Idris Remnant, 12, Samuel Clark, 13, Jordan Kelso, 12, Alexandre de Maupeou d'Ableiges, 13, and Victor Richards, 12, were part of the Nelson Intermediate team that came fourth in the Chess Power Nationals in Auckland. Photo: Charles Anderson

Checkmate for Nelson Intermediate

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Samuel Clark reckons there are some good life lessons to be learned from the game of chess.

“There is strategy, decision making. It has it all.”

Which is just as well because Samuel was part of the five-student Nelson Intermediate School team that recently came away with fourth place at the Chess Power Nationals in Auckland.

“It’s nervous at the start but with chess, when you get into it, it gets easier.”

The team were the top South Island team in the competition and were there because they won the regional competition.

The team’s event works by each of the members playing individual games with their points being added up at the end. In the individual event Samuel, Alexandre and Idris came in first, second and third.

“We have all known how to play since we were little,” says Samuel. “But we all started getting into it when we were year seven.”

The boys are off to secondary school next year but say they will keep their passion for chess with them.