Fancy playing chess all weekend? In the UK, we have plenty of established one day chess tournaments of five or six rounds duration... Golders Green Rapidplay being a case in point.

But if you want to really get stuck in to eleven rounds of chess over two days, only a short train ride away - here is your chance!

The 6th edition of the Brussels International Chess Festival takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend of 24th and 25th May. Each player gets 25 minutes for the whole game, so things get very exciting as players run out of thinking time! Thanks to the sponsorship of Peugeot, there are 3,200 Euros in prizes to play for, excellent food and free tea and coffee all wrapped up in a superb venue.

The friendly organiser is Mr Benny Asman, originally from Sweden, but now an honorary Bruxellois!

I have played in this well-organised and friendly event on several occasions, and it is easy to arrange travel and accommodation through the Eurostar website for about £150 per person for two nights.

If you are interested in playing, then look at the website, or email Benny (creb@skynet.be).