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11-year-old
David adds the circular crown to his impressive array of chess
trophies
The Duke William Hotel 2002
World Circular Chess Championship
Bishop Edward King House, Lincoln, England, Sunday, May 19,
2002
Eleven-year-old
schoolboy David Howell, who caused a sensation when he
drew an exhibition game with Russian square chess world
champion Vladmir Kramnik earlier this year, has just won
another major title.
David, from Seaford, East Sussex, triumphed at the seventh
World Circular Chess Championship tournament, held in
Lincoln.
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His victory came after five tightly-fought games staged in the
grand Bishop Edward King House, next to Lincoln Cathedral. Twenty-nine
competitors from England, Scotland, Holland, Ireland and Finland
took part.
The tournament, sponsored by the city's Duke William Hotel,
pitted the youngster against defending champion Francis Bowers,
from Spalding, and combined services chess master Neil McInnes.
After his victory, which came with a trophy, £200 prize
and a distinctive Lincoln-made circular board, David said: "This
is the first time I have played in a circular chess contest
and it was difficult.
"Circular chess is a lot harder to play than square chess.
Every time you or your opponent makes a move, you have to think
about what is happening on the other side of the board."
His father, Martin, said: "It hasn't sunk in yet. We are
very proud."
Peterborough-based engineer Mr Bowers, who won the title in
1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001, and David were evenly matched in
the hour-long final game. The match ended when Mr Bowers failed
to move his king out of check, as the last few seconds ticked
away on his clock.
The youngster has won the under-eight, under-nine and under-10
British square chess championships, and came joint first in
the European under-12 tournament. He met Vladmir Kramnik in
the New Year at an exhibition tournament organised by the Einstein
Group, and drew one of four speed games against the Russian
champion.
That took him into the record books as the youngest person ever
to score a point off a serving world champion. He first attracted
national acclaim in 1999 when he beat a grandmaster.
5
Points
David Howell (Sussex)
4½
Points
Herman Kok (Netherlands)
4 Points
Mike Clark (Nottinghamshire)
David Carew (Lincolnshire)
Jan Van Gemeren (Netherlands)
3½
Points
Francis Bowers (Cambridgeshire)
3 Points
Robin Stevens (Lincolnshire)
Mark Hore (Worcestershire)
Neil McInnes (Yorkshire)
John Holland (Lincolnshire)
Tony Swann (Scotland)
Richard Kidals (Lincolnshire)
Charles Vermes (Derbyshire)
Andrew Ransome (Lincolnshire)
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2½ Points
Derek Simcox (Spain)
2 Points
Jason Lesnie (Lincolnshire)
Robert Jenkins (Cornwall)
Tom Walker (Helsinki)
Steve O'Neill (Liverpool)
Tom Moore (Lincolnshire)
John Kidals (Lincolnshire)
Jonathan Howe (Lincolnshire)
Eddie Reynolds (Lincolnshire)
Eamonn Hunt (Ireland)
1½
Points
Dave Reynolds (Lincolnshire)
1 Point
George Jelliss (Leicestershire)
Cathryn Davis (Lincolnshire)
Michael Coulson (Lincolnshire)
Mike Sedgwick (Crete)
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