Hastings International Congress

The oldest recurring international tournament still running. Every World Champion from Capablanca to Anand has played here. Vera Menchik lived in Hastings, making it a special place in women's chess history too.

The Christmas Tournament

First held in 1920, the Hastings Congress became the traditional post-Christmas gathering of the chess world. Players and fans would descend on the English seaside town between Christmas and New Year for a week of elite chess. The tournament ran continuously (except during World War II) until the 2020s, making it the longest-running international chess tournament in history.

Capablanca played here. So did Flohr, Keres, Botvinnik, Gligoric, and nearly every other major figure in 20th century chess. The list of Hastings winners reads like a who's who of chess history. The tournament declined in prestige in the 2000s as super-tournaments with larger budgets drew the top players, but it retains its charm and historical significance.