John Eddershaw, 93, is the oldest competitor in the championships in Coventry, having been taught to play by his father when he was eight.
“I’ve had untold pleasure,” he said. “People I’ve met, the games I’ve played, and where one was able to travel.”
He has been a member of several clubs and teams over the years, and says chess has kept him mentally active since he retired as a race walker.
“Chess is a game of studying. I call it a university game, because you have to use your brains,” he smiled.
Eddershaw, from Sheffield, said he enjoyed playing against Riyaan, despite their 87-year age gap.
“I wasn’t bored or anything. In fact, he was teaching me something,” he said.
“There are more and more people playing chess these days, particularly [at] the younger end.”
In terms of their game though, this time experience had the upper hand – as, with Riyaan finding his king under attack and no way back, he resigned.
Riyaan’s father hopes he has a bright future in front of him as a chess player.
“All the signs are pointing towards him being very good when he gets older,” Robert said about his son.
As for Eddershaw, he has no plans of stopping either: “I’ll carry on playing chess until the good Lord takes me.”