Britain’s leading chess players are in action at the University of Hull this month, as they compete in the prestigious British Chess Championships.
The men’s Championships are being held on the University’s campus from October 2 to October 10, followed by the women’s event from October 14 to 17.
It comes hot on the heels of the University also hosting the Allam British Open Squash Championships, as Hull establishes itself as a home for some of the country’s top sporting competitions.
Steve Curtis, Head of Sport at the University of Hull, said: “We are delighted that the University of Hull will be hosting the British Chess Championships this weekend for the second time in four years.
“It is a chance to see the country’s best chess players in action, and to enjoy the sport being played at the very highest level.
“The University has in recent years invested over £16m into its sports facilities, providing students and the wider community with high-quality sporting provisions.
“I would encourage everyone to engage with the Championships while they are in Hull this month – especially those who were inspired by Netflix’s recent series ‘Queen’s Gambit!’”
The Championships are being held inside the University’s Canham Turner building, at the heart of the campus.
Each event is played as a number of rounds with players paired using the Swiss system (where winners play winners and losers play losers).
Top players from all over the British Isles will compete to win one of the prestigious British titles for 2021.
This year, the championships are being played on ‘live boards’ which means that the moves are detected as they are made on the chess boards and broadcast in real time to the internet where the games can be followed by thousands of players worldwide.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, spectators are not allowed the event in person – instead following all the latest moves online.
A wide audience is expected to follow the games closely across the British Isles and beyond given the recent resurgence of interest in chess following the Queen’s Gambit series on Netflix and the increase in chess playing online during lockdown.
Nigel Towers, Director of Home Chess at the English Chess Federation, has recognised that the return of the Championships to the city means Hull is “becoming established as one of the national centres for chess in England.”
The dates for the Championships at The University of Hull are as follows:
- 2 – 10 October: British Chess Championship, The University of Hull
- 14 – 17 October: British Women Chess Championship, The University of Hull
- 20 – 24 October: Grandmaster Norm Event, The University of Hull
- 22 – 24 October: Hull 4NCL Congress, The University of Hull
