Last year Howell became the youngest chess player ever to beat a grand master, and this year was one move away from repeating the feat. Rook to A5. The event is not all about competition. You can learn new sports as well. I spent a happy hour being initiated into the mysteries of Othello by Aubrey de Grey, chairman of the British Othello Federation.
Preparations are already under way for next year's event.
They got 11,300 at the Atlanta Olympics. If we can get the sponsorship we should be able to beat that. And it's been proved that playing mind sports can help improve your physical co-ordination. Look at Lennox Lewis. He plays chess and that's done wonders for his strategy in the ring.