Youngsters compete in chess challenge in Walsall - in pictures
Bright sparks from Walsall have competed as part of a nationwide chess tournament.
The UK Chess Challenge first took place in 1996 and has since grown into the largest children's chess competition in the world.
16 Youngsters aged between five and 18-years-old from Bloxwich Junior Chess Academy competed in the first stage of the challenge last weekend.
The first stage called the school stage sees 1,200 different schools from across the country take part with children being split into age groups.
Ray Dolan, aged 68 a coach at the club, said: "The first round the children play seven rounds of chess, winners get three points, a draw gets two and a loss gets one.
"14 out of the 16 children who entered have qualified and gotten through to the second stage which is called the megafinals which is the county final, and will be held in Leeke in Staffordshire.
"Each of the children who take part get certificates and prizes including badges and stickers."
Krishan Patel aged 14 scooped the top spot in the Bloxwich Junior Chess Academy and will be one of the youngsters competing in the next round.
The second stage sees 7,000 go back to back to win the title of county champion, winners progress to the gigafinals the national stage and then to the final stage, the terrafinals where the best players will be crowned UK Schools Chess Champion.
This is the 25th year that the tournament has been going on, organiser Ray has been playing chess for more than 50 years.
Ray added: "I've been playing chess since I was five years old and competing since I was 10.
"It's something I'm very passionate about, me and my wife Eunice are both coaches at the academy where we have more than 28 young people come to play and learn.
"I would encourage more children to come and play chess, it's proven to help with school work and we always welcome new members to our club."
The Bloxwich Junior Chess Academy meet each Saturday at Ryecroft Community Hub.
