The British Chess Championships return to Hull

Six years on from the first ever British Chess Championships in Hull, the event makes a welcome return to the city.

Between Thursday 25 July and Sunday 4 August, over 1,400 entrants will take part in a wide range of different events – from the under 8s to the over 65 events. There are two venues – the City Hall and the Doubletree Hotel. The event is organised by the English Chess Federation.

The main event, the British Chess Championship, takes place in the City Hall over nine rounds every day from 2:30pm. This includes the top England players: 14 Grandmasters, 20 International Masters and a host of other titled players. It is the highlight of the chess year in the country.

It includes some players with international reputations, such as Grandmaster Michael Adams, the current British Champion, and Bodhana Sivanandan, the best girl player in the world for her age (under 9s), who is already so good that she has been selected to play for England at the forthcoming Chess Olympiad (the Chess Olympics).

Hull has its own stars taking part, including Maksym Larchikov, and Kamila Hryshchenko, who is the women’s  world champion chess problem solver.

The Championships will be formally opened by the Leader of the Council, Cllr Mike Ross, at approximately 2pm on Saturday 27 July. Hull City Council have been instrumental in bringing such a prestigious event to the city.

Mark Collinson, the Lord Mayor of Hull and Admiral of the Humber, is an excellent chess player and is taking part in the over 65 event (afternoons at the City Hall from Monday 29 July, starting at 2:30pm, except the last round at 10am).

On Sunday 4 August, the ‘City Of Hull trophy’ (donated by the city in 2018 and awarded annually) will be presented to the winner of the over 50s event by Cllr Rob Pritchard, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure.

Please note that spectators are welcome at the City Hall, but photography is by agreement and only during the first ten minutes of play. It is particularly important to note that because of the nature of this event photographers, can’t just turn up at either venue.