Harriet Hunt
Encyclopedia
Harriet Vaughan Hunt is an English chess player
and four times British Ladies' champion.
At 16, she made her debut for the English Ladies Olympiad Team. Her result at the event included a draw
with future Ladies World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova
.
Her performances at the World Youth Chess Championship
s included a bronze at Under-14 level (Duisburg
, 1992) and silver from the Cala Galdana Under-18 event of 1996.
Between 1995 and 1999 she was British Ladies Champion four times.
Then in 1997, she won the World Girls' (Under-20) Championship
in Żagań
, at the end of a "year out" between school and her Plant Science studies at Cambridge University. In Pula
the same year and by then a Woman International Master, she scored 5/7 on board 2 at the European Team Championship
and this contributed to the English Ladies Team third place finish and a team bronze medal. 1997 was also the year that Hunt was invited by chess organiser Johan Zwanepol to compete at the Groningen Open Grandmaster tournament. Zwanepol had been an arbiter at her Zagan victory and was keen to see further progress. Her result of 6/11 was probably as good as could be expected in such a strong competition (the entry included over 30 grandmasters
headed by Mikhail Gurevich
, Jaan Ehlvest
, Tony Miles
, Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
, Suat Atalık
, Sergei Tiviakov
etc.).
By 1999, Hunt had attained the title of Woman Grandmaster and at the Batumi
European Team Championship played board 1, returning a 7/9 performance to win the individual gold medal.
She was awarded the International Master title in 2000, the same year that she graduated with a B.A. from St. John's College. Pursuing an academic career, she commenced a Ph.D. and Research Fellowship at Cambridge, specialising in archaeogenetics
, a subject allied to her degree. In July of that year, her chess reached a new career high when an Elo rating of 2454 placed her at 16th in the World's top 100 women. In 2001, she led the English ladies once more to the European Team Championship (in León, Spain
) and again returned with a team bronze medal.
At the 2004 Chess Olympiad
in Calvià
, she narrowly missed out on a medal after scoring 9.5/13, for a rating performance of 2558, including a notable victory over Humpy Koneru.
Good results were also forthcoming in individual competition, including international tournaments at London (Agency), Cappelle-la-Grande
, Berlin (Summer Festival), Stockholm
(Rilton Cup) and Hastings
. She regularly matched the performances of male Grandmasters at these events and occasionally defeated them. She has two younger brothers, Adam, who is also an International Master of chess and Laurence, a cognitive neuroscientist.
Hunt has been a Cambridge team member at the annual Varsity (Oxford vs Cambridge) match - historically the world's longest running series of matches. At the millennium event, she contested an all-girl pair-up with former World Girls (Under-18) Champion, Ruth Sheldon. The game was originally slotted as a board 2 encounter, but its elevation to top board brought the match increased publicity and a unique place in the history of the event. Their individual game finished a hard fought draw, but Cambridge went on to win the match by the narrowest of margins.
In regular University team competition she has represented Jesus College
Chess Society in the highest student league. The team shared first place in the 2005/06 season, losing only to Emmanuel College
, and Hunt scored 100% on top board. At a national level, she plays in the 4NCL
, representing Betsson.com
in the 2006/7 and 2007/08 seasons and more recently, Pride and Prejudice. In Germany, she has played in the (Ladies) Bundesliga
.
Having completed her Doctorate, Harriet Hunt is currently employed by Cambridge University as a Research Associate at the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research. Less active as a chess player, she nevertheless manages to maintain a high rating, preserving her status as England's top woman player and holding a regular place in the world's top 50 women.
In 2008, she participated at the Stockholm Ladies Open, held in Täby
, a northern municipality. The event was described by Hunt as one of the largest and best funded women's tournaments of all time and she performed well, finishing on 6½/9, a half point behind overall winner Anna Muzychuk
, who she defeated in their personal encounter in round 6.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
and four times British Ladies' champion.
Biography
A high profile player from an early age, she won five British Junior Girls titles between 1989 and 1991. Even more significant was her (1991) share of the British Junior Under-14 title, when she became the first girl to compete victoriously in the Boys/Open section of the national championships.At 16, she made her debut for the English Ladies Olympiad Team. Her result at the event included a draw
Draw (chess)
In chess, a draw is when a game ends in a tie. It is one of the possible outcomes of a game, along with a win for White and a win for Black . Usually, in tournaments a draw is worth a half point to each player, while a win is worth one point to the victor and none to the loser.For the most part,...
with future Ladies World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova
Antoaneta Stefanova
Antoaneta Stefanova is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster, and a former Women's World Chess Champion. She became the twelfth holder of that title in 2004 in a 64-player knockout tournament held in Elista, Kalmykia under the auspices of FIDE....
.
Her performances at the World Youth Chess Championship
World Youth Chess Championship
The World Youth Chess Championship is a chess competition for girls and boys under the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.The first predecessor of the youth championship was the Cadet Championship. It started off unofficially in 1974 in France for players under 18. The 1975 and 1976 editions were also...
s included a bronze at Under-14 level (Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
, 1992) and silver from the Cala Galdana Under-18 event of 1996.
Between 1995 and 1999 she was British Ladies Champion four times.
Then in 1997, she won the World Girls' (Under-20) Championship
World Junior Chess Championship
The World Junior Chess Championship is an under-20 chess tournament organized by the World Chess Federation ....
in Żagań
Zagan
Zagan may refer to:*Zagan - a demon in the Ars Goetia*Żagań - a town in west Poland...
, at the end of a "year out" between school and her Plant Science studies at Cambridge University. In Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
the same year and by then a Woman International Master, she scored 5/7 on board 2 at the European Team Championship
European Team Championship
The European Team Championship is an international team chess event, eligible for the participation of European nations whose chess federations are located in zones 1.1 to 1.9...
and this contributed to the English Ladies Team third place finish and a team bronze medal. 1997 was also the year that Hunt was invited by chess organiser Johan Zwanepol to compete at the Groningen Open Grandmaster tournament. Zwanepol had been an arbiter at her Zagan victory and was keen to see further progress. Her result of 6/11 was probably as good as could be expected in such a strong competition (the entry included over 30 grandmasters
International Grandmaster
The title Grandmaster is awarded to strong chess players by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain....
headed by Mikhail Gurevich
Mikhail Gurevich (chess player)
Mikhail Naumovich Gurevich is a Soviet chess player. He lived in Belgium from 1991 to 2005 and since then resides in Turkey....
, Jaan Ehlvest
Jaan Ehlvest
Jaan Ehlvest Jaan Ehlvest Jaan Ehlvest (born 14 October 1962 is a chess player, who was awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE in 1987 and was named Estonian sportsman of the year in 1987 and 1989...
, Tony Miles
Tony Miles
Anthony John Miles was an English chess Grandmaster.- Early achievements in chess :Miles was born in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham...
, Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu is a Romanian chess grandmaster. His peak FIDE rating was 2707 in October 2005, when he was ranked fifteenth in the world, and the highest ranked Romanian player ever...
, Suat Atalık
Suat Atalik
Suat Atalık is a Grandmaster of chess. As of the July 2009 FIDE rating list, he is ranked number 165 in the world and number two in Turkey, behind Mikhail Gurevich....
, Sergei Tiviakov
Sergei Tiviakov
Sergei Tiviakov is a naturalised Dutch chess Grandmaster.Tiviakov won the Dutch Chess Championship in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, in Plovdiv, he won the European Individual Chess Championship with 8.5/11....
etc.).
By 1999, Hunt had attained the title of Woman Grandmaster and at the Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
European Team Championship played board 1, returning a 7/9 performance to win the individual gold medal.
She was awarded the International Master title in 2000, the same year that she graduated with a B.A. from St. John's College. Pursuing an academic career, she commenced a Ph.D. and Research Fellowship at Cambridge, specialising in archaeogenetics
Archaeogenetics
Archaeogenetics, a term coined by Colin Renfrew, refers to the application of the techniques of molecular population genetics to the study of the human past. This can involve:*the analysis of DNA recovered from archaeological remains, i.e...
, a subject allied to her degree. In July of that year, her chess reached a new career high when an Elo rating of 2454 placed her at 16th in the World's top 100 women. In 2001, she led the English ladies once more to the European Team Championship (in León, Spain
León, Spain
León is the capital of the province of León in the autonomous community of Castile and León, situated in the northwest of Spain. Its city population of 136,985 makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for more than one quarter of the province's population...
) and again returned with a team bronze medal.
At the 2004 Chess Olympiad
Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
in Calvià
Calvià
Calvià is a municipality on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located in the southwestern part of the island of Majorca, between the Serra de Tramuntana and the Serra de Na Burguesa. The municipal seat is the town of Vila Calvia.Calvià...
, she narrowly missed out on a medal after scoring 9.5/13, for a rating performance of 2558, including a notable victory over Humpy Koneru.
Good results were also forthcoming in individual competition, including international tournaments at London (Agency), Cappelle-la-Grande
Cappelle-la-Grande
Cappelle-la-Grande is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is very close to Dunkirk.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, Berlin (Summer Festival), Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(Rilton Cup) and Hastings
Hastings International Chess Congress
The Hastings International Chess Congress is an annual chess congress which takes place in Hastings, England, around the turn of the year. The main event is the Hastings Premier tournament, which was traditionally a 10 to 16 player round-robin tournament. In 2004/05 the tournament was played in the...
. She regularly matched the performances of male Grandmasters at these events and occasionally defeated them. She has two younger brothers, Adam, who is also an International Master of chess and Laurence, a cognitive neuroscientist.
Hunt has been a Cambridge team member at the annual Varsity (Oxford vs Cambridge) match - historically the world's longest running series of matches. At the millennium event, she contested an all-girl pair-up with former World Girls (Under-18) Champion, Ruth Sheldon. The game was originally slotted as a board 2 encounter, but its elevation to top board brought the match increased publicity and a unique place in the history of the event. Their individual game finished a hard fought draw, but Cambridge went on to win the match by the narrowest of margins.
In regular University team competition she has represented Jesus College
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
Chess Society in the highest student league. The team shared first place in the 2005/06 season, losing only to Emmanuel College
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
, and Hunt scored 100% on top board. At a national level, she plays in the 4NCL
4NCL
4NCL is an acronym, standing for Four Nations Chess League; the four nations being England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The league is however truly international, with players from as many as 27 different countries taking part....
, representing Betsson.com
Betsson
Betsson Malta Ltd. is an online gambling company that offers online poker, online casino, scratch cards, exchange betting and sports betting. The company is headquartered in Malta and owned by the OMX listed public company Betsson AB.- History :...
in the 2006/7 and 2007/08 seasons and more recently, Pride and Prejudice. In Germany, she has played in the (Ladies) Bundesliga
Chess Bundesliga
The term Chess Bundesliga , normally refers to the premier league of team chess in Germany. It is arguably the strongest and longest running league of its kind, attracting many top grandmasters from Europe and beyond....
.
Having completed her Doctorate, Harriet Hunt is currently employed by Cambridge University as a Research Associate at the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research. Less active as a chess player, she nevertheless manages to maintain a high rating, preserving her status as England's top woman player and holding a regular place in the world's top 50 women.
In 2008, she participated at the Stockholm Ladies Open, held in Täby
Täby
Täby is a trimunicipal locality and the seat of Täby Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden, with 58,593 inhabitants in 2005. It is also partly located in Danderyd Municipality and Sollentuna Municipality...
, a northern municipality. The event was described by Hunt as one of the largest and best funded women's tournaments of all time and she performed well, finishing on 6½/9, a half point behind overall winner Anna Muzychuk
Anna Muzychuk
Anna Olegivna Muzychuk is a chess player with a FIDE rating of 2528 . She earned the title of Woman Grandmaster in 2004 and the title of International Master in 2007. In 2004 she became a member of the Slovenian chess federation, where she is the strongest female chess player...
, who she defeated in their personal encounter in round 6.
Sample games
- Koneru-Hunt, 0-1, Calvia Olympiad, 2004. Black skillfully out-manoeuvres her highly-rated opponent on the queenside, obtaining a lasting advantage and a winning ending.
- Cramling-Hunt, 0-1, Womens Chess Cup, Dresden, 2006. Black's understanding of the positional requirements, combined with queenside pressure creates insurmountable problems for a player rated 100 Elo points higher.
- Hunt-Muzychuk, 1-0, Stockholm Ladies Tournament, 2008. White's provocative central and kingside play exposes the Black kingKing (chess)In chess, the king is the most important piece. The object of the game is to trap the opponent's king so that its escape is not possible . If a player's king is threatened with capture, it is said to be in check, and the player must remove the threat of capture on the next move. If this cannot be...
, with lethal consequences.