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Living chess set featuring 32 actors turns heads at London’s ChessFest

ChessFest claims to be the UK’s largest one-day chess event.

Max McLean
Sunday 17 July 2022 16:34 EDT
A living chess set, with 32 professional actors taking on the role of the chess pieces, take part in ChessFest, the UK’s largest one-day chess event, at Trafalgar Square, central London. Picture date: Sunday July 17, 2022.
A living chess set, with 32 professional actors taking on the role of the chess pieces, take part in ChessFest, the UK’s largest one-day chess event, at Trafalgar Square, central London. Picture date: Sunday July 17, 2022. (PA Wire)

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A group of 32 professional actors turned heads in Trafalgar Square by featuring in a living chess set.

Sunday’s performance in London was part of ChessFest, which claims to be the UK’s largest one-day chess event.

Organisers said the living chess pieces would perform a re-enactment of Bobby Fischer’s game three victory against Boris Spassky at the 1972 World Chess Championship, marking its 50 year anniversary.

They also planned to revisit a game between former world champion Garry Kasparov and his robotic nemesis Deep Blue.

The event took place from 11am and was free of charge.

It included free chess lessons, giant chess sets and the chance to challenge a Grandmaster at speed chess.

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