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Daaim ShabazzSeptember 13, 2014
21 2,153

FIDE’s African Problem

Last month, the world’s marquee team tournament known as the “Chess Olympiad” ended in Tromso, Norway with record attendance of 174 nations. This included a record 34 present from Africa (excluding eight proxies). While I am not certain when the first African federation joined the World Chess Federation…
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Daaim ShabazzJuly 10, 2014
6 2,141

Drum Interviews @ ’14 World Open

The World Open is a bonanza that attracts so many chess aficionados far and wide. Each year, droves of competitors assemble on the tournament not only to play, but to socialize and to participate in America’s most well-known tournament. The 2014 World Open would be memorable for a number of…
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Daaim ShabazzApril 27, 2014
7 1,962

Ashley interview on Millionaire Chess, Part 2

“We’ve got stuff planned for chess players that they’ve never seen!” With The Millionaire Chess Open being only five months away, The Chess Drum interviewed GM Maurice Ashley yesterday for the first time since making the decision to continue with the thrust to hold the Millionaire Chess Open. The Chess…
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Daaim ShabazzApril 2, 2014
1 2,028

HHCF starts Los Angeles push!

For Immediate Release PR Contact: Meek Gaborski 1-888-588-4418 memg@hiphopchessfederation.org Hip-Hop Chess Federation Launches Chess & Life Strategies Classes at High School in South Central LA… UFC Vet Kenny Florian, Sons of Anarchy’s Emilio Rivera and Black Knights Join HHCF to Inspire At-Risk LA Teens Emelio Rivera (center) gives a stirring…
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Daaim ShabazzMarch 15, 2014
1 1,912

16 days for Millionaire Chess push!

“Chess players have the power!”~GM Maurice Ashley~ Back in December, Grandmaster Maurice Ashley made an appeal for the chess public to invest in the future of chess. This investment would go toward helping to change the face of chess tournaments under the name “Millionaire Chess“. As we have said from…
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Daaim ShabazzNovember 11, 2013
4 2,022

Chess Legend Charles Lawton on NPR

Charles Lawton at 2009 U.S. Championship.Photo by Daaim Shabazz. National Master Charles Lawton was interviewed on NPR November 8th discussing the vibrant chess scene in St. Louis. Lawton, a St. Louis native, talked about his humble beginnings as a budding player. He also mentioned the facets of chess that make…
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Daaim ShabazzMay 9, 2013
4 2,012

HHCF visits Innovative Concept Academy!

On the rest day of the 2013 U.S. Chess Championship, players, U.S. Championship commentators and staff from the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis (CCSCSL) visited the Innovative Concept Academy (1927 Cass Avenue) to attend an exhibition hosted by Adisa Banjoko’s Hip Hop Chess Federation (HHCF) called “Living…
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Daaim ShabazzJuly 8, 2009
15 2,069

Hikaru chats with The Chess Drum

Photo by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum Hikaru Nakamura had just finished playing a tough game with Evgeny Najer in the 7th round of the World Open. After winning the game on move 55, the 21-year old knew that the fate would lie in the hands of players who he had…
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Daaim ShabazzMay 21, 2009
0 1,934

Maurice Ashley Speaks!

Award-winning journalist Macauley Peterson caught up with Grandmaster Maurice Ashley and got an update on his recent projects, one of which is a new website called, “Maurice Ashley Trains Champions.” His recent intiatives highlight the ever-increasing thrust in scholastic chess and the efforts being made to make chess more prominent…
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Daaim ShabazzMay 21, 2009
1 1,981

Interview with Charles Lawton

Daaim Shabazz (The Chess Drum) and National Master Charles Lawton Charles Lawton has been playing chess for a few decades, but was pleasantly surprised when he got the call a couple of months ago inviting him to compete in the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship. His selection was on the basis…
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