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Uganda
Phiona Mutesi reflects on life after “Queen of Katwe”
About 14 years ago, a little girl in Katwe, Uganda followed her older brother who was increasingly occupied with an activity after school. After seeing him disappear inside of a building, she wandered inside and found the Sports Outreach Institute, a sports club where there was a chess club meeting…
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Scholastic
Where are they now? Jacob Wamala
Jacob Wamala Hometown: Milford, New Hampshire Education: B.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2012), M.B.A University of California-Berkeley (2019) Peak Chess Rating: 2097 (USCF) 2078 (FIDE) Chess Accolades: 2-time Massachusetts H.S. State Champion Activities: MIT varsity football, OmegaBrite Scholar, MIT Minority Business Association (co-founder), Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Rho Nu…
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USA
Where are they now? Rochelle Ballantyne
Rochelle Ballantyne Hometown: Brooklyn, New York Education: B.A./B.A. (double major) Stanford University (2017) Peak Chess Rating: 2127 (USCF) 1957 (FIDE) Chess Accolades: Polgar All-Girls under-14, Polgar All-Girls under-16, All-Girls under-18 title, World Youth Championship – Caldas Novas, Brazil (2011), United Arab Emirates (2013) Activities: subject in movie, “Brooklyn Castle,” Starfish…
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The Chess Drum
Where are they now? Darrian Robinson
Darrian Robinson Hometown: Brooklyn, New York Education: B.A. University of Chicago (2016), London School of Economics (study abroad) Peak Chess Rating: 2128 (USCF) 2035 (FIDE) Chess Accolades: World Youth representation – Batumi, Georgia (2006), Antala, Turkey (2009); Pan-Am Games – Cuenca, Ecuador (2006), University of Chicago Chess Team Pan-Am Intercollegiate…
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Drum Majors
Where are they now? Kayin Barclay
Kayin Barclay Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Education: B.A. Morehouse College (2012), M.B.A. Harvard University (2019) Peak Chess Rating: 2215 (USCF) 2220 (FIDE) Chess Accolades: National Master (2012), 2-time state champion (Whitney Young Magnet H.S.), beat GM Jaan Ehlvest Activities: Phi Beta Kappa (honor society) Current Profession: Investment Banker, full-time MBA student…
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The Chess Drum
Where are they now? Jessica Wamala
Jessica Wamala Hometown: Milford, New Hampshire Education: B.A. Villanova University (2013), M.A. Villanova (2014), MPhil Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford (2016) Peak Chess Rating: 1790 (USCF) Chess Accolades: Massachusetts Junior High co-champ, U.S. Open “C” champion Activities: Phi Beta Kappa (honor society), Rhodes Scholar, Villanova varsity women’s basketball, Delta…
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The Chess Drum
Where are they now? Dr. Shearwood McClelland III
Dr. Shearwood McClelland III Hometown: Teaneck, New Jersey Education: B.A. Harvard College (2000), M.D. Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons (2004) Peak Chess Rating: 2311 (USCF), 2210 (FIDE) Chess Accolades: National Master (1994), All-American, 3-time National H.S. Champion, U.S. Junior Open Champion (1997), 2-time New Jersey State Champion, 12 state…
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The Chess Drum
Former African-American standouts reap benefits of chess
Chess has been said to have many qualities. Often misunderstood as a game only for the high-browed intelligentsia, it has many redeeming qualities that attract adherents of all demographics. Chess has been the subject of many studies and is often called a sport, game, and even science. It is undeniable…
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The Chess Drum
Nigerian schoolboy Tani Adewumi making waves in New York
Tanitoluwa Adewumi Photo by Nicholas Kristof Nigeria has long been one of Africa’s most heralded chess countries with an ambitious goal of producing the next generation of chess masters. Having already produced a number of International Masters, the country has recently launched a fundraising campaign to produce the first Grandmaster…
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The Chess Drum
Colas in the Sunshine state!
FM Joshua ColasPhoto by Webster University (Paul Truong) Joshua Colas is making his rounds. The native New Yorker is studying in the “Show-Me State” of Missouri and is now going to take his talents to the “Sunshine State” of Florida for spring break. The Webster University collegiate is going to…
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