OVER 100 school champions took part in the Worcestershire stage of the national UK Chess Challenge at the University of Worcester.

The star players were brothers James and Joseph Friar from Hagley High School. They both scored 5½ points from their six games beating older players in the tournament.

There were successes for Worcester high school players William Greenow from Blessed Edward Oldcorne; Samuel Moore, Ben Fuller and Lorna Wilkin from Nunnery Wood.

Each of them was presented with a supremi cup for being the best in the county at their age by Andrew Farthing, chief executive of the English Chess Federation.

In the under seven boys’ tournament, Jekiah Barker from St Joseph’s Primary School, Stourbridge was supremo.

The girls’ under seven title was decided by a blitz playoff game. RGS Springfield pupil Katy Marsh beat Kesia Reynolds from Rednal Hill Infant School, Birmingham in an exciting game that went to a king and pawn ending before Kesia lost on time.

Matthew Hall from King’s Hawford School and Neha Abeywickrama from Our Lady of Mount Carmel First School, Redditch, were under eight supremi.

Children’s chess book author Tim Onions presented prizes to the primary school winners.

All the champions qualify for the national Gigafinal and won a 2011 Worcestershire supremo (boys’) or suprema (girls’) cup.

Players with four points or more qualify for the national Gigafinal at Derby. All qualifiers and highly commended players took home a rosette.

A further 34 players qualified from Worcestershire for the national Gigafinal in Derby this summer where they will have a chance of winning £200 and ultimi titles.

PICTURE CAPTION: WORCESTER WINNERS (left to right): Lorna Wilkin (under 12 suprema Nunnery Wood HS), William Greenow (under 15 supremo Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College) and Samuel Moore (under 16 supremo, Nunnery Wood HS).