A series of chess open days for newcomers of all ages will take place in Banbury this summer.

Following its free outdoor chess initiative, Banbury Town Council is organising two separate events at the pavilion in People’s Park.

Both will be hosted by former county champion Carl Portman.

The first event is a walk-in taster session which will take place on July 20, while the second is a women's specific event which will be held on August 10.

Carl PortmanCarl Portman (Image: Banbury Town Council)

Each session will run from 10am to 4pm and anyone interested can arrive and leave at any point between these times.

With chess sets and boards provided, these events aim to offer a fun and relaxed environment.

The game of chess has been around for more than 1,500 years.

It is considered a challenging game to master, but with the right guidance, it can become an accessible and enjoyable pastime.

The council said: "Within just a couple of hours, anyone can go from knowing nothing about chess to knowing more than enough to take on their first real opponent."

Carl Portman, the host of the events, is a top chess player and coach who has represented the UK at NATO finals on three occasions.

He has been a captain in America and Hungary and a team member in France, but now volunteers his time to help people learn the game.

According to recent research, only 39 per cent of chess players in the UK are female.

The council said that, because of this, it wants to create "more welcoming spaces for women who are interested in playing chess".

The second day will welcome women of all ages to either learn the basics, practice, or compete with like-minded enthusiasts.

Councillor Matt Hodgson said: "We at Banbury Town Council are very grateful to Carl for offering these free taster sessions for Banbury residents.

"Chess is a sport that is available to people of all ages, genders and abilities.

"It can bring those who wouldn't normally meet together, and improves communication and interpersonal skills, creativity, imagination, resilience and confidence.

"A sense of community is extremely important and I can see these events will only add to that."

Banbury Town Council said it would like to thank Mr Portman and that it looks forward to seeing the event take shape.

People’s Park has its own permanent chess tables, located next to the cafe. Those who would like to play can go to the cafe to ask to loan one of the sets they have on hand.