‘Dead Bod’ & King Billy to face off in Live Chess masterclass

Famous people and landmarks from Hull will take part in a “living chess” match in the city centre on Saturday.

In what is set to be an action-filled weekend, one of the highlights will be a real life game of strategy taking place taking place on a giant chess board in King Edward Street.

The pieces are being replaced by volunteers wearing specially designed tabards with a Hull theme.

The pawns are Dead Bod, the knights are King Billy, the bishops are the Wilberforce column, the rooks the Humber Bridge, the Queens are the statue of Queen Victoria in Queen Victoria Square, and the Kings are represented by the city’s three coronets.

The game will form part of the fourth event of the Play Chess Festival, which takes place between 11am and 2pm.

It follows a successful launch at The Deep and two open sessions in Queen’s Gardens and Pearson Park.

Audiences are promised “dramatic games” which will follow the moves made in famous 19th-century chess encounters between the masters of the day.  

Graham Chesters, president of Hull and District Chess Association, said: “After three events, we’ve doubled the number of youngsters attending our Chess Summer School, which takes places later in August.

“The spectacle of living chess right in the middle of the city will attract a lot of attention and inspire passers-by to sit down and have a game themselves on the tables and sets provided.”

The Play Chess Festival programme will last for three months and take place at venues across the city, in parks, squares, libraries, shops, markets, cafés and pubs.

It is aimed at young and old, existing chess players, and those who want to learn. The simple aim is to get people playing chess.

Events will include fun day stalls in park events, a chess sesh in libraries, and major national championships held in the city.

The association said it was receiving “fantastic support” from Hull City Council, VHEY, KCOM, The Deep, Absolutely Cultured, Freedom Festival, Trinity Market, Hull Library Services, the English Chess Federation, and the 4 Nations Chess League.

The association wants Hull to become “one of the best places to play chess in the UK and for Hull to have one of the most forward-thinking and vibrant chess environments in the UK”.

Hull has a long history of chess-playing and a burgeoning reputation for the game.

The British Championships was staged in the city for the first time in 2018, bringing over a 1,000 players and supporters and an estimated economic benefit of more than £1m, the association said.

It has since hosted a masters tournament and the English Women’s Championships.

For more information visit www.hullchess.com.