Daaim Shabazz
-
Nigeria
Tani Adewumi gets second IM norm!
Tanitoluwa AdewumiPhoto by Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation In late April, Tanitoluwa Adewumi earned his first IM norm and yesterday he earned a second. Tani earned the norm at the New York Summer Invitational where topped the field with 7/9 edging out Nakada Akira who finished with 6.5. Now the top-rated…
Read More » -
Media Stories
NFL football players battle on chess.com
Chess.com hosted a $100,000 blitz championship that featured six NFL football players. BlitzChamps was announced a month ago with great anticipation. Back in 2020, chess.com featured a blitz battle between Wu Tang Clan members RZA and GZA. The online platform has made chess opponents more accessible and there are a…
Read More » -
Trinidad
2022 Trinidad & Tobago International
Trinidad & Tobago hosted an exciting international invitational won by Dutch Grandmaster Robby Kevlishvili, who suffered one loss in nine rounds. The island nation has had a history of hosting international tournaments to give local players a chance to raise their level of play and to earn FIDE titles. Trinidad…
Read More » -
Media Stories
Tony Ballard’s Powerful Chess Testimony
Tony Ballard’s life has been one of turmoil, but chess has become a source of balance during his period of incarceration. Ballard is serving a 294-month sentence for attempted murder, but recently gave one of the most powerful testimonies of the rehabilitative properties of chess. Grandmasters will often be asked…
Read More » -
Europe
Carlsson blitzes field in two tourneys!
Grandmaster Pontus Carlsson took his blitz skills to Czech Republic and Slovakia and won both events by prodigious scores. Not originally known as a “blitz specialist,” the Swedish national has competed at the highest levels at the World Rapid and Blitz. In 2018, he scored 8/15 (rapid) and 10.5/21 (blitz)…
Read More » -
Spain
Nepomniachtchi wins Candidates… Carlsen undecided on rematch
Ian Nepomniachtchi won the Candidates Tournament yesterday ending on an undefeated 9.5/14. In fact, he avoided real trouble (for the most part) and his +5 showed a consistent level. Magnus Carlsen spent a few days in Madrid and met with FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and Director-General GM Emil Sutovsky. They…
Read More » -
USA
Kevin Pryor shines at Emory Castle Camp
Kevin Pryor is known more as an organizer extraordinaire in the state of Florida and currently serves as the Florida Chess Association President. After a successful 38-year career at Johnson & Johnson, he started his chess service in 2014. In 2015 he became a Board Member of the Florida Chess…
Read More » -
Cuba
IM Nestor Velez passes away
IM Nestor Tomas Velez BetancourtMay 5th, 1956 – June 28, 2022 It is with regret that The Chess Drum announces the passing of Cuban International Master Nestor Velez. According to social media sources, he passed away this afternoon. Correspondence International Master MI José Guillermo De La Rosa Solórzano sent the…
Read More » -
World Candidates
Nepomniachtchi leading Candidates 2022 after six
Ian Nepomniachtchi came into this Candidates Tournament as the last player who earned the right to play Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship. That match ended in a 7½–3½ disaster as the Russian lost three of the last four games. While he was gracious in defeat, Nepomniachtchi may get a…
Read More » -
USA
Shabazz to get Special Services Chess Award!
Dear Chess Community, On June 17th, I was informed that I would be the recipient of a U.S. Chess Special Services award. It is indeed a great honor and I will be accepting this on behalf of The Chess Drum community worldwide. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday,…
Read More »
