Jonathan Mestel

Who is Jonathan Mestel?

Andrew Jonathan Mestel is Professor of Applied Mathematics at Imperial College London. He works on magnetohydrodynamics and biological fluid dynamics. He obtained his Ph.D. with the thesis "Magnetic Levitation of Liquid Metals" at University of Cambridge.

A distinguished chess player, he was the first person to be awarded chess Grandmaster titles by FIDE in both over-the-board play and problem solving. He is also close to Grandmaster strength at contract bridge.

He announced his arrival on the international chess scene by winning the World Cadet Championship in 1974 at Pont-Sainte-Maxence. The same year, he nearly won the British Chess Championship, figuring in a seven-way play-off at Clacton, but failing to clinch the title at the last hurdle. Playing in Tjentiste in 1975, he took the bronze medal at the World Junior Championship, finishing behind Valery Chekhov and Larry Christiansen. There followed a string of British Championship successes, where he took the title in 1976, 1983 and 1988. His victory at Portsmouth in 1976 was remarkable for a start of nine consecutive wins, a record for the competition.