A young Ukrainian refugee now living in York has just secured himself a spot in a prestigious chess tournament this October.

Maksym Kryshtafor, nine, who is Ukraine's under eight chess champion, fled the current war with his mother.

His performance at the Northern Gigafinal has secured him a spot in the upcoming Delancey UK Chess Challenge Terafinal at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on the weekend of October 14 to 15.

The "fiercely competitive" chess tournament will gather 60 young participants, consisting of 12 players from each age category.

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The event follows an "All Play All" format across 11 rounds and is widely regarded as the strongest junior chess event in the UK calendar.

Sarah Longson, the tournament director, said: "We are incredibly proud of Maksym Kryshtafor's remarkable achievement at the Gigafinal.

"His skill, focus, and determination has positioned him as a formidable competitor, and we have no doubt that he will continue to shine."

Last year, The Press reported that Maksym had beaten York's best chess player, International Chess Master Richard Palliser, in a 20-board simultaneous chess match.

The Terafinal promises to be a nail-biting event, featuring renowned competitors such as Bodhana Sivandanadan, the recent World Schools' Championship winner, as well as international master Artem Lutsko, also from Ukraine.

As the championship approaches its grand finale, the Southern Gigafinal, the Online Gigafinal and the Challengers event will take place as opportunities for participants to secure their places at Blenheim Palace.