David Howell

Wow.

Were you really good right at the start or did you get better over time?

Um, yeah, I mean, I never really, it never clocked with me that I was that good until, um, I mean, I was eight and then I beat a grandmaster for the first time and at eight, yeah.

Um, yeah, I mean, I never really, it never clocked with me that I was that good until, um, I mean, I was eight and then I beat a grandmaster for the first time and at eight, yeah.

And it was, uh, I mean, I was on the front of the papers and I was like, mom, dad, what does this mean?

And it was, uh, I mean, I was on the front of the papers and I was like, mom, dad, what does this mean?

Like, uh, why am I seeing my own face?

Like, uh, why am I seeing my own face?

And they're like, it's, you know, it's a pretty special achievement.

And they're like, you know, it's a pretty special achievement.

Wow.

Wow.

And that's when kind of the pressure kicked in and the realization kicked in that this was actually something that I could pursue.

And that's when kind of the, uh, the pressure kicked in and, uh, the realization kicked in that this was actually something that I could, uh,

I've been addicted to winning ever since that moment.

I've been addicted to winning ever since that moment.

And at eight, that was before all the AI and the solvers and everything.

And at eight, that was before all the AI and the solvers and everything.

So you had to learn from the books, right?

So you had to learn from the books, right?