16-Year-Old Student Wins Memorial Tournament Held In His Coach's Honour
There are moments when the chess community really feels like a family. In England, the past week has been just one of those times.
Two events held days apart have brought together players to remember two important figures in the English game that died last year: GM Jonathan Hawkins aged 42 and IM Adam Hunt aged 44. Both gone far too soon.
Hawkins was a two-time British Champion and author who died from a rare form of cancer just before Christmas. His death came as a shock to many. Hunt, an author too and known for his commentary, also died from cancer after a nine-year battle against the condition.
Hunt's sister IM Harriet Hunt is also a well-known player on the UK scene, and England's number-four in the women's chess rankings.
On April 11, friends and family of Hawkins—including his wife, Angela—gathered for a tournament named for him, the Jonathan Hawkins Memorial Rapidplay held in Newcastle City Library, in the grandmaster's native North-East.
There was no big prize on offer. Reputations weren't on the line. But one of England's most promising young talents, and a former student of Hawkins, 16-year-old FM Stanley Badacsonyi did claim an impressive victory.
Badacsonyi delivered a perfect 6/6 score, finishing clear first ahead of a chasing pack on five points. Among the field was GM Danny Gormally, a North East-based player and friend of Hawkins.
It wasn't about a tournament win, however.
Players had travelled from across the UK, from London to Edinburgh, to remember a figure who had left a lasting mark on British chess before his death.
At a reception in the city's Jesmond area, Badacsonyi's brother Frankie spoke of Hawkins' enduring influence: it would remain, he said, in every thoughtful move and every hard-fought game.
It was the fitting end to an event that was full of love.
Following that, this weekend the English chess community gathered for another event honouring both Hunt and Hawkins.
The English Chess Federation (ECF) organised a 24-hour charity chess marathon, which the great and good of English chess came out to support, to raise money for the UK-based charity Macmillan Cancer Support.
A total of 378 players took part and 5365 games were played with commentary from the likes of 11-year-old WGM Bodhana Sivanandan, IM Jovanka Houska and GM Danny King.
Marathon Chess Event
The winner was FM Harry Bryant with 117/130 games, the untitled Tristan Cox second and IM Alex Golding third. The event raised more than £2,000.
Yuri Krylov, the ECF's Home Chess Development Director, said: "We are delighted to report the amount raised. This achievement reflects a truly collective effort, and it is impossible to name everyone who contributed."
FM Tim Wall, a friend of both Hawkins and Hunt, told World Chess: "The North East chess community was keen to support the ECF's MacMillan fundraiser for Jonathan Hawkins and Adam Hunt, that’s why myself, Nathan Ekanem from Jonathan’s hometown Consett and Peter Harker, a close friend of Jonathan’s since his teenage years, took part in the commentary today.
"This came a week after we organised the Jonathan Hawkins Memorial Rapidplay in Newcastle, which attracted 60 players and welcomed Angela, Jonathan’s wife, Karen, Jonathan’s mum, and other family members as our guests.
"The event was held on April 11 at Newcastle City Library. And also raised funds for Cancer Research UK. We were particularly proud to welcome two of Jonathan’s students, Stanley and Frankie Badacsonyi from London.
"And Frankie made a very moving speech about how much Jonathan had inspired him. It was an emotional day for everyone there - to honour the North East’s first. British Champion. Who was universally loved in the chess community."
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