Chess master has serious moves

Ruby Saunders is a picture of concentration as she takes part in the New Zealand Girls Interschool Chess Championship. Photos / Jason Oxenham

Ruby Saunders' concentration wasn't broken but she was full of animated expressions as she took on her chess opponent yesterday.

The Year 4 student from Good Shepherd School in Mt Eden competed in the New Zealand Girls Interschool Chess Championship.

Participants competed in teams of four in a six-round tournament. Each player had 20 minutes per game at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall.

Organiser William Li, 16, a Year 12 student of Westlake Boys High School, said 37 teams of four girls entered with 150 players in total, including two reserves.

The winning team of the high school grade was Mt Roskill Grammar.

Winners of the intermediate category were Bucklands Beach Intermediate and in the primary category St Cuthbert's College, which has a junior school, took the honours.

Mr Li, a chess player himself, said a friend of his started the competition three years ago but he took over with three others when she went to university.