The 2018 British Chess Championships start today.

The venue is the Hull City Hall and the action will continue all the way through until Sunday 5 August. The full schedule, for all of the sections, can be found here.

Of the many sections, the main focus of attention will naturally fall on the British Championship itself. It is particularly strong this year, with many Grandmasters and other titled players among the participants. The full list can be found here.

Michael Adams will start as the tournament favourite, but it will not be easy for any player to maintain a consistent run of victories against such a strong field.

Hull is steeped in history but it tends to be rather a forgotten city. If you are there for the British Championships – as a player or observer – you should take the opportunity to explore the area. Yes, there are things to see beyond the 64 squares!

Here are some useful links:

Visit Hull

Hull History Centre

Museums and Galleries

The homepage for the 2018 British Chess Championships is here. Follow the games live!