Philippines welcomes Orrin Hudson!

Orrin Hudson has been traveling around America with lessons for life. He has a number of motivational slogans such as “think it out… don’t shoot it out” which are that much more relevant in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. More on that later.

Hudson made his international debut in the Philippines and made an impression.

On Friday, December 14th, Hudson told The Chess Drum that he was in the Philippines. He arrived in Manila after a 10,000-mile, 20-hour flight to take his message of “chess as life” to the youth.


“Chess plays its own music.”
~Orrin Hudson


In a place where chess is a major part of Filipino culture and once a temporary residence of Bobby Fischer, he had a captive audience. When asked about how and why he ended up in Asia he mentioned Dante Lee, founder of BlackNews.com. Ironically, Hudson said he met Lee through one of the articles appearing on The Chess Drum. Lee sponsored Hudson to come to Southeast Asia to work with students.

Hudson with a captive audience.

Hudson got the motivation in 2000 to start Besomeone when he saw a news report about a robbery at Wendy’s in which seven employees were shot brutally execution-style over a mere $2,000 dollars. Reflecting on the increasing culture of violence and the recent shootings in Connecticut, Hudson lamented, “We must heal as a nation and come together as one to solve these horrible issues that plague our society.” When discussing the issue of violent images and music in society, Hudson says, “Chess plays its own music.”

His mission is to teach one million students to play chess worldwide and make smart moves in life. “This isn’t where it ends, but it is definitely where it starts.” Hudson told The Chess Drum that he will begin to move his program into the international realm. The reception from the children in the Philippines was quite remarkable.

Young Filipinos with copies of Hudson’s book, “One Move at a Time“.
Photos by Dante Lee.

# # #

Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson is an award-winning author and master motivational speaker who has inspired many to “make the right move” and solve problems peacefully. He has taught many groups at churches, schools, organizations, and corporations. For more details and to watch his recent interview on CNN, visit www.besomeone.org or call (770) 465-6445.

Orrin Checkmate Hudson, Speaker & Master Strategist & Motivator
949 Stephenson Road
Stone Mountain , GA
30087, Tel: 770-465-6445
E-mail: Orrin@besomeone.org
Website: www.besomeone.org

11 Comments

  1. Orrin Hudson deserves nothing but honor for the class work he has and continues to do for young kids all over the world. He seems to have a distinct gift that allows him to easily connect with kids. Keep it up brother!

  2. I agree Guy! Orrin has is a master at marketing and has a good message that is easy to understand. He has the enthusiasm and he is not afraid to put himself out there!

    Of course the trick here (as I have also told Adisa Banjoko of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation) is to find the balance between the non-chess public (which they do well in) versus the chess public who are born skeptics of using chess as a metaphor.

    Both Orrin and Adisa similar messages are gaining traction and I am hoping they can work together again. Both have powerful messages for our youth.

  3. Lil’ Jimmy, who is featured with Orrin in “Get in the Game,” is known more for his hit “Pants on the Ground.” His character is 12-years old speaking on a variety of issues that affect the youth. His message is designed to counter negativity, social pressures and serve as an inspiration to youth. Here is a performance of “You’re a Bully” done at Ebenezer Church in Atlanta.

  4. This video carries great weight. Every parent in that audience should have brought in their son or daughter along to listen to this powerful message about bullying. We need more of this kind of enlightening bliss for our kids. While there will still be many who will not value the message, what’s important is that there will always be a few who will use the information in a constructive way. We most likely will never be able to persuade all of our kids that good counsel is good medicine for their future, but if we can just get a few to comprehend that, it will be an achievement.

  5. What disturbs me is how brazen some kids are now. Today, they sometimes bully with weapons not with physical might. It’s amazing that we have so many people in chess trying to address the same issues in different ways.

  6. Very true Daaim. As we just saw, this generation is embracing violent behavior like it’s a normal part of life. I am not shocked, since it’s all prophesied, but as a human being some things are just so difficult to comprehend. The problem is as we get over this horrible tragedy, we become more insensitive to acts of violence, so the next news that will catch our attention will have to be something of far worse proportion.

  7. Great job Orin! Yes, chess is more than a game it is a geat activitiy.
    Unfortunately, many American schools still have not realized the benefits of implementing formal or informal chess activities. My observation has been that the more physical sports are taking precedence over the mental stimulation offered by chess activities. It could even be suggested that our gladiatorial oriented society which feeds select community economic coffers is also fueling the present gun acquisition and control debate.

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