Young chess stars hoping to be next grandmasters

The next generation of chess stars have been benefitting from the wisdom of the game's sharpest minds.

The west is home to three grandmasters, as well as a 91-year-old international champion.

Now more than 1,500 years old, chess has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, thanks in part to the hit Netflix drama The Queen's Gambit.

At a speed chess event in Bristol, young people were hoping to show that chess can remain popular for many more decades to come.

One of the competitors was 11-year-old Patrick who hopes to make moves to become the world's best.

He started playing when he was just two, and says the years of practice have helped him develop his skills.

"When it’s fast chess, then just look for a good move. When it’s long chess, if you find a good move, just try to find a better one," he said.

And he's got big ambitions. Patrick says his dream is to cross the 2,900 mark in chess ratings - the current world number one is rated at 2,831.

The event gives young players the chance to hone their skills against some of the best in the game.

Rayyan, 14, is feeling nervous ahead of his match against a grandmaster.

In preparation, he has been "practicing openings and learning endgame positions".

He got into chess online and has found clubs at school "really fun".

At the other end of the experience scale, there's no endgame in sight for 91-year-old Jim.

Originally from the United States, the international master won his first title in 1958 and played against chess legend Bobby Fischer.

He says it is "wonderful" to see so many young players embracing the game.

His advice for the new generation is to "play as many games as you can on the internet".

Grandmaster Christopher Jones is an expert of compositional chess – inventing scenarios for others to solve.

He thinks chess has become "cool" again since becoming popular in lockdown.

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