English chess prodigies continue tradition of toppling established stars

At Brighton in 1977 a 12-year-old Nigel Short beat Jonathan Penrose in round three of the national title contest, and more than a quarter of a century earlier Penrose, as a 16-year-old, defeated Efim Bogolyubov at Southsea in 1950.

David Bronstein, watching Short’s Brighton game, likened the youngster’s rook infiltration via the fifth rank after move 40 to José Capablanca’s approach against Aron Nimzowitsch at New York 1927; Penrose said he disliked his position from the opening, offered an early draw which Short declined, and Short went on to win in 41 moves. The writer recalled drawing easily with the black pieces against Bogolyubov in round two and being complimented in Harry Golombek’s Times report before Bogolyubov’s loss overshadowed that praise.

The English Championships are producing fresh examples of upset and close competition: after six rounds (of nine) the leaders were GM Gawain Maroroa Jones and IM Jonah Willow on 5 points, with GM Michael Adams, IM Marcus Harvey, GM Neil McDonald and GM Danny Gormally on 4.5. Adams and Jones met in round five and quickly agreed a draw.

At the 2026 British Championship the young Bodhana Sivanandan defeated grandmaster Ameet Ghasi; that game received the best game prize for its strategic depth. Sivanandan is also entered for other upcoming events on the calendar.

England’s 12-year-old Supratit Banerjee is in Stockholm bidding for his first GM norm; the Sutton Grammar schoolboy, already England’s second youngest IM, began well in a closed tournament that includes three grandmasters and seven title aspirants, beating Ireland’s Tarun Kanyamarala in the third round before suffering successive defeats.

Hastings, which will stage its 100th edition starting on 28 December, and past congresses have produced upset results: in 1970 the then little-known student Martyn Corden defeated former world champion Vasily Smyslov. Organisers have announced participation this year from three young 2500-rated grandmasters: Brewington Hardaway (2509) US, Nikoloz Petriashvili (2522) Georgia and Leonardo Costa (2555) Germany.

4048: 1…Rh1+! 2 Bxh1 Qh5 3 Kg2 Qh2+ 4 Kf3 Qxf2+ 5 Kxg4 Be6+ 6 Kh5 Qh2+ 7 Kg6 Qh6 mate.

The domestic calendar turns quickly: the English Championships reach their final rounds this weekend; the XTX Markets London Classic will be played at Hammersmith from 24 November to 6 December, with Sivanandan entered for the Fide Swiss; and the Hastings congress begins its centenary edition on 28 December.