IT was checkmate all round as six schools went head to head in a chess championship extravaganza.

Budding Kasparovs and pint-sized Karpovs pitted their wits against each other in the fiendishly difficult boardgame.

It was the fifth time Engaines School, in Little Clacton, has staged the twice-yearly event.

The contest is now so popular that they had to look for a bigger venue and held the competition at Tending Technology College in Frinton.

Almost 50 youngsters from Engaines, Holland Park, Hamford, Wix and Wrabness, and Whitton, near Ipswich, went into battle for the coveted trophy, playing nearly 150 matches in total.

The eventual winners were Engaines A, followed by Engaines B and newcomers Holland Park in third place.

Engaines captain Emilio Serghiou, teammate Daniel Coleman and Holland Park's Alex O'Brien won all six of their games.

Engaines teacher and chess coach Richard O'Brien said: "I started this tournament to raise the profile of Junior chess in the area and to encourage more children to take up the game.

"It also gives children an opportunity to represent their school competitively at something other than sport."

The sixth tournament is in early July. Schools wanting to take part or set up their own chess clubs can contact Mr O'Brien at ictsl@engaines.essex.sch.uk.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Chess mates: The victorious Engaines A team