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Veselin Topalov chats with The Chess Drum
Former World Champion Veselin Topalov with Daaim Shabazz in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Photo by The Chess Drum. Veselin Topalov has seen a thing or two in chess. Known as a tremendous fighter and the master of the exchange sacrifice, he has playing many a scintillating game. However, he is a…
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The Chess Drum
Grand Chess Tour meets Didier Drogba!
When one thinks of the Ivory Coast, several things come to mind including their world-famous cocoa, but one unmistakable characterization is that the land of 23 million is a football-crazy nation. During the lead up of the Grand Chess Tour, there were a lot of promotional content including photos of…
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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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