Staffordshire junior chess tournament attracts big numbers

Participation in chess has boomed since the pandemic

More than 130 youngsters are set to descend on Stoke-on-Trent for a chess tournament on Sunday.

The number of competitors in the Staffordshire Junior Chess Championship has nearly doubled, from 73 last year.

Children, aged 6 to 18, will battle it out at the Co-op Academy in Tunstall.

Organisers say the game is booming with more people now playing online and in-person. They say the upswing could also be down to TV's The Queen's Gambit, which centres on the game.

International Chess Federation master Jonathan Blackburn, chess tutor and secretary for Staffordshire Junior Chess, said: The fact we can put on this event and attract entries from all over Staffordshire is great.

"A lot of these children are just starting out, and they want competitive games against children of a similar age, so they can see how good they are."

The event is also seen as a recruitment drive for the county's junior chess teams and could see youngsters selected to play rivals from across the UK.

Entries for the competition are now closed but anyone interested in getting involved in future can visit the Staffordshire Junior Chess website for more information.