Young chess stars beat adults to reach cup final
BBCTwo junior chess teams have defeated four adult teams in a knockout tournament to reach a regional cup final.
The Knight's Shield event is run by the Cleveland Chess Association (CCA) for players of any age with an English Chess Federation skill rating of under 1500, which is about average at club level.
Two teams from Thornaby Chess Club - the all-girls Thornaby Queens and the all-boys Thornaby Juniors - played each other in the final with the Juniors winning 4-1.
Junior team member Jayden, nine, said he had learned how to tackle much older opponents which is "happy for me - not for the adult".
Chess coach Chris Swales said only a few years ago there had been just 12 players in the Thornaby club and now there were more than 100, making it "by far the biggest club in the league".
He said the rise had been remarkable and the journey to the final had been challenging and exciting for the young players.
Teams could have a mix of ages and some of the other clubs had one or two under-18 players, but Thornaby Queens and Thornaby Juniors were the only fully junior teams in the competition, he said.
Swales, 50, said players with a 1500 rating were at a level where they made "few out and out mistakes, like putting a piece where it can be taken".
"A high level primary school player - a typical school champion- is about 1000 rating. The very best players in the area are 2000-2200," he said.
"Chess ratings are used to give people games against similar level players - it's more fun for everyone that way."
Omhle, who is 17 and plays with the Queens, said she was astonished to see her team progress so far.
"I'm really shocked that we actually made it through because of the amount of matches that we played, it's insane," she said.
"It's good to see each other grow in what we're doing."
Eva, also from the Queens, said she began playing at home with her father.
"In 2019, the league had one female player, now there are more than 20 within the whole league," she said.
"It's definitely getting more diverse, particularly with more women playing."
Jayden, who is nine and plays for the Juniors, said he had quickly learned how to challenge much older opponents.
"I've beaten loads of older people - big adults, children - and, yeah, it's really happy for me - not for the adult."
Swales said it was the first time an entirely Under-18 team from Thornaby Chess Club has won a CCA trophy.
"It's great being a coach as, when my own games don't go well, at least they cheer me up with the progress they're making," he said.
His rating is 1710 and he said the Juniors were starting to beat him in rapid play competitions.
"But not in longer games yet," he said. "It's only a matter of time though."
