Hastings International Chess Congress - Summer Congress

Summer Congress

#	Year	Winner
1	1895	Harry Nelson Pillsbury (USA)
2	1919	José Raúl Capablanca (Cuba)
3	1922	Alexander Alekhine (France)
4	1995	Suat Atalık (Turkey)

Hastings 1895 is considered one of the greatest tournaments in the history of chess. It was one of the first tournaments to include all the top players, including former World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz and current champion Emanuel Lasker, Mikhail Chigorin, Siegbert Tarrasch, Karl Schlechter, Joseph Henry Blackburne, David Janowski, and others. The result of the 22-game round-robin was a surprise, as American Harry Nelson Pillsbury won with 16.5 points despite playing in his first international tournament.

The Hastings 1919 "Victory Tournament" was the first international tournament held in an allied country after World War I. The field was chiefly British, but the tournament was dominated by Cuban José Raúl Capablanca (soon to be World Champion) and Yugoslav grandmaster Borislav Kostić. Capablanca won 10.5/11 without a loss, drawing only his game to Kostić who placed second with 9.5. George Alan Thomas and Frederick Yates tied for 3rd-4th with 7 points.

Hastings 1922 was a double round-robin with Alexander Alekhine, Akiba Rubinstein, Efim Bogoljubov, Siegbert Tarrasch, George Alan Thomas, and Frederick Yates. Capablanca and Lasker had been invited but were unable to attend. The tournament featured a slower time control than had been usual in England—17 moves per hour instead of 20 moves per hour. The outcome wasn't decided until the final round. Bogoljubov lost all his games against tournament leaders Alekhine and Rubinstein. Rubinstein needed a final round victory over Thomas to tie for first with Alekhine, but achieved only a draw to fall a half point short. Alekhine won with 7.5, Rubinstein was second with 7, and Bogoljubow and Thomas tied for third-fourth with 4.