New Briefs Index
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Media Stories
Jay Williams on Finance and Chess
Jay Williams was an All-American and “National Player of the Year” at Duke University and was a first-round draft pick for the Chicago Bulls. He graduated in three years with…
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Opinion/Editorials
Daniel Naroditsky and the Chess World’s Failure on Bullying
Daniel Naroditsky was a popular chess streamer and influencer who mixed humour with his skillful play and engaging commentary. Naroditsky, who would’ve turned 30 on November 9th, was found dead…
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Drum Majors
Canty wins ChessBoxing world title!
James Canty III is now a World Champion! Readers may have wondered if they missed something. Yet, it is true. Canty won the 7th United Chess Boxing heavyweight world title…
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Drum Majors
Emory Tate Masterclass… 10-year tribute!
Emory Tate is obviously one of the most significant figures when it comes to content at The Chess Drum. In the nearly 25 years of the site’s existence, Tate’s initial…
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Uncategorized
Derrick Rose Chesstival Freestyle rousing success!
Three years ago, former NBA star Derrick Rose had an idea to host a chess tournament featuring NBA players in Las Vegas. He billed it as a “Chesstival” with a…
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Drum Majors
Brewington Hardaway receives Samford Fellow!
Brewington Hardaway was one of nine recipients of the Samford Fellowship, awarded to players of tremendous promise. Most of the players are well-known in scholastic circles, having earned All-American honors.…
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Drum Majors
Cadet Champ Tani Adewumi strong at World Open
Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi finished a strong performance at the 2025 World Open after winning the Cadet Championship a couple of weeks earlier. It was his second consecutive title, only months…
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Drum Majors
2025 Ashley Chess Fellows announced!
The Ashley Chess Fellows have been announced! Last November, we announced the Maurice Ashley Chess Fellowship, to provide Black chess talents with opportunities to reach new heights in the sport.…
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Drum Majors
Josh Colas biography out!
Guy Colas has just written a book on his son, FM Josh Colas, titled Mastering the Chessboard: A Black Prodigy’s Journey Through the Chess World. It appears to be a…
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Drum Majors
Norman Rogers shines at 2025 Chicago Open
Norman Rogers of Philadelphia has returned to regular chess tournaments after a foray into poker. While he still plays poker, he recently played in the Chicago Open (under-2300) and scored…
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Egypt
Bellahcene, Wafa are 2025 African Champions!
Bilel Bellahcene won the 2025 African Individual Chess Championship, edging out seven-time champion Bassem Amin. Egypt had won the last nine titles and, going back to 1998, had won 17/20…
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Africa
African Chess celebrates “Africa Day”
“Africa Day” is commemorated on May 25th of every year as a rallying cry for Pan-African unity, justice, and regional collaboration. The day celebrates the founding of the Organization of…
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USA
Kevin Pryor chats with The Chess Drum
U.S. Chess Federation President Kevin Pryor has been at the helm for nearly a year and has been enthusiastic about growing membership. He attended the 2025 HBCU Chess Classic at…
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Egypt
2025 African Individual Chess Championship (Cairo, Egypt)
The 2025 African Individual Chess Championship will be held from May 13th to 20th, 2025, in Cairo, Egypt. It is organized by the African Chess Confederation (ACC) and hosted by the Egyptian…
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Kenya
7,242 players at Kenya Schools Chess!
Something amazing happened in Kenyan chess a month ago. Over 7,000 chess players from across Kenya gathered at Mang’u High School to compete in the Kenyan Schools Chess Championship. A…
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USA
Meet Candidates for U.S. Chess Executive Board!
US Chess and the Elections Committee will host an Executive Board (EB) Candidates Forum on Friday May 16, 2025 at 8 p.m. CT/ 9 p.m. ET via zoom.~U.S. Chess In…
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Interviews
HBCU Spotlight: Harper Jackson (Morehouse)
Harper Jackson with Dr. Daaim Shabazz at HBCU Chess Classic at Morehouse’s King Chapel.Photo by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum Harper Jackson of Morehouse College led his team to a third-place…
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HBCU Chess
HBCU Chess Spotlight: Charles Lindsey, Jr. (Hampton)
Charles Lindsey, Jr. and Breon McCray had a vision a few years ago at Hampton University. The Detroit natives decided to turn their passion for chess into an organization. The…
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HBCU Chess
HBCU Chess Spotlight: Anndrea Ojijo (NCAT)
Anndrea Ojijo, President of NCAT Chess ClubPhotos by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum Playing at the 2024 HBCU Chess Classic at Georgia Tech I’d love to get more people in chess……
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HBCU Chess
HBCU Chess Spotlight: Samir Acharya (Howard)
Samir Acharya2025 HBCU Chess Champion Samir Acharya won the 3rd HBCU Chess Classic with a perfect 5/5, leading Howard University to the team title for the second time in three…
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HBCU Chess
HBCU Chess Spotlight: Caleb Parker (FAMU)
Florida A&M University, also known as “FAMU” (FAM-U), chartered its chess club in January after a year of planning. Caleb Parker met with Dr. Daaim Shabazz in early 2023 to…
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HBCU Chess
Howard University dominates 3rd HBCU Chess Classic!
Howard University came to the 2025 HBCU Chess Classic to reclaim the trophy they won at the inaugural event in 2023. In last year’s event, Howard failed to take the…
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Drum Majors
Tanitoluwa Adewumi qualifies for IM title!
Tanitoluwa Adewumi has just completed the rating requirements for the title of International Master. This is a major step toward his next goal of becoming a Grandmaster. Tani’s story is…
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HBCU Chess
2025 HBCU Chess Classic approaches!
1st HBCU Chess Classic at Morris Brown College, 2023Photo by TBO Chess Society “The HBCU Chess Classic is more than just a tournament; it’s a movement.” ~Alan Cowan, co-founder of…
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HBCU Chess
FAMU Chess sets team; readies for HBCU Classic
The FAMU Chess Club held a qualifying tournament to determine who would represent the school at the upcoming HBCU Chess Classic. The Classic will feature teams from Historically Black Colleges…
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USA
Is Hans Niemann right??
Grandmaster Hans Niemann at the 2022 Sinquefield Cup.Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour Hans Niemann has been in the chess spotlight for the past three years. The infamous case involving Magnus Carlsen…
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Cuba
Bio on Cuban chess legend, Román Hernández Onna
Roman Hernandez (center) analyzing with onlookers. Román Hernández Onna is the subject of a recent biography covering his life and games. Jose Guillermo Rosa informed The Chess Drum of the…
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Media Stories
William Scott honored in March 2025 Chess Life!
William Alexander Scott III William Scott III was featured in the latest issue of Chess Life in a wonderful six-page tribute written by Mark Taylor. It is the most comprehensive…
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Zambia
Chitumbo Mwali wins 5th Zambian Chess Crown!
IM Chitumbo Mwali, 2025 Zambian ChampionBupe Gerald Chibomba The Copper Eagle Soars International Master Chitumbo Mwali won his fifth national championship last weekend in the nation’s capital of Lusaka. It…
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Swaziland
Eswatini chess prepares children for future
The Eswatini Chess Federation was chartered in 2006 and joined FIDE in 2011. The federation has had regular activity, mostly on the school level, but they have also hosted successful open…
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HBCU Chess
FAMU Chess Club holds Interest Meeting, First Tournament!
The FAMU Chess Club held its first tournament as an official organization in more than 20 years. After a successful showing at the FAMU Club Fair on January 31st, the…
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Media Stories
Shabazz named “Chess Educator of the Year”
Dear Chess Community,This Tuesday, the University of Texas-Dallas awarded me the “Chess Educator of the Year” award. The award has been given since 2004 when Susan Polgar was the inaugural…
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HBCU Chess
Albany State hosts Hip-Hop Chess Icon, Adisa Banjoko
Adisa Banjoko visited Albany State University at the invitation of the school’s “University College,” an entity supporting first- and second-year students. Banjoki is known to the chess world as the founder…
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