Opinion/Editorials
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Do Chess GMs need Higher Education?
This was an interesting question that was posed to each participant in the FIDE Grand Prix tournament which just ended yesterday. The question was “Is higher education necessary for professional chess-players?” The answers from the Chess Grandmasters (GMs) ranged from ambivalence to advocacy. Some of the answers seem to be…
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Do rule changes ruin Olympiad spirit?
Approximately one month ago, teams trekked across the globe to attend the premier team event in chess… the biennial Chess Olympiad. Many federations make plans to attend well in advance and the nationalistic fervor heightens as the date approaches. However, the Dresden Olympiad had a number of rule changes. Some…
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Barack Obama wins U.S. Presidency!
Illinois Senator Barack Obama has been elected the 44th President of the United States of America handily defeating Arizona Senator John McCain. In this historic event, it turns the page in another chapter of Black history. Having only been declared eligible to vote in 1964, this is a historic moment…
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New in Chess keeps getting better!
New in Chess (NIC) has been the world’s premier chess magazine for decades. Its slick layout and improved design has been the staple of players’ libraries and sets the standard for chess journalism. Dirk Jan ten Geuzendem has been leading the charge. When the magazine introduced its new color format…
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The Rise of the “Asian Dragons,” Part 2
No… this is not an article about the southeast Asian economies (e.g., Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan). It is an article about the rise of chess in the Asian region. Over the last 20 years, Asian has begun to assert itself and is producing a massive wave of…
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African Nations booted from Chess Olympiad!
In what appears to be an ongoing impasse between three African nations and FIDE Accounts Office, Bermuda’s Nigel Freeman (FIDE Treasurer) has written a letter to Olympiad organizer banning Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria from the event in Dresden. In general, nations failing to meet financial obligations to FIDE and have…
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The Rise of the “Asian Dragons,” Part 2
In the last 10 years, the cultural landscape of chess has changed dramatically. Formerly perceived as a sport the Europeans and Americans dominated, chess has seen forays into the top level by far-flung countries in Latin America, Africa and of course Asia. The latter region has experienced the fastest and…
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2008 Olympics begins… where’s chess?
The “Bird’s Nest” in Beijing hosted the Opening Ceremonies. Photo by EPA. The quadrennial sports festival known as the Olympic Games has begun with the opening ceremony. The highly-anticipated and widely-watched event will command the attention of billions of viewers over the next 17 days and will result in billions…
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Rene’ Phillips: Victim or Victor?
Rene’ Phillips (left) blitzing with Sulaiman Smith in Atlanta. Photo by Frank Johnson (shootfilm.net). There are many controversies in chess. Lately the chess world has had to address a number of cheating allegations of players who have tried to take advantage of the system. These players are often barred, suspended…
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