ChessFest comes to London on 12th July, with 25,000 fans expected

Craig Robinson, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 01/07/2026

It might not be esports, but Chess has been slowly emerging as one of the more niche sports (or competitive activities, we’ll save the semantics argument) worldwide, just like esports. With it also part of the EWC, I feel like honouring the sport here feels appropriate. What’s happened? Well, ChessFest is back with its yearly summer events, taking place up and down the country. Over 25,000 people are expected to descend on London’s Trafalgar Square on 12th July for the occasion.

ChessFest, now in its sixth year and organised by charity Chess in Schools and Communities. It is Britain’s biggest free chess festival. On Sunday 12th July, up to 25,000 people will attend the event running from 12pm to 7pm. ChessFest is completely free and unticketed, open to every level of player from complete beginners to grandmaster challengers.

The Immortal Game will be re-enacted in Trafalgar Square

This year’s edition carries a special historical hook. ChessFest 2026 is celebrating the 175th anniversary of the Immortal Game, one of the most famous chess games ever played, which is believed to have taken place in 1851 just five minutes from Trafalgar Square at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand. The organisation cites that German master tier player, Adolf Anderssen won the game by sacrificing his queen and both rooks. It is often referred to as a sequence so brilliant it has been studied and referenced ever since. It recently appeared in Apple TV’s spy thriller Slow Horses, for example (if you haven’t watched it, do – Gary Oldman is superb). The game will be re-enacted with live actors on a giant chessboard at the event. 

No Ronald Weasley yelling Knight to H3 though…

If you’re into competitive chess, Britain’s top grandmasters are taking on all-comers in simultaneous displays.  Two of the country’s most exciting young prodigies. Bodhana Sivanandan, the 11-year-old WIM title holder from Harrow, and 12-year-old FIDE Master Supratit Banerjee, currently the highest rated 2014-born player in the world, will both be present.

The event will also have free chess lessons, speed chess challenges against masters with prizes for anyone who gets a result. There’s also a blindfold chess exhibition match and 10 giant chess sets for visitors to play on.

Chess in Britain has seen significant growth recently. The organiser states that Chess.com figures show nine million people in the UK now play regularly online. Considering current estimates say 37 million people play video games in the UK, it is safe to say Chess is continuing to blossom in the UK. There’s probably quite a bit of cross over with esports and chess, too.

If you can’t attend, there’s other major ChessFest events scheduled up and down the country. They will be at Portishead, Somerset on 11th July from 10-4, Hull on 12th July 10-4 too, with a Liverpool event appearing on 19th July from 11-4. It then goes to Broadgate, Coventry from 10-4 on 25thJuly and concludes at Market Square, Lancaster on the 17th August from 10-5.

Craig Robinson, Senior Editor

Craig began his career with Esports News UK back in 2015/2016, looking to write about a passion while studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. He stayed there for several years before moving on to other websites to begin his career after graduating. Now he's back, covering esports adjacent topics and UK stories.

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