Professional chess players tend to be a temperamental lot. Disputes and personality clashes are as much a part of the game as pawns and knights. Spats between Bobby Fischer, of the United States, and Boris Spassky, of Russia, even managed to destabilise East-West relations during their Cold War clash in Iceland in 1972.

Nothing quite so controversial is likely to happen at this weekend's International Masters chess tournament in Kilkenny, the idea of a local chess enthusiast, Jack Lowry, who is behind Ireland's strongest-ever chess tournament.

"The Kilkenny tournament has been running for 23 years, but we've never attracted so many big names," Mr Lowry said. "This year we have 240 players, including six grandmasters and several international masters. Kilkenny is now the biggest weekend tournament in Europe."

Players from as far afield as Brazil and Croatia are making the trip to take on Ireland's best players. Top of the list for autograph-hunters will be the Dutch grandmaster, Jan Timman, twice a world championship contender.

So what does it take to get to the top in chess? "You have to be gifted for the game, have good concentration and a lot of energy," Mr Timman said.

"Some players try to project a strong physical presence over the board, but I'm not interested in intimidation tactics and I'm not impressed by them either.

"A strong ego is also an essential ingredient for the successful chess player," he explained. "Most of the top players would have strong egos, but the type of personality clashes and antics that occurred in the past don't happen as much on the chess scene any more."

As the Fischer controversies of the past prove, including accusations of mysterious rays emanating from chess boards, there is a fine line between genius and madness.

"Chess becomes a mental addiction for many players and some go a little crazy if they don't spend time on other pursuits," Mr Tinman said.

Madness has always drawn the crowds to chess as has the genius shown by chess prodigies. This year the organising committee of the Kilkenny tournament has pulled off a coup by attracting nine-year-old David Howell.

He attracted attention in Britain after beating the experienced British grandmaster, John Nunn. Many British chess enthusiasts believe he could be a future world champion.

"I started playing when I was 5 1/2 and could beat my dad after a year or so," said David. "I read chess books about two hours every week but I take part in other sports as well."

His favourite player is Gary Kasparov, whom he describes as "quite good".

David's mother, Angeline, is keen to support him in his quest. "I'll give him support and the opportunities as much as I can because chess is his first love. He even speaks about it in his sleep," she said.

But isn't there a danger of burn-out in such a young talent?

"I wouldn't stop him from going to tournaments because he enjoys them so much," she said.

As with most pursuits, money is the driver of success, one-to-one chess tuition from a grandmaster doesn't come cheap and sponsorship is difficult to obtain.

This lack of sponsorship has crippled Irish chess for years, according to Alexander Baburin, Ireland's only resident grandmaster.

"There are few strong competitions here because there isn't much sponsorship," he said, "so Irish players don't have the opportunity to play at the top level or get proper coaching. Without this it's difficult to compete."

Baburin has even had to turn to the Internet to find players to coach. "Ireland just doesn't have the tradition," he said.

However, Irish chess was boosted last Thursday when, as part of an ESB-sponsored initiative to have a chess set in every primary school in Ireland, Baburin played a simultaneous chess tournament against 40 children at St Brigid's Girls' National School, Killester. Drawing new players is the only way to build the game in this country, he believes.

However, the Kilkenny tournament illustrates another possible route for fundraising: the main sponsor of the event is the computer company Norcom. "The computer industry is interested in chess. The type of students who become involved in computers tend to enjoy chess, so it's a good opportunity for them and for us," said Lowry.

And what are the chances of a home-grown grandmaster in Ireland?

"Not in the near future," he said. "But with the present sponsorship there will be more young players than ever before. Let's hope they can develop."