David was born in Eastbourne on 14 November 1990, and was a pupil at Seaford County Primary School and St Andrew’s Preparatory School, Eastbourne. Since September 2003 he has been a pupil at Eastbourne College.

David has been playing chess since the age of five years and eight months, when he quickly learned to defeat his father following the purchase of a second-hand set at a jumble sale. He soon came to the attention of the Sussex Junior Chess Association, and received training from a number of established adult Sussex players, including Roy Harper, Luke Rutherford and Jonathan Tuck. He has been the British Under-8, Under-9 and Under-10 champion and now plays mostly in open adult tournaments, unless he is representing England in the World and European Junior Championships.

In August 1999, David became famous internationally when he broke the world record for the youngest player to have defeated a Grandmaster in an official game. He defeated GM Dr John Nunn in a blitz game at the Mind Sports Olympiad. David still holds this record. He is also the youngest player in the world to have qualified to compete in a national chess championship, taking part in the British championship in August 2000. He came fourth in the Player of the Year ballot held by the British Chess Federation during 2000 and was the runner-up to Michael Adams in the 2002 ballot.

He has appeared on Breakfast TV, Blue Peter, Nickelodeon, Good Morning America, Richard and Judy, Britain’s Brilliant Prodigies and several local news programmes.

In 2001, David came joint first in the European Under-12 Championship and joint second in the World Under-12 Championship. He is now an International Master (IM), and has gained two Grandmaster  norms during 2005.

In the 2001-2 Hastings Challengers tournament, David became the youngest ever British player to defeat a grandmaster in classical chess when he beat GM Colin McNab.

In March 2002, David drew the last of four games with the Einstein Group World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik, becoming the youngest player in the world to score against a reigning world champion in an organised match. The resulting publicity led to articles in all the main national newspapers and appearances on CBBC, Channel Four News and the Richard and Judy show.

In November 2002 David won the Under-12 bronze medal in the World Youth Chess Championships, Heraklion, Crete.

While Chess is his main interest, David enjoys playing football, rugby, squash, table tennis and Playstation, among other things. He is a loyal Manchester United supporter, and is keen on reading JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman. His favourite bands are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, the White Stripes and the Manic Street Preachers.

His ambitions are to gain his third and final GM norm, to complete the Grandmaster title, and to continue playing chess internationally.

David's Current Rating:
2471