David's Biography:
updated 27 Apr 03

Name: FM David Wei-Liang Howell
Date of Birth: 14 November 1990

Date	Event / Achievement
July 1996	Started learning basic chess moves from his father.
August 1996	Joined Eastbourne Chess Club.
September 1996	First tournament - Sussex Under-11 Open (won 3 out of 6 games).
July 1997	Defeated WGM Susan Lalic at UK Chess Challenge simultaneous display, Nottingham (aged 6).
August 1998	British Under-8 champion, Torquay.
April 1999	Youngest ever to win the IAPS under-13 championship, Aldro School, Godalming.
August 1999	British Under-9 and Under-10 champion, Scarborough.
29 August 1999	Defeated GM Dr John Nunn at the Mind Sports Olympiad Rapidplay (5 minutes each on the clock).  World Record - youngest ever player to defeat a grandmaster in an organised game.  Appeared on BBC Breakfast TV, Good Morning America and Blue Peter.
11-12 Dec 1999	Youngest ever to win the London Junior Under-14 Chess Congress, beating GM Nigel Short's record.
28-30 Jan 2000	Youngest ever player to qualify for a national championship (and the youngest ever qualifier for the British Championship).
2-10 Oct 2000	European Under-10 Championship – 2nd prize (silver medal), Halkidiki, Greece.
2 Jan 2001	Youngest ever Briton to beat a grandmaster in classical chess, Hastings International Tournament (opponent was GM Colin McNab; beating GM Luke Mcshane's record).
31 Aug-9 Sept 2001	European Under-12 Championship – 1st equal (bronze medal). Achieved FIDE Master (FM) title, Halkidiki, Greece.
1 March 2002	Youngest ever player to draw a formal organised game with a World Champion - Vladimir Kramnik, Einstein Cup exhibition match, London. Appeared on CBBC and Richard & Judy Show (Channel 4).
18 May 2002	World Circular Chess champion, Lincoln.
13 Aug 2002	Open air exhibition match versus Russian WGM Alexandra Kosteniuk, Broadgate, City of London.
15-24 Nov 2002	World Under-12 Championship – 3rd prize (bronze medal), Crete.
5-15 April 2003	Youngest Westerner to win an international master tournament - 1st prize in First Saturday IM Tournament, Budapest.  David's first International Master (IM) norm.
25 April 2003	Best Young Chess Player award, Britain's Brilliant Prodigies, produced by Carlton TV and Children in Crisis.
25 June 2003	Defeated GM Jon Speelman in exhibition rapidplay game, Regents Place, Euston.  Event sponsored by British Land.
28 June 2003	Drew with world's youngest-ever Grandmaster, Sergei Karjakin, in exhibition rapidplay game, Somerset House, London, promoting the Art of Chess exhibition.
21 July -1 Aug 2003	Achieved 2nd IM norm at the British Championship, Edinburgh.
25 -31  Aug 2003	Invited to play in the Staunton Memorial Anniversary tournament against 3 strong grandmasters, held at Simpson's-in-the-Strand, London.  David drew 2 games out of 6.
27 Jan - 5 Feb 2004	GibTelecom Masters, Gibraltar. David achieved his third and final IM norm.