Daaim Shabazz
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A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE: A Brief History of Black Chess Masters in America (1998)
Reproduced at The Chess Drum with written permission from Mr. Gregory Kearse This article appeared in Chess Life, July 1998 edition eputations are not easy to come by in chess. Only a history of excellence and success over the board will propel a player into the limelight, push him into…
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Caribbean
Lateral Thinking in Chess
Lateral Thinking in Chess by Mark Bowen (Kingston, Jamaica, WEST INDIES) Prior to the start of the 1998 Winter Olympics at Nagano, the World Powers in Ice Hockey were considered to be the USA, Canada, and Russia. Facing these daunting opponents the Czech Republic team adopted an unexpected defensive approach.…
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Historic Moments
Historic Moments: CHESS from around the World!
Atlanta, Georgia (USA) Clockwise: Frank Johnson at one of his many study sessions with Shredder. A blitz session between a determined Issac Hinch (L) and a trash-talkin’ Donald Jackson (R) draws an audience of FM Stephen Muhammad and Sulaiman Smith (standing). Smith and Muhammad set battle into motion with a…
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The Chess Drum
Chess and Hip-Hop Culture
GZA of Wu Tang Clan Chess has been perceived as the game of the “nerds,” the term for a person characterized as a socially-detached genius. Of course, chess suffers from this image problem in that much of the international community writes chess off as an esoteric game that they could…
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USA
Historic Moments: Black History Month: A Special Tribute!!
The Moors of Spain The month of February brings us much reverence from those who have blazed the trail so that we may strive for higher heights. In this “Black History Month,” and on the 1st anniversary of The Chess Drum (12 February 2002), we take time to honor those…
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Drum Majors
Historic Moments: A Sketch of the Legendary Frank Street
The first thing you may have noticed about this page is the pensive pose of a young man on the cover of America’s national chess magazine, Chess Life. The figure on the cover is a living legend by the name of Frank Street, Jr. Mr. Street was blazing the trails…
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The Chess Drum
The Making of The Chess Drum
From time to time, I’m asked a number of questions about the website, The Chess Drum. The site has developed over the past year and players who I meet at tournaments want to know the hows and the whys, so to speak. Well… there’s a short answer and a long…
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Exciting Highlights of 2001!
The Chess Drum’s Highlights of 2001! * * * The Rise of Amon SimutoweThe Talking Drum featuring Amon Simutowe Wilbert Paige Memorial The 1st Wilbert Paige Memorial. . . a historic event!! Official Website of the Wilbert Paige Memorial Tate’s win over GM Sergey Kudrin FM Emory Tate shocks Kudrin…
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Cuba
Historic Moments: Featuring Cuba’s Rogelio Ortega
Cuba’s Native Son Rogelio Ortega The island of Cuba has a great many traditions. With its distinct blend of Spanish and African heritage, Cuba bustles with energy and its citizens are friendly, easy-going and very passionate. One passion that pervades the Cuban society is chess. The birthplace of former World…
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What does the future hold for Black Chess?
Leroy Muhammad during a brief comeback in 1978. Muhammad, born Leroy Jackson, was a scholastic star in the 60s and the third Black player to achieve National Master title. Photo by Bill Merrell. When one looks at the current state of affairs of chess among people of the African diaspora,…
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