An incredibly talented nine-year-old schoolboy who is already conquering the world of chess, helped inspire a whole new generation of young players when he showed off his mind-blowing skills at Uxbridge Chess Club.
In the process I learnt how chess is helping transform children in west London into responsible, disciplined and wise little people.
Decked out in a smart suit which is just a little too big for him, Shreyas Royal who is already the best player in the under-12 age group in the UK, and the second best under-10's player in the world, took on 17 very keen players from the Uxbridge Junior Chess Club on Monday, October 29.
The diminutive maestro played 17 juniors simultaneously, which means he literally had to walk between 17 different chess boards, and played each game against the clock.
He beat all but one in 90 minutes, drawing one match with delighted club member Rudra Debnath, aged just eight.
Watching Shreyas in action, it's hard to remember he is just a child and is having to balance chess tournaments all over the UK and the world with his school work.
But his maturity and poise are quite something to behold, especially for my non-logical brain. The moves he explains to the club before the match are mind- blowingly complex and he wins the games with what seems like complete ease.
Shreyas admits he is "exhausted" afterwards, and who wouldn't be after doing a full day of school work and then travelling from his Kent home all the way to Uxbridge.
But he tells me the game is "beautiful" because it is full of so many different strategic plans.
And there's no doubt Shreyas is helping inspire a whole new interest in the game at junior level. This is clear by the enthusiasm of the players at Uxbridge. They all want to be like him - and if possible - to beat him.
The smile on Rudra's face after he draws his game says it all.
"I feel great. I was the only person to draw against the best player in England. Hopefully his visit will inspire many other people to do chess as well," he says.
"It's so much fun. There are so many variations to chess. There is no end to it."
The club's head coach is former Nigerian champion David Okike. He consistently gets a score over 200 which in chess terms means he's a very good player.
He tells me: "Shreyas will be a grand master and he will challenge for the world championships. He's such a great prospect and his understanding is phenomenal. He will be beating me within a year or two, it's wonderful to see."
Family support
Shreyas's dad Jitendra Singh says the family moved from India when Shreyas was just three years old, and he was already starting to play chess when he was five after his mum was keen for him to do some activities that were good for his brain.
At his first major tournament, the London Classic, he won gold and since then things have snowballed.
"We never thought he would be as good as he is, we never even expected he would do chess," Jitendra says.
"Now the whole family is behind him. We all travel with him to tournaments for the whole weekend. Last week we were in France and this weekend in Spain.
"We don't have any expectation of him, we just want him to enjoy it."
Why is chess good for children?
Club honorary secretary Peter Lord said: "Playing the game of chess on a regular basis right from childhood improves the learning, thinking, analytical power, and decision-making ability of the child.
"Chess makes the child learn how to strategise aspects of the game and life. In addition, a child can also learn the importance of foresight, and planning. Playing the game of chess on a regular basis right from the childhood teaches the importance of being disciplined in life.
"Practising chess regularly also aids in improving the self-confidence of the child, which is extremely essential for the child’s growth.
"In the game of chess, a child learns to do a thorough analysis, research, and assessment of the situation before making any decision. Such an exercise provides mental clarity to the child. Mental clarity and mental dexterity is required for solving problems, analysing consequences, and formulating future tactics.
"Children playing chess from an early age exhibit extraordinary memory skills. Chess also helps in improving concentration and academic performance of the child.
"On the whole, playing the game of chess is useful in transforming a child into a responsible, disciplined, and wise human being."
How can I get involved?
The adult club meets on Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm onwards, and the junior club on Mondays from 6pm. The club meets at The Ivy Leaf Club, 8 Wellington Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 2AP. Just Google ‘8 Wellington Road, Uxbridge’ for a map.
It is about ten minutes walk from Uxbridge Tube Station. You can just turn up and you will be made to feel at home. Uxbridge Chess Club was established originally as Hayes Chess Club in 1954. It has a history of enjoying competing in several local leagues.
It moved to Uxbridge in 2013, and changed the club name, because of its new venue address.
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The club prides itself on being a very friendly and sociable club and it is always looking for new members and to promote chess in the local community and schools.
Currently it runs teams in the Thames Valley League, the Bucks League and The Hillingdon and District League. Competitive games can count towards a chess grade, which is a measure of how much you are improving.
There are fun events such as friendly matches, the Christmas and summer 'Lightning' tournaments with prizes to win and sometimes even GM or IM Simultaneous exhibitions.
