ONE of Britain's top chess players came to Wanstead last night to battle it out against 17 other players simultaneously - and lost not a single game.

Competitors found themselves between a rook and a hard place as Grandmaster Peter Wells showed just why he is one of the country's most respected players of the game during the special event organised by the Wanstead and Woodford Chess Club.

Ian Hunnable, chairman of the group, which was first established in 1943, said his members had been left dazzled by Mr Wells's skill.

He said: "His rate of play was of a high order. One recalls some Grandmasters playing so slowly that boredom sets in, but with Peter’s pace, he was placing the pressure on his opponents to complete their calculations before he appeared before them once more.

"It was very impressive."

Despite no-one managing to beat the master, the club's blushes were spared when members Joe Rosenberg and Charlton Siddo managed draws, along with visiting player Ron Adams from Bishop’s Stortford.

Mr Hunnable added: "By the end of the night, the Grandmaster had won 14 games and drawn three, in two hours 36 minutes. By my observation, he was at no time in danger of losing any of the games."

Visit www.johnphilpott.freeserve.co.uk/wanstead.htm for more information on the club.