Chess prodigies will be pitted against seasoned experts this week as the Australian Chess Open kicks off in Sydney.
About 150 competitors from 16 countries will face off to become the Australian Open chess champ.
One of the hot favourites is Chinese grandmaster Ni Hua who has been playing since he was seven.
"When I was very young, it’s just very interested about chess, I think it’s not very difficult for me," he said.
But it's not been without labour; Ni Hua has spent six hours a day practicing chess for years.
He is one of 12 international masters at the 10-day tournament and they will have to beat 13-year-old prodigy Anton Smirnov from Sydney, who won his first championship at just five.
"I don't really know what my opponent will play so I can't predict how the game will unfold exactly," he said. "But I have some ideas like how my opponent could play and how the game could go."
There are thousands of chess positions that run through the minds of expert players in just one move.
But the skill can be learned.
Organiser Kevin Tan said there was a growing number of Australian children learning to play.
"More kids are coming into chess, especially in schools because I think it’s a way they can combined sport with study as well," he said. "It's like they have the competitive part of sport and the fun of it, but also it’s a very intellectual game."
Australia's first grandmaster, Ian Rogers, said that was because of the nature of chess.
"It's one of the most accessible sports if you like," he said. "We've got players who are 80 years old here, and we've got kids preteen kids playing."
Follow the action at the Australian Chess Open here:
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