YOUNG chess players from around the country are visiting a North Yorkshire school to compete in a national chess tournament.

The Ampleforth Junior Masters, at Ampleforth College, is in its sixth year and is regarded as being the British junior championship.

The winner will receive a trophy and a prize worth £22,500, consisting of a £1,000 cash prize and a two-year sixth-form scholarship at Ampleforth College.

The event features up to 100 top-ranked chess players below the age of 16 from across the UK and is the only competition which guarantees the winner qualification for the next year's British Chess Championship.

The tournament starts on Thursday and six rounds of games will be played over four days.

Peter Turner, director of Junior Chess at the British Chess Federation, said: "The Ampleforth Junior Masters gets better year by year and is the 'must enter' championship for British juniors.

"It is unlike any other tournament as a lure of the top young talents - 11 of the players are current British champions - probably the greatest gathering of young chess champions ever."