Twelve-year-old Aaron Jaikaran created history when he became the youngest player to win the Under-18 national chess championship after coming out victorious in a three-way playoff with brothers Noah and Loki Clarke.
The playoff was first set up after all three players finished tied on four points.
The format of the playoff would involve each player having to play the other in a two-game match with both the white and black pieces.
Jaikaran, the reigning Under-13 champion, comfortably defeated the older brother Loki 2-0 in the first matchup
The brothers were then paired against each other. Loki won the first game quite easily and was comfortably positioned to take the final match, when he unbelievably fell victim to a back rank checkmate to give Noah the victory.
With Jaikaran on two points and Noah on one point facing off in the last match, most pundits would have favored the former.
In the first game, Jaikaran had an advantage, but Noah fought back to salvage a draw. The result meant Jaikaran only needed another draw in the last game to claim the title.
However, knowing that only a victory would keep his title hopes alive, Noah turned on the pressure to hand Jaikaran his first loss of the playoffs.
It mean both Noah and Jaikaran were tied on two and a half points and another playoff was required to separate them.
The next format saw the players battling in a blitz match, where each player would have 5 minutes with a three second increment to complete the game.
In the first of two games it was Noah who pushed for the win. However Jaikaran managed to hold on for a draw.
In the second game, Jaikaran won a piece in the middle game and was able to eventually convert his advantage into a victory to create history and lift the title.
(PR)
