This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Eight world champions have won first prize at Hastings in the world's longest running tournament, launched in 1895 and held annually since 1919. Nowadays most top grandmasters prefer to play in winter for big money at the London Classic, Wijk aan Zee, Moscow and Gibraltar, but Hastings holds its niche and is kept alive and well by Hastings borough council and volunteer organisers.

The list of previous winners includes many names from Russia and Eastern Europe, and this week the fastest rising chess power also made its mark. The top-seeded Wang Yue, 24, is China's No2, is ranked in the world top 50, and was nearly 100 points ahead of his nearest Hastings rival in the ratings.

The GM from Tianjin won the £2,000 first prize unbeaten. His play is replete with strategic subtleties, and he carried too much guile in his games with England's best hopes David Howell and Nick Pert.

Significantly, Wang Yue's main challenge came from the young Indians who also took top honours at last year's Hastings. The world champion Vishy Anand has inspired a generation who often launch their international careers in UK events. Babu Lalith and Sundar Shyam, both 19, are little known but they were joint second on 7/9, half a point behind Wang Yue.

Wang Yue's round-two win showed his logical approach, though his opponent missed a key chance. Black chose the Dutch 1...f5, so Wang Yue reacted by a plan to control the weakened central dark squares. However 12 Nf3?! (12 c4) could have been met by 16...f4! 17 gxf4 Nxd4 18 Qxd4 Qxd4 19 exd4 Nh5 with good counterplay.

When Black chose to stay passive, Wang Yue's 19 a3! opened up the board, White attacked on a broad front and Black's defences collapsed. Black resigned in the face of Be8 31 Rxf5! or Bc8 31 Nxb5 gaining material.

Wang Yue v P Simacek

1 Nf3 f5 2 d4 Nf6 3 g3 e6 4 Bg2 d5 5 b3 Bd6 6 Ba3 Bxa3 7 Nxa3 c5 8 O-O Qa5 9 Qc1 cxd4 10 Nxd4 Qc5 11 Qb2 O-O 12 Nf3?! Nc6 13 e3 b5 14 Nd4 b4 15 Nb1 Bd7 16 Rc1 Rac8? 17 c4 Na5 18 Nd2 Qd6 19 a3! e5 20 N4f3 dxc4 21 Nxc4 Nxc4 22 bxc4 e4 23 Nd4 bxa3 24 Rxa3 Rc7 25 Qa2 Ra8 26 Ra5 g6 27 Bf1! Kg7 28 c5 Qe7 29 c6 Kh6 30 Qa1 1-0

The most eye-catching Indian win was this Mikhail Tal-style crush where Shyam demolishes a French GM's premature queen side push. White's energetic 10 c4! 14 Bd1! and 16 Ne6! create a decisive attack. At the end if Bxd5 22 Rc1 wins easily.

S Shyam v R Edouard

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 Qc7? 7 h3 b5? 8 Nd5! Nxd5 9 exd5 Bb7 10 c4! bxc4 11 Qa4+ Qd7 12 Qxc4 g6 13 Be2 h5 14 Bd1! Qd8 15 Ba4+ Nd7 16 Ne6! Rc8 17 Qb4 fxe6 18 Bb6 a5 19 Qxa5 Rc5 20 Bxd8 Rxa5 21 Bxa5 1-0

3235 1 f3! If Bxf3 2 Bh4+ Ke8 3 d7+ wins. If Be6 2 g4 and Rh3 3 Kg2 or Rh6 3 Bg5 trap the rook.