Watford Chess Club's Adithya Pramod Paleri has been selected to represent England at the European Youth Chess Championships and World School Championships after winning the national Under-9 title.

Paleri, who attends Nascot Wood School, won six of his seven matches at the national event in Aberystwyth last month – drawing the other – to become the club’s first British champion.

Now Paleri will travel to Batumi in Georgia in October to contest the European Youth Chess Championships, before going onto Brazil in November to take part in the World School Championships.

Jeff Tomy also enjoyed success at the national championships, finishing second in the Under-8 event, whilst Dhruv Radhakrishnan came third in the Under-9 competition.

There was also a tenth-place finish for Divyesh Bansal in the Under-10 section.

Meanwhile, Watford’s first team took the Hertfordshire League title, finishing four points clear of second-placed Hemel Hempstead.

“The club is not just about champions,” said spokesman Paul Littlefair. “Players of all standards, both adults and juniors, are welcome at our club nights and the club runs a range of teams of all abilities.”

The club meets at the Town and Country Club in Rosslyn Road on Tuesdays from 7.30pm.