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Jonathan Mestel
J Mestel 
 

Number of games in database: 852
Years covered: 1972 to 2025
Last FIDE rating: 2449
Highest rating achieved in database: 2540
Overall record: +353 -216 =275 (58.1%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 8 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Sicilian (141) 
    B92 B58 B83 B90 B56
 French Defense (37) 
    C09 C03 C18 C00 C02
 Ruy Lopez (35) 
    C85 C77 C72 C80 C78
 Sicilian Najdorf (33) 
    B92 B90 B93 B91
 English (31) 
    A10 A16 A15 A13 A14
 Caro-Kann (22) 
    B17 B10 B11 B18 B13
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (134) 
    B76 B77 B72 B51 B22
 Sicilian Dragon (76) 
    B76 B77 B72 B78 B70
 King's Indian (71) 
    E94 E70 E63 E73 E95
 English (33) 
    A10 A15 A16 A13 A17
 Queen's Pawn Game (25) 
    A41 A40 A50 A45 A46
 Modern Benoni (15) 
    A56 A64 A62 A73 A57
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Nunn vs J Mestel, 1978 0-1
   J Mestel vs N Renman, 1980 1-0
   D Norwood vs J Mestel, 1988 0-1
   Alburt vs J Mestel, 1984 0-1
   J Rodgaard vs J Mestel, 1978 0-1
   T Taylor vs J Mestel, 1978 0-1
   H Ree vs J Mestel, 1983 0-1
   J Mestel vs C Hoi, 1981 1-0
   A Galliamova vs J Mestel, 1993 0-1
   J Mestel vs K Menyah, 2005 1-0

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   British Championship (1976)
   Marbella Zonal qual-2 (1982)
   British Championship (1988)
   Esbjerg (1980)
   Esbjerg (1979)
   British Championship (1978)
   Birmingham Zetters (1975)
   World Junior Championship (1975)
   World Youth U26 Team Championship (1981)
   British Championship (1992)
   Esbjerg (1981)
   9th Lloyds Bank Masters Open (1985)
   Hastings 1978/79 (1979)
   British Championship (1987)
   Thessaloniki Olympiad (1984)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Hastings 1977/78 by suenteus po 147
   Hastings (1981/82) by Chessical
   Cshatranj's favorite games by Cshatranj

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 European Senior (+65) Team Ch.
   J Mestel vs S Novak (Apr-12-25) 1-0
   J Mestel vs A Slavin (Mar-31-12) 0-1

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Jonathan Mestel
Search Google for Jonathan Mestel
FIDE player card for Jonathan Mestel

JONATHAN MESTEL
(born Mar-13-1957, 68 years old) United Kingdom

[what is this?]

Andrew Jonathan Mestel was born in Cambridge, England. He was the world's first Cadet champion in 1974, an initially unofficial under-18 category (1974-76) (redefined as U-17 in 1977-80 and U-16 since 1981)(1). He won the British championship in 1976, 1983 and 1988. In tournaments he was 2nd= at Esbjerg 1984 and 3rd at Hastings 1983-84.

Mestel was awarded the IM title in 1977, and the GM title in 1982. He also holds the problem solving GM title.

Mestel earned a PhD in mathematics from Cambridge University, specializing in magnetohydrodynamics and biological fluid mechanics. His dissertation was entitled, "Magnetic Levitation of Liquid Metals."(2)

(1) Wikipedia article: World Youth Chess Championship#Cadets and Under-16 winners

(2) http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/a...

Wikipedia article: Jonathan Mestel

Last updated: 2019-06-22 12:16:30

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 35; games 1-25 of 852  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. J Mestel vs Speelman ½-½281972Hastings Challengers 1971/72B90 Sicilian, Najdorf
2. J Mestel vs V Knox  1-0661972British ChampionshipC50 Giuoco Piano
3. Miles vs J Mestel  0-1411972British ChampionshipA01 Nimzovich-Larsen Attack
4. B Eley vs J Mestel  ½-½411972British ChampionshipB06 Robatsch
5. J Mestel vs A H Williams  1-0391972British ChampionshipB09 Pirc, Austrian Attack
6. M J Haygarth vs J Mestel  ½-½341972British ChampionshipD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
7. J Mestel vs J Penrose  0-1351972British ChampionshipB82 Sicilian, Scheveningen
8. Keene vs J Mestel  ½-½411972British ChampionshipA27 English, Three Knights System
9. J Mestel vs J Littlewood  0-1271972British ChampionshipB87 Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5
10. J Mestel vs O M Hindle  1-0811972British ChampionshipC54 Giuoco Piano
11. W Hartston vs J Mestel  ½-½461972British ChampionshipC78 Ruy Lopez
12. J Mestel vs S Webb  ½-½491972British ChampionshipC09 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation, Main line
13. J Mestel vs R S McFarland  1-0371972Islington OpenB07 Pirc
14. D J Sherman vs J Mestel  0-1371972Islington OpenB06 Robatsch
15. J Mestel vs S Webb  ½-½211972Islington OpenB31 Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation
16. G Antunac vs J Mestel  1-0491972Islington OpenA41 Queen's Pawn Game (with ...d6)
17. G J Nicholas vs J Mestel  1-0171972Islington OpenA40 Queen's Pawn Game
18. J Mestel vs Browne  ½-½421972Hastings 1972/73B87 Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5
19. Hort vs J Mestel  1-0251972Hastings 1972/73A04 Reti Opening
20. J Mestel vs Westerinen  ½-½301972Hastings 1972/73C50 Giuoco Piano
21. Andersson vs J Mestel  ½-½381972Hastings 1972/73A04 Reti Opening
22. J Mestel vs Barcza  ½-½411972Hastings 1972/73B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange
23. J Mestel vs D Rajkovic  0-1621973Hastings 1972/73B46 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
24. W Hartston vs J Mestel  1-0401973Hastings 1972/73C80 Ruy Lopez, Open
25. J Mestel vs M Stean  ½-½391973Hastings 1972/73B87 Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5
 page 1 of 35; games 1-25 of 852  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Mestel wins | Mestel loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-08-06  Goato: <mack> He certainly is. He recently had an interview printed in one of the student magazines there. Apparently his favourite number is 37!
Aug-25-07  Karpova: Picture:
http://www.4ncl.co.uk/mestel2.jpg
Sep-08-07  MarkThornton: <chessgames.com> From his 3 British Championship victories, 1976, 1983 and 1988, you have only 4 games. In particular, you are missing the famous bloodbath that was Mestel-JM Hodgson, Southport 1983, Rd 10. As today's opening was the Taimanov line of the Modern Benoni, I was disappointed to find that this classic battle is not in the Chessgames.com database.
Mar-13-09  paavoh: <MarkThornton> That game has been added into the database, and it sure is an exciting one!
Mar-13-09  whiteshark: More bio-data here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonath...
Mar-13-09  WhiteRook48: he blundered into a draw once
Mar-13-09  whiteshark: <WhiteSock84> Do you mean he once played <1.d4>?
Mar-13-09  WhiteRook48: where did you come up with <Whitesock84>, <blackshark>??? :D
Mar-05-11  wordfunph: From's Gambit Mestel Variation

1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 Nf6


click for larger view

"I call this line the Mestel Variation after the only GM brave enough to play black's side of it in thirty years!"

- Timothy Taylor from the book Bird's Opening

May-12-11  Daodejing: Photograph:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...

Speelman, Nunn, Chandler, Mestel, Watson, Short,

Schacholympiade 1988 Thessaloniki

Mar-13-12  brankat: Happy Birthday GM Mestel!
Mar-13-12  BIDMONFA: Andrew Jonathan Mestel

MESTEL, A. Jonathan
http://www.bidmonfa.com/mestel_a_jo...
_

Mar-13-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Happy Birthday POTD!
Mar-13-12  AlanPardew: A J Mestel vs N Renman, 1980

That's another fine Mestel you've gotten me into.

Mar-20-12  efvaatn: too late
Jan-04-14  Cemoblanca: Vishy Anand's first win over a GM was against...yes...AJM, in the 9th Lloyds Bank op (London 1985).

Anand vs A J Mestel, 1985

Mar-13-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Happy 57th birthday to GM Andrew Mestel.
Mar-13-16  TheFocus: Happy birthday, GM Jonathan Mestel.
Mar-13-16  ajile: Is he the man who helped develop the Philidor Counter Gambit? I seem to remember a line called the Mestel Variation.
Mar-13-16  ajile: <wordfunph: From's Gambit Mestel Variation

1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 Nf6

"I call this line the Mestel Variation after the only GM brave enough to play black's side of it in thirty years!"

- Timothy Taylor from the book Bird's Opening>

That's weird according to my experience this gambit is very dangerous for WHITE.

lol

White gets an extra pawn but must play a virtually perfect opening to not get rolled.

Mar-13-16  whiteshark: <ajile: That's weird according to my experience this gambit is very dangerous for WHITE.> LOL indeed: T Taylor vs A J Mestel, 1978
Mar-13-16  ajile: <whiteshark: <ajile: That's weird according to my experience this gambit is very dangerous for WHITE.> LOL indeed: T Taylor vs A J Mestel, 1978>

lol!

Brutal. That's just a taste of what can happen in this sharp line. Of course White can play safer and not take 3.exd6. But then Black has dictated terms and won psychologically.

Mar-13-16  ajile: The danger is White's g3 square which can be the target of many Black tactical shots. I analyzed this many years ago and was able to get solid positions as White by being very careful and building a pawn center on e4-d4-c3. In many cases White ends up playing weird stuff like king walks to c2. But if White makes it safely out of the opening danger it's then Black who really suffers.

It's also interesting to note that the From Gambit can also easily transpose into a King's Gambit so players who play the opening as Black need to be ready for both openings.

1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 - From Gambit

1.f4 e5 2.e4! - King's Gambit

Feb-08-18  RookFile: I think that's the point. At the GM level, they usually have prepared their openings, and the cute tactical tricks don't happen. Then black has to really prove he has compensation.
Jul-01-24  Nosnibor: Here is one of Mestel`s earliest games has a 12 year old. <Event: British Boys Under 14 Championship,Rhyl, Wales> <Round 3> <13th August 1969> <White: A.J. Mestel> < Black: D.A.Winter> <Italian Game> 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0-0 Nxc3 9.bxc3 d5 10. cxb4 dxc4 11.Re1+ Ne7 12.Bg5 f6 13.Qe2 fxg5 14.Qxc4 h6 15.Re3 Rf8 16.Rae1 Rf7 17.Ne5 Rf6 18.Qe2 Kf8 19.h4 gxh4 20.Nf3 Rf7 21.Nxh4 Bd7 22.Rxe7 Rxe7 23.Ng6+ Kf7 24.Nxe7 g6 25.Qe4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qxf5+ Kg7 28.Re3 Qd6 29.Re6 Qxd4 30.Re7+ 1-0
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