GMDavid W L Howell

David Howell's chess career began with a secondhand set his father bought at a jumble sale. Growing up in Eastbourne, he learned the game before his sixth birthday and developed through Sussex Junior Chess. He won British titles in several children's age groups. At eight he beat grandmaster John Nunn in blitz, attracting national attention. A draw against Vladimir Kramnik in an exhibition match in 2002 provided another memorable early encounter. Howell became a grandmaster in 2007 at sixteen. He won the British Championship in 2009, 2013 and 2014. Alongside his tournament career, he has become a familiar commentator on major international events.