Year 7 pupil, Isabel Cotogni, has beaten off competition from across England to become the national Girls' U12 Chess Champion.

 

Isabel said: "I'm really pleased because I didn’t expect to win so when I won all my matches I was really happy.  I travel all over the country, I meet people and I like it as a hobby.  People think it’s quite a nerdy game but you do meet some new people.  It is the biggest thing I’ve won but I’ve won quite a few competitions.”

 

Isabel plays for Worsley Chess Club and also has weekly tuition from chess coach Andrew Wilson who attempts to make her think more tactically.

 

As the winner of the competition, she will receive 10 hours of grandmaster coaching and three trophies.

 

Asked about her future, Isabel said: “I really have to work hard and I play my dad every night.  I will definitely carry on playing as I get older but I’m not sure if I’ll become a grandmaster.  I think I might want to do something with science.”