Emerging chess players gathered to contest the Otago-Southland Interschool Teams Chess Championship at Otago Boys' High School during the weekend.
School classmates came together to try to achieve the most prized chess move of all - the checkmate - against their opponents at the two-day competition.
Championship director Quentin Johnson said 36 chess teams of four players were involved with the event,in which the primary and intermediate competition was held on Saturday, while about 10 secondary teams competed yesterday.
Rising Otago Chess Club player Ben Clayton, of Tahuna Intermediate, was a study of concentration in his first round match, alongside team-mates Zac Mitchell, Naveen Sivasankar, and Grace Allan.
"I just go into my own world and zone out to concentrate," Ben said about his favourite chess strategy.
Tahuna Intermediate A won the intermediate grade (years 7-8), and John McGlashan A was second.
The composite Enrich E team, of Invercargill, won the primary grade (years 1-6), and Maori Hill Blue was second.
Tahuna A and Maori Hill Blue qualify for the national finals in Mt Maunganui in September.
In a tense, last-round clash yesterday, Otago Boys' High School A beat defending champion Logan Park High School 25-24.5 in the secondary section. Otago Boys B was third.
