By Alesha Capone
At almost seven years of age, young Point Cook resident Rheyansh is already a king among chess players.
Rheyansh, who will celebrate his seventh birthday on August 29, placed first in the under-eight section of last month’s state youth chess championships.
He was six years old at the time of the event, which took place over two days before Victoria went into lockdown.
Rheyansh said he has been playing chess for almost three years, after learning from family members including his older brother and parents.
He now has lessons online, via Zoom, with an international chess master from India.
“I would like to become a chess grandmaster, but I know that it’s very hard,” Rheyansh said.
Rheyansh belongs to the Wyndham Chess Club and the Melbourne Chess Club, where he is the youngest member.
Rheyansh said that since he started playing chess at the age of four, chess coach Phil Minichelli from the Wyndham Chess Club has provided him with a lot of encouragement.
For details about the Wyndham Chess Club, visit, wyndhamchess.club/ or email, info@wyndhamchess.club.
