Spalding pupils battle for coveted chess champion’s trophy

Thirty young chess masters battled it out at a primary school’s third annual tournament.
Boys and girls aged from eight to 11 at Spalding’s St John the Baptist Primary School competed over three days to win the coveted champion’s trophy.
Two players finished with a maximum score, so a rapid-play decider was held and won by young player Nitesh Anbazhagen (9).
St John’s School has a thriving chess club which meets for an hour every week after school.
Headteacher Paul Reid fully supports the club and has issued an invitation to other local schools to send a team to play a match.
He said: “It is widely recognised that the study and playing of chess is beneficial for children as it improves their skills in reasoning and spatial awareness, as well as promoting concentration, perserverance and decision making.”
The school recently sent a team to plan in a Lincolnshire schools chess congress in Stamford, where they finished a creditable fourth out of 11 entries.