David Howell (chess player)

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For other persons named David Howell, see David Howell (disambiguation).

David Howell (b. November 14, 1990^[1]) is the youngest FIDE Grand Master of chess in the United Kingdom, a title he earned when he came second during the 35th Rilton Cup in Stockholm on 5 January 2007 ^[2] when he was 16; the previous record holder, Michael Adams was a year older when he became grandmaster.^[3] Howell has been playing chess since the age of five years and eight months, when he quickly learned to defeat his father following the purchase of a second-hand chess set at a jumble sale. He soon came to the attention of the Sussex Junior Chess Association, and received training from a number of established adult Sussex chess players. He has been the British Under-8, Under-9 and Under-10 chess champion and now plays mostly in open adult chess tournaments, unless he is representing England in the World and European Junior Chess Championships. His training with GM Glenn Flear is sponsored by JEB (Hove) Ltd, the software developer responsible for the BITEM event management website.

In August 1999, Howell became famous internationally when he broke the world record for the youngest player to have defeated a Grandmaster in an official game. He defeated GM Dr John Nunn in a blitz game at the Mind Sports Olympiad. David still holds this record. He is also the youngest player in the world to have qualified to compete in a national chess championship, taking part in the British Chess Championship in August 2000. He came fourth in the Player of the Year ballot held by the British Chess Federation during 2000.

He has appeared on Breakfast TV, Blue Peter, Nickelodeon, Good Morning America, and several local news programmes. During the last few years, Howell has played in France, Greece, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, Ireland, Singapore, and the USA.

In 2001, Howell came joint first in the European Under-12 Chess Championship and joint second in the World Under-12 Championship.

In the recent Hastings Challengers tournament, Howell became the youngest ever British player to defeat a grandmaster in classical chess when he beat GM Colin McNab.

In March 2002, Howell drew the last of four games with the Einstein Group World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik, becoming the youngest player in the world to score against a reigning world chess champion in an organised chess match. The resulting publicity led to articles in all the main British national newspapers and appearances on CBBC, Channel 4 News, and Richard & Judy.