A chess fanatic who attended Thames Ditton Junior School has been selected for the second year to play for England Juniors in the World School Chess Championships in Greece.

Max Elliott, 11, will be one of 48 England players ranging from seven to 17-years-old travelling to Halkidiki, accompanied by 12 top coaches, including international and grand masters.

The tournament is a mighty challenge for the youngsters, with each of the nine daily games lasting for up to five hours.

Opponents that Max will face will be drawn from 500 of the world’s top junior players, who will be travelling from countries as far as Mongolia, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

For many competitors, chess is a way of life, with practice lasting for up to six hours a day and constantly travelling to international tournaments.

Max said: “I am really looking forward to going to Greece and feel like I am well prepared and ready for some competitive chess.”

Max took up chess at the age of four and regularly plays for teams at Thames Ditton Junior School and in Surbiton, Ealing and Surrey.

He has been coached by International Master Michael Basman, who runs the Tough Chess club in Hinchley Wood and created the largest chess tournament in the world, the Delancey UK Chess Challenge, which attracts over 2,000 schools each year.