Premier League star hosts speed chess tournament in surprise appearance at London pub

Local punters enjoying a post-work drink were treated to a shock impromptu game of speed chess on Wednesday night, with a special appearance from a Premier League footballer. 

It seemed like any other normal evening at the Red Lion in Westminster, until UK chess champion David Howell and a group of friends took charge of a table in the crowded venue and proceeded to host a game of speed chess. 

Among the players accompanying Howell was none other than Fulham and USA star Antonee Robinson, who took the opportunity to show off his skills in a different sport. 

Robinson checked in 

Robinson has previously spoken about his love for chess, citing that playing the game helps him play better on the pitch and his skills were on full display as he took on a series of opponents in the pub. 

The sharp decision-making and quickness we're used to seeing from the USA international at Craven Cottage had clearly transitioned from the field to the board, with Robinson wowing watchers with his prowess at the sport.

He told one bystander that he and his friends had come straight from a chess meeting near the bar and decided to have a few more games before heading home, as he prepares for Saturday's clash with Everton. 

In between the battles, Robinson happily chatted with fans and stuck to soft drinks, while he posed with photos alongside Howell, a former three-time British champion and the second-youngest Brit to earn the moniker of chess grandmaster. 

Chess, apparently, isn't the only game that entertains the players at Fulham, with the 28-year-old admitting a lot of the players had moved to old school board games to pass the time and keep their minds sharp. 

Earlier this year, the defender spoke to the Cottagers' offical podcast, the Fulham Fix about his love for the game and how it has helped him in his footballing career. 

"I’ve genuinely said this—I do think playing chess helps you play better football,” Robinson said. 

“It’s not that quick and exact, but I see decision-making on the pitch kind of like chess. You’ve got so many options on the board, just like in a match, and you’re trying to pick the best move each time. It’s really the same thing, just faster.”

“Say you’ve got three passes on - you're asking yourself which one’s best, which one’s safest. Passing to a guy who’s tightly marked usually leads nowhere. In chess, you don’t want to make a move that leads nowhere either. It’s the same concept.”

Robinson isn't the only chess fan in the Premier League, last year England star Ebere Eze won the 2025 Chess.com "PogChamps 6" amateur tournament, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Martin Odegaard are are keen players. 

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