A Chelmsford school pupil insists he will only go from strength to strength after testing himself against the very best at the sixth London Chess Classic.

King Edward VI Grammar School’s Daniel Gallagher was one of more than 2,000 children to have descended on Kensington Olympia for the showpiece Classic.

Staged by registered charity Chess in Schools and Communities, the event not only plays host to the world’s best players in a six-player classical all-play-all format but also allows children from across the country to get to grips with the sport.

Daniel was one of those to make the most of the opportunity, receiving lessons from a grandmaster before showing off his skills against his peers during a series of matches.

And the 14-year-old admitted he had learned lots of different tips for trying to outsmart his opponents in the future.

“I've been playing chess for a few years now and I like the way that it's all about skill and there's no luck involved,” he said.

“In other games you can be lucky and win but in chess it's all about your skill and if you play well then you will win.

“I think that generally it's more useful than spending your time playing computer games because it helps your thinking and helps your grades at schools.

“It's quite mathematical and there is quite a lot of logic involved and lots of strategy goes into playing a match.

“I loved the coaching here and having the chance to learn a few new things and seeing everyone here playing.

“It's something that I want to keep doing for a long time and I'd like to become a title player one day.”

The world’s greatest ever chess player Garry Kasparov, who from 1986 until his retirement in 2005 was ranked world No. 1 for 225 out of 228 months, was also in London to raise the profile of the 6th London Chess Classic.

Recent surveys by Chess in Schools and Communities found pupils as young as seven should be given compulsory lessons in chess amid claims it boosts concentration levels, numeracy and reading comprehension, and Kasparov admitted he was impressed with the level of talent Daniel showed in the capital.

“This is a great initiative and I have been promoting this idea of having chess as part of the education system around the world,” Kasparov said.

“And I am very happy to see the success Chess in Schools and Communities has had so far because it just shows that everyone can see the benefits – parents, headmasters, students and eventually the overall public.

“The benefits of kids playing chess at an early age is quite obvious, it improves their communicative skills, it helps them to appreciate the big picture – to see the outcomes of their actions, they can recognise patterns.

“Overall it helps their concentration, sense of logic and those are very important qualities for their success in school and having chess at the early days is important because it adds an extra tool to help kids get through modern education.”