A team of four pupils from Dollar Academy managed to finish first at a recent regional chess competition.

Cameron Brown (FVI), Harry Gray (FI), Alexandru Roibu and Connor Hogdson (both FV) were assembled and entered into the Fife Schools’ Chess Championship at the very last minute, hence Connor’s lack of school uniform, but still managed to come out on top after competing against seven other schools.

With matches held every lunch time in the Modern Languages Department, as well as coaching offered, chess is strong at Dollar and the boys won 26 matches out of 28 and drew the other two.

Harry said: “Our hope for 2015/16 is that the defunct National Schools Tournament will be resuscitated, and that our players can revive the glory days of travelling the length and breadth of Scotland, leaving a trail of forced mates, timed wins and opponent resignations in their wake.” The team’s victory at the championship, which was held at St Leonard’s School in St Andrews, follows on from the academy’s success in November at the individual players’ championship, where Dollar took the first five places against more than 70 challengers. All four players of the team were involved in that success with FI’s Andrew Ferguson also sharing in the glory.

With Cameron now leaving for university there is space for other pupils to improve and maybe even join the school team.