20.75	2153	-2.8
45	Finn, PeterCM	2200	ENG	−3B	+40N	=47N	+38B	−16N	=74B	−80N	+85B	=29N	4.5	38.5	41.5	19.50	2082	-27.0
46	Verbytski, Oleg	2039	ENG	+67N	+71N	−30B	=56B	+44N	−11B	F	+48B	−10N	4.5	38.5	38.5	19.25	2262	+87.6
47	Vaddhireddy, Sai	1960	ENG	+69N	+57N	=45B	−1B	−28N	−42B	+81N	−37B	+92B	4.5	38.0	41.0	17.25	2043	+18.0
48	Zhang, JunyiCM	2172	ENG	−4B	+102N	=63B	+70N	−30B	+55N	=49B	−46N	=80B	4.5	36.5	38.5	16.50	2077	-39.2
49	Williams, Tony	0	ENG	=26N	=105B	−58N	+94B	+66N	=28B	=48N	=57B	−34N	4.5	36.0	37.5	17.50	2045	0.0
50	Clarke, Connor	2058	ENG	=56B	−21N	=107B	+83N	=35B	+88N	−13B	=59N	=54B	4.5	36.0	37.0	15.75	2037	-2.8
51	Tudoroiu, Razvan-Catalin	2063	ROU	−30B	−63N	+97B	+39N	−79B	+100N	+54B	=35N	−19B	4.5	35.0	37.5	17.00	2041	-5.0
52	Skytte, RobertCM	2050	DEN	+107B	−10B	−41N	−31N	+78B	=59N	+83B	+91N	−21B	4.5	35.0	36.0	12.75	2079	+11.2
53	Turner, Lewis A	1945	ENG	−22N	+69B	=36N	−28B	=91N	−43B	+77N	+89B	=65N	4.5	34.5	37.5	16.50	1947	0.0
54	Sow, MiaoGeng Malcolm	1842	SGP	=38N	=80B	−29N	−82N	+104B	+66B	−51N	+90B	=50N	4.5	33.0	34.5	15.00	1975	+31.6
55	Rayner, Francis	1983	WLS	=83N	+93B	−42N	=61B	=36N	−48B	=63N	=69B	+72N	4.5	32.5	35.5	16.50	1953	-8.0
56	Ashton, Adam GFM	2247	ENG	=50N	+76B	−12B	=46N	+68B	+65N	=14B	F	F	4.5	32.5	32.5	19.00	2258	+3.0
57	Manmay ChopraCM	2170	IND	−9N	−47B	+105N	+96B	+75B	=33N	=30B	=49N	F	4.5	32.5	32.5	14.75	2151	-2.8
58	Kilambi, Venkata Ananth Akshay	2038	ENG	−62B	=91N	+49B	−44N	=59B	=83N	+92B	+74N	−35B	4.5	32.0	35.0	16.25	1896	-60.4
59	Pai, Sidhanth	1842	ENG	+82N	−96B	−66N	=90B	=58N	=52B	+102N	=50B	=76N	4.5	30.0	32.0	15.50	2032	+88.8
60	Kim, ChanghoonCM	1874	KOR	=86B	−73N	−83B	+101N	+110N	=61B	−44N	=71B	+75B	4.5	27.5	28.0	11.50	2036	+35.8
61	Janse, Jan Jaap	2170	NED	−2B	=39N	=62B	=55N	+70B	=60N	+85N	−22B	−38N	4.0	39.5	42.5	16.00	1929	-53.2
62	Siddharth, Gopakumar	1864	ENG	+58N	=37B	=61N	=76B	−65B	+40N	−24B	=68N	−33B	4.0	37.0	40.5	17.75	2057	+41.8
63	Hu, Junyan	1862	ENG	+66N	+51B	=48N	−18B	−34B	−76N	=55B	−39N	+86B	4.0	36.5	39.5	16.00	2036	+74.8
64	Bharat Kumar, Balahari	2068	ENG	−27N	+88B	−19N	=36B	−26N	=69B	=93N	=67B	+90N	4.0	35.0	38.0	14.00	1888	-79.2
65	Burrows, Martin P	2117	ENG	−17N	=72B	=74N	+78B	+62N	−56B	=36N	F	=53B	4.0	34.0	34.0	15.75	1995	-23.8
66	Woods, Yannick	2023	IRL	−63B	+99N	+59B	−21N	−49B	−54N	+100B	+87N	−39B	4.0	33.5	36.0	12.50	1901	-51.2
67	Freeman, Luke	1867	ENG	−46B	+104N	=40B	−43N	+86B	−25N	−73B	=64N	+98B	4.0	32.5	34.0	11.50	1949	+37.2
68	Patel, Zain	2058	ENG	−19N	=42B	+72N	=89B	−56N	=36B	+97N	=62B	F	4.0	32.5	32.5	14.25	2005	-21.2
69	Saxena, Advik	1806	ENG	−47B	−53N	+104B	−97N	+108B	=64N	=39B	=55N	=74B	4.0	30.0	31.0	11.00	1865	+27.2
70	Dewangan, Aayush	1981	ENG	=93N	+83B	=34N	−48B	−61N	−44B	F	+98N	+91B	4.0	29.5	29.5	12.50	2002	+8.0
71	Brewer, Callum D	2175	ENG	−7N	−46B	−89N	+93B	+105N	F	=95B	=60N	+78B	4.0	28.5	28.5	11.50	1968	-39.0
72	Rubeck, Jonathan	1913	ENG	+92B	=65N	−68B	−23N	+81B	−13N	+75B	−25N	−55B	3.5	36.5	39.5	12.00	1928	+2.0
73	Kendall, Arthur	2000	ENG	=84N	+60B	=35N	−42B	−22N	=97B	+67N	−34B	−36N	3.5	36.5	39.0	13.75	1881	-59.6
74	Rastogi, Nayan Keats	1939	ENG	+101B	=25N	=65B	−32B	=37N	=45N	F	−58B	=69N	3.5	34.5	34.5	13.50	1989	+18.0
75	ONUOHA, Obioma	2056	NGR	−79N	+31N	−18B	+88B	−57N	=90B	−72N	+84B	−60N	3.5	32.5	35.5	12.50	1946	-26.0
76	Brown, Thomas	2082	WLS	=24B	−56N	+39B	=62N	F	+63B	−41N	F	=59B	3.5	32.0	32.0	16.00	2045	-6.6
77	Varney, ZoeWFM	2053	ENG	=21B	=107N	−14B	+81N	−31B	−87N	−53B	=99N	+106B	3.5	31.0	32.0	9.00	1900	-32.8
78	Swiatkowski, Dominik	1874	ENG	−33B	+92N	=110B	−65N	−52N	+105B	−37N	+81B	−71N	3.5	30.5	31.0	8.25	1904	+9.2
79	Lau, Lut Yin LukeCM	2243	HKG	+75B	=11B	−15N	F	+51N	=26B	F	=23N	F	3.5	30.5	30.5	16.50	2218	-1.4
80	Ortiz Sanchez, Luis	2007	WLS	=87B	=54N	+98B	F	F	−14N	+45B	−21N	=48N	3.5	30.5	30.5	13.00	2053	+7.6
81	Saxena, Reyansh	1641	ENG	=105N	+90B	−37N	−77B	−72N	+110B	−47B	−78N	+84N	3.5	27.5	28.0	7.25	1872	+83.2
82	Sciupokas, Arunas	1990	LTU	−59B	−101N	+93N	+54B	−84N	−91B	F	=83N	+87B	3.5	26.0	26.0	12.00	1793	-43.2
83	Vaidyanathan, Sathya	1842	ENG	=55B	−70N	+60N	−50B	=90N	=58B	−52N	=82B	−94N	3.0	33.0	36.0	12.25	1857	+6.4
84	Swiatkowski, Aram	1843	ENG	=73B	=86N	+102B	−33N	+82B	−31N	−23B	−75N	−81B	3.0	32.5	34.5	8.75	1887	+7.8
85	Fryer, David W	1902	ENG	+104B	+110N	−13B	+37B	−17N	−19N	−61B	−45N	F	3.0	32.5	32.5	7.00	2041	+21.8
86	Balzer, Lars	2026	GER	=60N	=84B	−22N	=91B	−67N	=93B	−38N	+104B	−63N	3.0	32.0	33.5	8.25	1723	-71.4
87	Ratcliffe, James	1845	ENG	=80N	=38B	−33N	−102N	+101B	+77B	−43N	−66B	−82N	3.0	31.0	33.0	9.75	1874	+12.0
88	Oh, Sejun	1695	KOR	+111B	−64N	=95B	−75N	+94N	−50B	=90N	−38B	−26N	3.0	31.0	31.5	6.25	1844	+57.6
89	Shankar, Yashwardhan	1886	SCO	−109N	+108B	+71B	=68N	−23B	−34N	=40B	−53N	F	3.0	30.0	30.0	9.50	1906	+2.0
90	Chapman, Luke	1976	ENG	=98B	−81N	=91B	=59N	=83B	=75N	=88B	−54N	−64B	3.0	29.0	31.5	9.75	1725	-116.0
91	Ruane, Brendan J	1857	ENG	−102B	=58B	=90N	=86N	=53B	+82N	F	−52B	−70N	3.0	29.0	29.0	11.00	1917	+11.4
92	Wilson, Matthew R	1772	ENG	−72N	−78B	F	+111N	+39B	−32B	−58N	+97B	−47N	3.0	29.0	29.0	8.00	1861	+15.6
93	Venkatesh, Anuj	1825	ENG	=70B	−55N	−82B	−71N	+106B	=86N	=64B	=100N	F	3.0	26.5	26.5	7.75	1873	+14.0
94	Gibson, Christopher A	1887	ENG	F	F	F	−49N	−88B	+104N	+101B	−40N	+83B	3.0	19.0	19.0	6.50	1893	+1.4
95	Norinkeviciute, RasaWFM	1904	LTU	+108N	−28B	=88N	F	−25B	=37B	=71N	F	−40B	2.5	31.0	31.0	7.00	1902	-2.6
96	Dupuis, Denis K	2045	ENG	F	+59N	−25B	−57N	+98B	=24N	−20B	F	F	2.5	30.5	30.5	9.75	2059	-0.8
97	Anjulan, Ashwin	1876	ENG	+106N	−32B	−51N	+69B	−40B	=73N	−68B	−92N	F	2.5	30.0	30.0	6.75	1789	-36.4
98	Gupta, Aditya	1808	ENG	=90N	=26B	−80N	=105B	−96N	−39N	+106B	−70B	−67N	2.5	29.0	30.0	6.00	1741	-32.8
99	Prince, Alan R	1803	ENG	−29N	−66B	+106N	−26B	−100N	F	F	=77B	+101N	2.5	23.5	23.5	4.75	1778	-6.2
100	Napolitano, Domenico	1863	ENG	F	F	F	−40N	+99B	−51B	−66N	=93B	+104N	2.5	20.5	20.5	5.50	1858	-2.0
101	Butt, Laurence	1790	ENG	−74N	+82B	−38N	−60B	−87N	=103B	−94N	=106N	−99B	2.0	27.0	28.0	5.00	1642	-32.4
102	Byron, Alan M	2022	ENG	+91N	−48B	−84N	+87B	F	−35N	−59B	F	F	2.0	23.0	23.0	6.00	1839	-29.0
103	Wheeler, James M	1846	ENG	F	+106B	F	F	F	=101N	=104B	F	F	2.0	4.5	4.5	2.75	1828	-1.2
104	Halas, Kim Aleksander	1729	NOR	−85N	−67B	−69N	+106B	−54N	−94B	=103N	−86N	−100B	1.5	26.0	27.0	2.00	1575	-32.2
105	Sadler, Ben	1882	ENG	=81B	=49N	−57B	=98N	−71B	−78N	F	F	F	1.5	22.5	22.5	5.25	1693	-24.4
106	Siddhartha Shankar Srivastava	1589	IND	−97B	−103N	−99B	−104N	−93N	=108B	−98N	=101B	−77N	1.0	19.5	20.5	1.50	1473	-18.4
107	Wall, Tim PFM	2219	ENG	−52N	=77B	=50N	F	F	F	F	F	F	1.0	12.5	12.5	4.00	1929	-23.0
108	Jacobs, Simon	1749	ENG	−95B	−89N	=111B	F	−69N	=106N	F	F	F	1.0	11.0	11.0	0.75	1577	-20.6
109	Lee, Ain	1666	KOR	+89B	F	F	F	F	F	F	F	F	1.0	3.0	3.0	3.00	2686	+31.2
110	Both, Bert	2102	NED	−1N	−85B	=78N	F	−60B	−81N	F	F	F	0.5	21.5	21.5	1.75	1578	-58.6
111	Binks, Michael	1898	WLS	−88N	−36B	=108N	−92B	F	F	F	F	F	0.5	12.0	12.0	0.50	1427	-45.8

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Liu,YiyiCHN
+166.8
5.5 pts · #22
2Eldridge, AlbertENG
+119.2
5.0 pts · #27
3Ward, CianENG
+103.2
5.0 pts · #26

Top rating losers

1Chapman, LukeENG
-116.0
3.0 pts · #89
2Bharat Kumar, BalahariENG
-79.2
4.0 pts · #63
3Balzer, LarsGER
-71.4
3.0 pts · #83

Biggest upsets

R6+461 Elo gap
Saxena, Reyansh1641 beat Both, Bert2102
R5+445 Elo gap
Ward, Cian1947 beat IMMazur, Stefan2392
R8+379 Elo gap
Liu,Yiyi1791 beat Janse, Jan Jaap2170