Hawke's Bay chess champs have got game

Justin Wang came first in the Junior grade of the 9th Hawke's Bay Rapid competition held in Greenmeadows, Napier, on Saturday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay Chess Inc seems to have made all the right moves recently, with an increased number of competitors taking part in this year's Hawke's Bay Rapid competition.

President Mike Earle said he had been very pleased with the Saturday turnout of 46 entrants - a big increase on the 29 competitors at last year's event.

"It's reflective of a renewed interest in chess which followed Covid-19 and also the TV series called the Queen's Gambit."

Hawke's Bay Chess Inc. president Mike Earle was pleased with the increased turn out at the 9th Hawke's Bay Rapid chess tournament on Saturday. Photo / Paul Taylor

A faster style of chess, each player is given only 25 minutes to play all their moves, with five seconds added to the player's clock for each move played.

He said the event went "very well".

The only nationally rated chess event in Hawke's Bay, it gives locals a chance to take on some serious chess players without leaving the region, he said.

This year's competition included chess legends Vivian Smith, a Women FIDE Master who has represented New Zealand at many Chess Olympiads, and Jasmine Zhang, who is a young Women's International Master.

Felix Xie, 13, came second in the A grade category for players with a chess rating of more than 1800. Photo / Paul Taylor

Earle was particularly impressed with 13-year-old prodigy and current New Zealand Rapid Champion Felix Xie, who placed second in the A Grade behind "another very talented fellow", Daniel Gong.

Those competing in the A grade have a rating of more than 1800 and were described as "the strong players" by Earle.

"We had 10 very good players in the A grade but the biggest category was the B grade."

The B grade title was taken out by Briene Membrere and the Junior grade, for those under 20, by Justin Wang.

Jasmine Haomo and Daniel Hanwen make their moves in the 9th Hawke's Bay Rapid competition on Saturday in Greenmeadows. Photo / Paul Taylor