[2][3] Hawkins's chess career is unusual for the modern era in that he showed only modest ability as a child; his improvement from club player to International Master took place after he left full-time education, and while living in County Durham, far from traditional centres of chess activity.

In 2013 he tied for first place in the 18th Vienna Open with Stanislav Novikov, Batuhan Dastan, Hagen Poetsch, Alexey Kim, Ralf Åkesson and Kacper Drozdowski.

[6] Hawkins was part of the English contingent at the rapidplay tournament of the 2014 London Chess Classic.

[7][8] His game against former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik at that event was notable for its simultaneous attacks against both castled kings, and for the "exquisite Zugzwang" to which Hawkins succumbed.

[10] This meant he became one of the highest-rated IMs in the world, outranking the majority of English GMs, and was the first winner of the British Championship since Michael Hennigan in 1993 who had not earned the GM title by the end of the tournament.