EIGHT year old Theo Slade, from Marhamchurch, travelled to Teignmouth on Saturday April 4 to take part in an Under-12 Rapidplay Chess Tournament.

The "rapidplay" rules meant that each player had to make all of his moves in just 20 minutes so there was much frantic action at the board, particularly near the end of matches. He competed against 29 other children, the majority of whom were several years his senior.

Theo's success over the last six months has earned him a place in the Devon Under-11 Team and, during the tournament, he found himself drawn against four players from the Devon team, all of whom were ranked higher than him. Theo seemed to relish the challenge and proceeded to defeat all four! He played six games in total, winning five and losing just one and, in doing so, was declared joint winner.

He was presented with the Ian Mason Cup by Graham Hesse, President of Teignmouth Chess Club which he will share with the other two winners.

Theo's success at chess has also rubbed off on his fellow pupils at Marhamchurch Primary School where 11 of his friends now attend an after school chess club once a week. The school has also entered the British Land UK Chess Challenge and hope to have at least three representatives in the Cornish Megafinal to be held in Truro on May 16.