Caribbean
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Black History Month 2022-Day 20: Afro-Latino Chess
In this Black History Month, we honor our Afro-Latino chess kindred as part of our shared history. The Chess Drum has spent 21 years covering chess around the globe and while the site has presented coverage of major international events, it has focused its energy on the African Diaspora. One…
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Black History Month 2022-Day 2: Rogelio Ortega
Cuba has long been a country of great courage and pride. It has a proud tradition of chess in the memory of José Raúl Capablanca and has produced a number of strong players. Unbeknownst to many, there has been a strong cadre of Cuban players of African ancestry and we…
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FM Ignacio Pérez (1967-2022) passes away
FM Ignacio Perez (1967-2022) Photo by Washington State Chess Federation The Seattle chess community is in mourning after the passing of Ignacio Pérez on January 11th, 2022. The long-time Seattle resident succumbed after a lengthy battle with throat cancer but remained active in the chess community despite his illness. He…
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Belize, Dominica, Niger, and St. Vincent join FIDE
A couple months ago, GM Nigel Short contacted The Chess Drum and mentioned that St. Vincent and the Grenadines would become a provisional FIDE member. At the 92nd General Assembly meeting, St. Vincent as well as Belize, Dominica and Niger became full FIDE members. St. Vincent & Grenadines Back in…
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Ramón Mateo… Dominican trailblazer!
Ramón Mateo For many years, the name Ramón Mateo has been a trailblazer of Latin American and Caribbean chess. In the U.S., his name was also known due to his time living in New York and playing in the parks. However, what is clear is that Mateo (meaning “Matthew”) has…
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GM Román Hernández Onna dies at 71
GM Román Hernández Román Hernández Onna passed away early this month on June 1st from a lengthy illness. The Cuban Grandmaster and former national champion was 71 years old. As a pioneer, Hernandez had a long résumé before he ventured abroad and faced some of the world’s elite competition. Recently,…
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Richards elected as St. Lucia’s Chess President
Tris-Ann RichardsPresident of St. Lucian Chess FederationPhoto courtesy of Tris-Ann Richards(St. Lucia Chess Federation) The island of St. Lucia has turned over a new leaf after their Annual General Meeting on Thursday, April 15th. During an online meeting, members of the St. Lucia Chess Federation (SLCF) elected their Executive Board.…
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Costa Rica’s Tania Hernandez renewed chess passion
Tania Hernández Álvarez was a prominent player in the Cuba’s women’s circuit haven competed in the national championship several times. However, she joined a large migrant population of chess players and she settled abroad in Costa Rica and renewed passion for chess. A few years ago, she obtained Costa Rican…
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GM Román Hernández… Afro-Cuban trailblazer
During “Black History Month” in the U.S., there is a lot of pride taken in the pioneers who made proud accomplishments while fighting against the odds. Of course, this is an American invention, but we would do justice to extend accolades to the greater African Diaspora. Cuba is one such…
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The History of Chess in Jamaica: 1834-1978
In June 2020, Jamaica’s Bertram Scott has released a seminal work chronicling the chess history of the island nation. The book titled, The History of Chess in Jamaica: 1834-1978 has important content in tracing the activities of history, not only on the island but important events in the chess world.…
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