Taking on chess champs in India

The shrewd moves and cool head of an eight-year-old Elstree boy have earned him a medal at an international chess championship in India.

Ravi Haria, of Deacons Hill Road, came home with a bronze medal after competing as part of the England squad sent by the English Chess Federation to compete in the Commonwealth Chess Championship in New Delhi.

The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School pupil started playing chess at the age of six when he was attending Lionsdale School in Barnet.

Ravi, who competed in December, said: "The other children were really good. We had to play chess every day and for two days we played two rounds, some of which were four hours long and we got really tired."

Ravi is a regular member of Barnet Knights Chess Club, at the Finchley and Borehamwood Chess Club.