The program was nominated in the Interactive Media section of the 2006 Scottish Baftas. Children are taken through the basics by kilted Professor McDinosaur who delivers his lines in a Star Trek 'you're gonna overload the engines' type accent. The Prof shows how each of the pieces moves with captures involving a pleasing explosion with associated sound-effects.

Paul has made Dinosaur Chess available free of charge to all education authorities in Scotland. To download the program, schools should contact their IT co-ordinator who will liaise with their education authority's Schools Information Technology Development Group.

Most of today's top players learned the game as youngsters. According to Wikipedia, 13 players achieved grandmaster status before their 15th birthday. In 2002 Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine became the youngest ever GM, at the age of 12 years and seven months. Magnus Carlsen, 17, the Norwegian prodigy, has focused most of the chess world's recent attention, but Karjakin is not completely past it. Fide World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk 2007: White: S. Karjakin, Black: E. Alekseev. 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e5 7 Nb3 Be7 8 f3 Be6 9 Qd2 Nbd7 10 g4 0-0 11 0-0-0 Qc7 12 Kb1 b5 13 g5 Nh5 14 f4 exf4 15 Bxf4 Nxf4 16 Qxf4 Rac8 17 Nd4 Nb6 18 Bd3 Qc5 19 Nf5 Rce8 20 Nxe7+ Rxe7 21 e5 d5 22 h4 Nc4 23 h5 d4? Black is waiting for 24 Ne4 Qxe5 but Karjakin has a deeper idea (see diagram). 24 h6! g6 24...dxc3 loses to 25 Bxh7+! Black may have relied on 24...Qxe5 but 25 Bxh7+ Kxh7 26 hxg7+ Kxg7 27 Qh4 Rc8 28 Qh6+ Kg8 29 Qf6! is the key winning idea. 25 Nd5! Qxd5? 25...f5 stops the mate but 26 Nxe7+ is easy enough. 26 Bxc4 Qxc4 27 Qf6 and soon mates 1–0.

Scotland's top-ranked GM duo Jonathan Rowson and Jacob Aagaard take part in the Porto Mannu Open in Sardinia (till May 24). See www.asd.caissa.it for more.

Hamilton CC, the Scottish champions, have announced they are leaving their scout hut, unflatteringly featured here on May 3, and moving to Bothwell Bowling Club in September.