TWO chess enthusiasts from the Wee County recently had a once in a lifetime opportunity, playing against some of the top maestros of the world.

Michael Payne and William Spiers, both from Clackmannanshire, took part in the first FIDE World Corporate Chess Championships last month.

Both represented their employers M&G Prudential at the online event, which saw 288 teams enter from some of the biggest companies in the world.

While many invited grandmasters to join their ranks, with 36 maestros taking part, the Prudential team came together in-house.

Michael, chief operating officer for customer and distribution at M&G – which owns Prudential, told the Advertiser that the tournament was an "astonishing" experience.

He has not played a competitive game for more than 25 years and was glad to have entered as part of the only Scottish team in the championships.

Michael, who never dared to dream of getting anywhere near some of the top players in the world when he was competing at a younger age, said: "It was an experience that I will absolutely never forget – and will never get the chance again.

"The fact that it was offered up, it was just incredible."

Nearly 1,500 players entered from across the almost 300 teams with matches taking place online on chess.com between February 19 and 21.

Michael had the opportunity to play against Radoslaw Wojtaszek, three-time Polish champion and FIDE grandmaster since 2005.

The Clacks man admitted his nerves almost got the better of him and said: "It was the first game of the tournament and when his rating popped up against me I just thought: 'this is crazy and I'm going to lose in a few moves'.

"Being really nervous going into it didn't help and it was only as the competition progressed that you got more used to it."

His confidence grew over the next few games, however, and he even managed to collect valuable points for the team.

Michael's next notable opponent was none other than world junior champion Nihal Sarin, aged 16.

Despite the age difference, the Clacks man was certainly not underestimating the skill of the Indian chess prodigy, who achieved grandmaster status when he was just 14.

Michael said: "It went pretty well, actually, I was either equal or slightly up at parts in the game until we got to the end.

"Then time caught up with me slightly so it didn't end too well.

"But I was really pleased with that, he had to think, he wasn't just playing every move in a couple of seconds."

Colleague William, a member of Stirling Chess Club, recently joined the company and was added to the team last-minute as a reserve.

Said to have been "one of the best players" in the Prudential team, William proved his skill on the chequerboard, winning every single one of his games.

Both enjoyed the opportunity to chat to others between matches as well – sometimes not even realising they were making small talk with some of the current champions of the world.