It is with great regret that the Chairman, sponsors Caplin Systems and Hastings Borough Council, and the organisers of the Caplin 96th Hastings International Chess Congress have decided that the event should be cancelled. The decision has been taken on the grounds that the new Covid variant is spreading rapidly, and that it would be negligent to allow a large number of people to mix together in a confined space for ten or more days. Other events have already cancelled.
The demographic of Hastings players includes people of all ages from this country and overseas. Should another lockdown occur there could be travel problems for players returning home and even more should any become affected by Covid, It is difficult to keep up to date with the medical and government advice which not only differs from day to day but also from country to country.
Further information will be posted on the website and we will be contacting entrants individually where possible. Refunds of entry fees will be dealt with in due course.