ONE of Yorkshire’s best chess players took on 27 juniors from across the county at the same time in a competition of potential chess prodigies against the old master.

York Railway Institute welcomed internationally renowned chess master, Richard Palliser, as he battled it out against 27 of the best junior chess players in the county to see if the up and coming talent has what it takes.

The juniors pitted against Richard ranged in age from eight to 18.

Players came from York, which has a thriving junior chess club, as well as Leeds, Hull, and Huddersfield.

Each time Richard arrived in front of a junior, they had to make a move.

Junior players were allowed three “passes”, but then it became compulsory to move as soon as Richard appeared.

Once a game ended, Richard provided a few tips on chess strategy.

After nearly three hours of intense concentration, Richard finally defeated the last-standing junior.

Some games were hard-fought, but only one junior managed a draw and Richard won the rest. The final score ended with Richard achieving 27.5 points and the juniors a half a point.

He added that when he played as a child he always thought that the chess master would eventually tire however, he didn't even notice his aching feet as he remained concentrated throughout.

Discussing his win, Richard said: “There’s a lot of young talent in York and we’re going to see them moving into the adult teams over the next few years.”

York Junior Chess Club takes place in Room One at the Railway Institute every Tuesday during term time at 5.30pm. All juniors up to the age of 18 are welcome. To find out more information, contact noel338@btinternet.com