Hastings, Sussex, where William the Conqueror defeated England's Harold, is now a sleepy shore resort where the Norman horns are echoed only by the snorings of retired British colonels. Nonetheless, Hastings acknowledges its past with an appropriate tradition. There, every winter, the chess masters of the world face each other across their tiny polished armies in England's most important tournament. By last week, each of the ten masters invited to Hastings had played nine matches, one against each opponent, and the tournament was over. Like Harold, England's hope, Sir George Thomas had been...
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