A PUBLISHED author could return from a trip to Croatia as a world chess champion.

Craig Pritchett, of Dunbar’s Murray Court, travelled to the World Senior Championships in Opatija on Monday.

The 64-year-old is one of 214 players aiming to be crowned the 23rd Individual World Senior Chess Champion.

He said: “I have to study hard beforehand.

“Basically, I’m trying to do as well as or better than what I’ve done in the past.

“I’m seeded at the moment at about 22nd out of about 220 players.

“I’ve got an outside chance, put it that way, but I am not among the top favourites.” Top seed is Frenchman Vaisser Anatoly.

Craig, who has also written a number of books about the sport, is entering the competition for the fourth time.

He said: “I’ve beaten a number of senior world champions but also I’ve lost to them.

“They have got to be careful of me, as well as I have got to be careful of them.” The competition, which runs until November 24, has attracted players from across the world, with Craig one of four – along with Philip Giulian, Douglas McKerracher and Ian Marks – representing Scotland.

Representing his country is nothing new for Craig, however.

Instead, he has played the strategy game throughout much of the world, taking part in the Chess Olympiads on nine occasions between 1966 and 1990.

That saw him play in places like Havana, Siegen, Skopje, Buenos Aires, Dubai and Novi Sad.

However, despite that experience, he told the Courier it was still a case of getting in the right frame of mind.

“If you are competitive at all at anything, you are always going to have a certain amount of tension and nerves,” he said.

“It’s like any sportsman will tell you, if you don’t have that [tension and nerves] then your edge has gone.

“It’s a highly tense game.” Craig spoke to the Courier last Friday afternoon and was looking forward to his latest trip to represent his country.

“The main thing is to go out and enjoy it,” he said.

“But, at the same time, it is serious.

“I’ve played other sports but don’t mind losing at it.” The former two-time Scottish champion flew out from Edinburgh to Zagreb via Gatwick for the competition, which runs at the same time as the World Championships in India.