Eight-year-old beats chess Grand Master

A BOY aged eight yesterday became the youngest person to beat a Grand Master at chess, writes
Nicky Burridge.

David Howell, of Seaford, East Sussex, recorded his remarkable victory at a tournament in London. He beat John Nunn in a five- minute game at the Mind Sports Olympiad, at Olympia.

Sidonie Henbest, a spokeswoman for the tournament, said: "It is certainly quite unprecedented. The previous person who held the record was two years older than David is now."

David, the British under-nine and under-ten champion, was said to be "as cool as a cucumber" about his victory. "He gave it ten seconds' thought and went to the next game," Ms Henbest said. "He is well on the way to becoming a Grand Master himself."

The competition was a Swiss tournament, a "blitz" game in which players have only five minutes throughout the match to work out all their moves. "Playing a whole game in that time means they have to be able to think extremely quickly," Ms Henbest said.

The game is completed like an ordinary game of chess but the players are under extra pressure because they have less time to consider their tactics.

Mr Nunn, who is in his 40s, was considered to be the strongest Grand Master in the UK and one of the greatest in the world. There are about 200 Grand Masters.

"He was most gracious in defeat. It does leave one a little bit speechless," Ms Henbest said, adding: "There is no doubt it is a genuine result."

David will go to Greece next month to play in the European championship, followed by Spain for the World championship. In July he came seventh out of 264 players of all ages in the World Open at Philadelphia.