Coventry is set to become the beating heart of British chess in the summer of 2026, as the University of Warwick hosts the British Chess Championships from
1–9 August 2026.
More than 1,000 players from across the UK are expected to take part, ranging from elite grandmasters to emerging junior talents and senior competitors. The Championships will feature a full programme of events, including age-group competitions from Under-8s through to Seniors, alongside the prestigious British Championship itself.
Looking back at the champions
The 2026 event follows a dramatic 2025 Championships, where GM Michael Adams claimed the British title after a tense three-way playoff with GM Stewart Conquest and IM Peter Roberson. In the Women’s Championship, WGM Lan Yao and WGM Elmira Mirzoeva were crowned Joint British Women’s Champions, each scoring an impressive 5½ points from 9 rounds.
A growing national festival of chess
The organisers have confirmed that the 2026 Championships will feature an expanded schedule, including additional side events designed to appeal to players, families, and spectators alike. Full details of formats and supplementary activities will be released in due course, but the ambition is clear: to make the Championships not just a tournament, but a celebration of chess at every level.
Strong backing for junior chess
Key to the success of the event is the continued support of The John Robinson Youth Chess Trust, an independent registered charity founded in 2006 to promote junior chess in England. A long-standing supporter of the British Championships, the Trust awarded the English Chess Federation £15,000 in 2025, helping with event promotion, organisation, and the delivery of junior coaching throughout the Championships.
Further backing comes from The Chess Trust, which has also contributed £15,000. The Trust works to advance amateur chess and support education through the development of young people, using chess as a tool for learning and personal growth across England.
Coventry’s moment on the chessboard
With a world-class university venue, strong institutional support, and players of all ages competing under one roof, the 2026 British Chess Championships promise to be one of the largest and most inclusive chess events ever staged in the UK.
More information and updates can be found via the English Chess Federation:
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/2026-british-championships-venue-announcement/
Photo by David Lapetina, Wikimedia commons.