A BRITISH boy aged eight rocked the chess world yesterday by becoming the youngest player ever to beat a grandmaster. Genius David Howell learned the moves at five after his father bought him a £1 set from a jumble sale. Within two hours he was beating his dad. Yesterday his amazing talent earned him a crushing victory against ex-U.K champ Dr John Nunn, 44, who was somewhat rattled by it. David said: "After the match he shook hands with me and helped me set up the board for the next game but I think he was quite upset." David’s dad Martin, 48, a doctor, said: "I hope John Nunn doesn't feel too embarrassed. But I don't think he’s terribly keen to talk about it at the moment." David, of Seaford, Sussex, forced Nunn into a hopeless position in a speed-chess game at the Mind Sports Olympiad in London. Each player had five minutes to make all their moves.

David is British champion at under-nine and under-ten levels and last month came seventh out of 264 players of all ages in the World Open at Philadelphia. He often skips playtime at his Eastbourne school to catch up on the lessons he has missed while at chess matches. The previous youngest conqueror of one of the world’s 200 grandmasters was a lad of ten.