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Cote d'Ivoire
2019 Rapid & Blitz (Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire)
The Grand Chess Tour has begun! Ten of the world’s top players have assembled in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d’Ivoire, to launch the first event of the season. World Champion Magnus Carlsen will headline the 2019 Rapid and Blitz field after having had a blistering first half of…
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The Chess Drum
Detroit Chess podcast features Daaim Shabazz
Detroit’s Derek Wilder hosted his weekly podcast and invited me on the show. We discussed a number of issues including the founding of The Chess Drum, the autobiography of Emory Tate (Triple Exclam), methods of chess improvement, the value of blitz chess, harnessing talent in the Black community, and possibilities…
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The Chess Drum
The Chess Drum salutes Jamaica’s 50 years in chess!
This evening at 7pm the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF) will celebrate its 50th anniversary at the famous Pegasus Hotel. Since February 18, 1969, the federation has evolved and is experiencing a surge of growth in Chess-in-Schools with 50,000 new players in the past decade. The JCF has blossomed under the…
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Africa
Zim’s Masango wins Zambian Open with 8/8!
It is rare that one gets a perfect score in a chess tournament. The most famous example is Bobby Fischer’s 11/11 at the 1963-64 U.S. Championship in New York City. As a result, he got an interview on the cover of Life magazine. Spencer Masango of Zimbabwe will have to…
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The Chess Drum
St. Vincent & the Grenadines joins chess world!
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES CHESS FEDERATION LAUNCHED! GM Nigel Short (FIDE Vice President), The Honorable Ralph Gonsalves (SVG Prime Minister) and Ian Wilkinson QC (FIDE Vice President) President of Jamaican Chess Federation The evening of Monday, March 4, 2019 saw history being created in St. Vincent & The Grenadines…
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Drum Majors
The Chess Journey of GM Maurice Ashley
I met Maurice Ashley nearly 30 years ago at the 1989 U.S. Open held just outside of Chicago at the Rosemont Hyatt. At this time, I had already started the groundwork for a chess network for players of African descent. During a graduate-level marketing class, I was able to write…
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Africa
Uganda’s Mbaziira’s chess ability overcomes disability
Sharif Waswa Mbaziira beams during the 2018 World Junior Chess Championship for the Disabled in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Photo by Dora Martinez Chess is seen as a rather quiet game, but its beauty attracts millions of adherents far and wide. The game has traversed the entire globe as an…
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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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