Primary school boy takes out regional chess title

WINNERS: The Sunset Primary School chess club all feel like winners. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

A 10-year-old boy has taken down high school students in the Regional Schools Chess Championships.

Sunset Primary School principal Niels Rasmussen said he was very proud of Christopher Davis for winning the competition and as well as him another 10-year-old pupil, Alexia Hone, came third in the female category and the school team won the junior title.

"I'm very proud of these kids. It's a new interest we started three years ago and we started with three in the club and now we have 11.

"I'm really excited about how these kids can play a game that I have no idea how to play. It's really neat that they are experiencing this success and we are very proud of them," Mr Rasmussen said.

Four of Andrea Nelson and Te Waata Te Kani's grandchildren are in the Sunset chess club, including Alexia, Carsyn Boyd, 9, who was part of the winning junior team, Aotearoa Nelson, 7, and Reality Hone, 7.

"They have been playing for a few years with their grandfather. It's a good pass time for them when they are bored. They play against each other and then the winner plays koroua [their grandfather].

"We were stoked, we were just expecting a certificate but Alexia bounced all the way home biting her medal," Mrs Nelson said.

Richard Totton, the club's head coach, said he was rapt for the pupils.

"The achievement for me is having the number of children who want to play chess at that level, that's the icing on the cake," he said.

Christopher said he was quietly confident when he played in the final.

"I wasn't nervous because I'd played him before [his opponent] and I had beaten him."

He said he liked chess because it was fun and a good challenge.

The event was held at Kaharoa School on Friday with schools from all around the region and many different age groups competing.