Chess: ‘I was beating adults at chess when I was eight’
BBC News NI reports on Ethan, who started playing chess at six and has since become the youngest Ulster chess champion in history.
"When I was eight or nine I was beating adults at chess and they were raging when they lost, like ‘I just lost to a little kid’." – Ethan
Ethan first developed an interest in chess after observing someone playing and now, at 13, he represents Ireland across all age groups. His impressive skills earned him the Ulster championship title last week, beating opponents aged 30-65.
"I quite like the thinking part and the opening preparation." Ethan enjoys the mental challenge of chess, attributing his success to a natural ability and diligent practice. He also highlights his strong mathematical abilities as a contributing factor.
Ethan’s mother, Eimear Savage, attributes her son’s success entirely to him, noting that while neither of them are chess players, Ethan was fascinated by the game from the moment he saw it. She recalls Ethan’s early days with the game, including kneeling on a chair to see over the table as a younger child.
Ethan has competed internationally, representing Ireland in Paris at the Eiffel Tower and in the Netherlands, Germany, and Estonia. His fellow players at Strand Chess Club in east Belfast, like Gareth Annesley, attest to his impressive skills and mature playstyle, even at such a young age.
