Liverpool will host the annual British Chess Championships this summer.
The annual event, in its 111th year, will see the best of British chess congregate in the city between 31st July and 10th August.
Liverpool last hosted the event in 2008, the same year it was named the European Capital of Culture.
The competitive events will take place in Liverpool’s landmark St George’s Hall, which includes the Open and Women’s championships.
The Liverpool Holiday Inn in Lime Street will also host a congress for amateurs over the weekend.
Programme confirmed for British Chess Championships
Alongside the competitive events, Liverpool will host a festival and social programme in aid of promoting the wider game. This includes outdoor social chess, team events, and a chess masterclass.
Nigel Towers, the English Chess Federation’s Director for Home Chess, said: “2008 was recognised as a strong event with many titled players.
“However, we expect the return visit in 2025 to be one of the strongest British tournaments ever, given the increasing numbers of active British grandmasters and international masters.”
UK chess has recently seen a rise in participation amongst amateurs, as well as increased success at the top level.
In 2024, two new English grandmasters were named: teenage sensation Shreyas Royal and England’s most recent grandmaster, Ameet Ghasi.
Liverpool is a city steeped in chess history and boasts one of the oldest existing chess clubs in England having formed in 1837.
The city has also produced four-time British Women’s champion Sheila Jackson, 15th correspondence World Championship winner John Carleton, and international masters Gary Quillan and Malcolm Pein.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “Liverpool has a long and rich connection with chess, so we are delighted to be hosting the British Chess Championships later this summer.
“This is yet another coup for Liverpool as we continue to position ourselves as a versatile events city.
“St George’s Hall, with its incredible architecture and acoustics, will offer the perfect backdrop, lending itself to quiet, focused gameplay, which is sure to result in a thrilling competition for contestants and spectators alike.”
(Featured image from Wikipedia Commons taken by John Allan)
