A PRIMARY school boy from Eynesbury has become the youngest player to make it through to the latter stages of a table-top game championship. Robert Mitchell has been playing Tantrix – a jigsaw-style game where players compete to make the longest coloured

A PRIMARY school boy from Eynesbury has become the youngest player to make it through to the latter stages of a table-top game championship.

Robert Mitchell has been playing Tantrix - a jigsaw-style game where players compete to make the longest coloured line possible - for more than two years.

Now aged 10 he is eligible for the World Junior Tantrix Championships, and on his first attempt made it through to the quarter-finals, but lost out to Dutch prodigy Hidde Ozinga in an on-line contest at the weekend.

Proud mum Judy Moore said: "It is an addictive game and Robert has shown he has some talent for the sport."

The Priory Junior School pupil said he plays for up to two hours a day, either on-line or with his family. He also enjoys playing football, hockey, table tennis and plays the cornet.

The family's home in Caldecote Road often becomes the setting for grudge matches between Robert, his parents, brother and two step-brothers. They have become a regular sight in their local pub, Ye Old Sun, playing the addictive game.

Robert added: "Mum's got a better ranking than me in the charts but I'm better than her. I always beat her.

"I like playing because it is a challenging game and you get the chance to meet people from all over the world."

Robert and his Mum will travel to London next week to take part in the game's British Open event. They may face reigning champion Attila Mikulan, from Hungary.

The game involves placing 56 hexagonal tiles with coloured lines and curves on them, strategically to block opponents and increase your own line.

Robert defeated players from across the world to reach the quarter-finals, including the USA and Poland.

INFORMATION: For more information on Tantrix, visit www.tantrix.co.uk