Frederick Waldhausen Gordon is just 10 years old and has already defeated a chess grandmaster. But the talented young Scottish player did not share hi

The 10-year-old boy who beat a chess grandmaster - but didn't want to boast

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2021-05-22 09:00:07

Frederick Waldhausen Gordon is just 10 years old and has already defeated a chess grandmaster. But the talented young Scottish player did not share his excitement with his school friends because he thought it would be boasting.

He joined the Edinburgh Chess Academy and started practising two hours a day after school and four hours a day at weekends. He watched the best players on YouTube and picked up tips from his chess teacher and a family friend.

Freddy became the under-10 British champion, one of Scotland's top graded juniors of all time, and is currently the country's top under-18 player.

And in March this year, he defeated grandmaster Bogdan Lalic on his way to winning an English Chess Federation Prix Rapid Event.

He faced adult opponents in his six matches, but said the 30-minute contest with the 57-year-old Croatian was the most exciting game.

Freddy, a pupil at George Heriot's School, said: "I was very nervous, but I thought whatever happens I will learn from it so as not to put too much pressure on myself.