ChessFest, Britain’s unique free festival of chess, will celebrate a piece of London’s history this year: the classic Immortal Game played in the city almost exactly 175 years ago.
More than 25,000 people, including Britain’s strongest grandmasters and its top young prodigies, are expected to descend on London’s Trafalgar Square for the event on Sunday, July 12. ChessFest is free for all the family.
The so-called Immortal Game will be remembered throughout and re-enacted with live actors on a giant chessboard. It is one of the most famous games ever, which it is thought, was played in 1851 just a five-minute walk away at the newly-reopened home of chess Simpson’s-in-the-Strand.
London was the 19th Century capital of international chess when German master Adolf Anderssen, one of the pioneers of modern game, entered its folklore when he sensationally sacrificed his queen and both rooks. His brilliant winning manoeuvre went down in history as one of the most beautiful and instructive ever seen. To this day, it still inspires players worldwide and features in books and film, most notably recently in Apple TV’s hit spy thriller Slow Horses.
ChessFest, the UK’s biggest chess event, is now in its sixth year. The 2026 edition will draw chess enthusiasts from across the country for a free day of fun suitable for every level of player.
The annual extravaganza is organised by the charity Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC) with support from leading algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets and will take place from 12pm to 7pm.
Chess in Britain has boomed over the past year with clubs and tournaments around the country flourishing. Recent figures released by Chess.com show 9 million people in the United Kingdom play chess regularly online.
The nation’s crop of talented juniors has been busy continuing their rise up the world rankings. Two of the leading lights in 11-year-old Harrow sensation Bodhana Sivanandan, who holds the WIM title, and 12-year-old FIDE Master Supratit Banerjee, the world’s highest-rated 2014-born player, will be showing their skills at ChessFest.
International Master and Chief Executive of Chess in Schools and Communities Malcolm Pein said:
”Trafalgar is all about squares on July 12 when thousand of chess players will celebrate one of the finest creative achievements in the 1500-year history of the world’s oldest game.
“We will be celebrating the Immortal Game, a piece of the capital’s history you may have missed, a truly beautiful game of chess from 175 years ago. So do come and join us, take a lesson, learn how to play this great game and enjoy a great day out.”
Highlights of this year’s ChessFest include:
- Free chess lessons for children and adults from professional chess teachers and top UK players;
- Simultaneous displays against England internationals;
- 10 giant chess sets for visitors to play on;
- 100s of chess tables for children and chess fans to play with each other;
- Challenge a Chess Master at speed chess with prizes for those who manage to get a result;
- Blindfold Chess exhibition match;
- Giant speed chess display: watch two masters battle it out in a test of speed and strength;
- A truly giant screen (12x7m) broadcasting all the action from the square;
- Live link-ups and challenge matches with ChessFest events around the country.
For more information: Everything you need to know about ChessFest 2026 is at: https://chess-fest.com
