TWO talented chess playing brothers have beaten off the competition to reach the last stages of a national tournament.Jacob and Eli Hess, from Filby, won through to UK Land Chess Challenge Gigafinal next month.

TWO talented chess playing brothers have beaten off the competition to reach the last stages of a national tournament.

Jacob and Eli Hess, from Filby, won through to UK Land Chess Challenge Gigafinal next month.

The Langley School pupils are among the top 2,500 players, from an initial 73,000, qualifying for the competition in Manchester on July 6. It is the latest in a series of achievements for Jacob, 10, and nine year old Eli, who are both members of Norwich Junior Chess Club.

Current school chess champion Jacob won the under 10 Norfolk Schools Chess Championships last year, the U11 section at the Yarmouth Junior Congress in April and all his games for the Langley Preparatory U11 team representing Norfolk in this month's English Primary Schools Championship.

Eli also won all his games for the victorious U9 team at the championships and was U9 school chess champion last year.

Mum Louise said: “It helps that they both have good mathematical minds, and are strong visual learners with great memories.

“I'm very proud that they have done so well, and it seems that as chess is increasing in popularity within schools, it is a great way for children who aren't always the most academic of pupils to achieve success.”

Stephen Orton, who runs Norwich Junior Chess Club, said: “Both boys are very promising considering their age, and if they work hard, could become outstandingly good chess players.”