The country breeding a generation of chess whizz kids

Since 2011, all children in Armenia from six to eight years old have had compulsory chess lessons. For one boy it's paying off, reports Emma Levine.

I was trapped. Surrounded on all sides, and there was no escape. The king's capture was imminent - and my bishop was of no use this time. "Shakh yev mat," Mikhael announced triumphantly. Check mate - and my victor was just 11 years old.

It wasn't surprising - a few days earlier Mikhael had been crowned the national schools' chess champion, adding to his other trophies.

He'd been playing since he was five.

"I learned from my father and grandfather - and then, weekly lessons in school," he told me in the family's apartment in Yerevan, Armenia's capital.

Image caption
Mikhael beat Emma in just eight minutes
One of his heroes is compatriot Levon Aronian. This charismatic 35-year-old, one of Armenia's many grandmasters, was once number two in the world - a superstar and national hero in a country not accustomed to sporting success.

Mikhael's mum, Nara, proudly shows me her son's trophies and medals.

"Mikhael wants to be a world champion. He watches international games to perfect his chess," she told me over tiny cups of soorj - strong Armenian coffee. "We don't put pressure on him - it's what he loves doing and that's the most important thing."

Nara travels with her son to all his tournaments, including going abroad.

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Image caption
Grandmaster Levon Aronian was number two in the world in 2014
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"I can't beat him any more!" his older brother, Khachatur, tells me ruefully.

"Mikhael has this amazing knack of getting inside an opponent. If he gets beaten he'll analyse their moves and their game, and knows instinctively how to beat them next time.

"And," he adds, "he memorises every game, and recreates it on the board."

source:www.bbc.co