Two local young chess aficionados have qualified to test their moves on the world stage.
Seven-year-old Luke Pulfer and 11-year-old John Dokjnas, qualified for the World Youth Chess Championship last week, with second-place wins in their respective categories at the Canadian Youth Chess Championships.
Held in Richmond Hill, Ont., the competition featured hundreds of young chess players from across the country.
Pulfer took second in the U10 category after winning a tie-breaker playoff; Dokjnas was among seven players competing in the U12 category to tie for second.
Pulfer has been playing the game since 2009, amassing more than two dozen trophies along the way.
Dokjnas is among three siblings in his family who competed in Ontario.
His brother, Joshua, had the highest finish among eight-year-olds in the U10 category; his other brother, Neil, placed second in the junior division of the U8 open.
Of the three, only John qualified for the international competition.
That event is set for Nov. 17-27 in Brazil.