PUPILS proved they know their pawns from their knights by scooping a series of prizes at a county chess competition.

Twenty students from 60-pupil Emmanuel Christian School in Littlemore, Oxford, took part in the Oxfordshire round of the UK Chess Challenge. And eight will now progress to the southern regional finals, with the chance to win a place at the national finals in August.

Chess teacher Jenny Cooke said: “This has been particularly great as we are such a small school.

“We probably have around 40 children in our lunchtime chess club.”

Year Two pupil Jethro West won the Under Seven Boys’ title earlier this month, winning each of his six games.

He said: “I really like chess, it feels nice when I get my checkmates.”