Young chess champion Alex O'Toole proved a real knockout in his latest competition - he missed out on a prestigious national championship with concussion!

Eight-year-old Alex knocked himself out when he ran into a steel handguard just minutes before he was due to challenge for the UK schoolboys' title.

And instead of battling with his chess pieces, he ended up in hospital. Fortunately was only mildly concussed.

He had qualified for the tournament by winning a competition for primary children held in Kent where his toughest opponent was his brother George, six. Alex of Temple Sutton School walked off with a trophy.

But when the youngster, who lives in of Manners Way, Southend, competed in the national championships he missed getting through to the final stages after hitting his head outside the venue.

He has regularly beaten adults and gets in a lot of practice by playing his two brothers. Antony, 11, competes at national level. All three brothers decided to give chess a rest last year but six months later they were drawn back to the game.

Alex puts his new-found confidence and success in the game down to his new coach Jonathan Rogers, paying for his weekly lessons with his winnings.

Gone to pieces - Alex O'Toole missed a national tournament after he ran into a steel handguard and suffered concussion

Picture:ROBIN WOOSEY

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