The 30th Mind Sports Olympiad begins this Saturday, 22 August, at Mercure London Earls Court, and you don’t have to enter a tournament to be part of it.

Alongside nine days of competitive mind sports, this year we’re offering two special ways to enjoy MSO for free: a dedicated FREE Social Play space throughout the opening weekend, and the opportunity to watch the 11th Vera Menchik Memorial, featuring an international field of leading women chess players.

Watch the Vera Menchik Memorial

The 11th Menchik Memorial comes to London this August as part of the Mind Sports Olympiad! From 24 to 30 August, ten of the world’s rising female players compete for WGM and WIM norms at the Mercure London Suite Conference Centre. Average rating: 2210. Time control: 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. Every game counts.

The tournament honours Vera Menchik, the first women’s world chess champion. She won the title at 21 and never lost it, defending it repeatedly until her death in 1944, when a V-1 rocket struck her home in Clapham. She learned her chess in Hastings and London. Eighty-two years on, the strongest women’s norm event in England still carries her name.

Meet the players:
IM/WGM Klaudia Kulon
FM/WIM Lara Schulze
GM/WGM Keti Arakhamia Grant
WGM Elmira Mirzoeva
WIM Cecile Haussernot
WIM Andreaa Marioara Cosman
WIM Kasia Dwilewicz
WFM Kamila Hryshchenko
WFM Shambavi Hariharan
WFM Anusha Subramanian

Chief Arbiter: IA Paul McKeown
Deputy Chief Arbiter: NA Zoya Boozorginia
Organiser: IA Agnieszka Milewska, Director of Women’s Chess in England

Free Social Play all weekend

For the first time, MSO is joining forces with London on Board to create a dedicated space for casual, non-competitive board gaming throughout Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August.

There’s no tournament and no need to book a competitive event — just turn up, meet other players and play.

We’ll have plenty of tables and games available to borrow from the MSO games library, and you’re also very welcome to bring your own games.

Whether you’re a regular board gamer, completely new to modern tabletop games, or simply coming along with friends, the Social Play area is a chance to enjoy the atmosphere of the Olympiad without entering a competition.

Social Play is free to attend.

Come and experience MSO

Whether you want to compete for a medal, spend an afternoon playing board games socially, or simply watch some of the world’s best players in action, there’s plenty to experience at the 30th Mind Sports Olympiad.

22–30 August 2026
Mercure London Earls Court
Free Social Play: Saturday & Sunday
Free spectating throughout MSO