Opinion/Editorials

  • How Will Chess Address Cyberbullying?

    Online bullying or “cyberbullying” has become a household term to describe a dangerous social interaction that may involve degrading insults, false characterizations, extortion, blackmailing and predatory stalking. On January 31, 2024, there was a U.S. Senate Judiciary hearing on child safety. It focused on social media platforms with the idea…

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  • Is Chess a “Life Game”?

    The African-American Chess Association (Facebook) recently posted a podcast conversation of hip-hop artists discussing chess. Chess and hip-hop have a long history and are heard in many classic songs. Young Guru (Gimel Keaton) weighed in on whether chess is a metaphor for life or if it is a strategy game.…

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  • Has cheating (accusations) in chess gone too far?

    Cheating has remained in the chess headlines since the Carlsen-Niemann controversy in September 2022. In the past two years, chess has continued to grab international headlines. This is not because of the new World Champion, Ding Liren, or all the rising young players gracing the scene. It is not because…

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  • When will the U.S. host a Chess Olympiad?

    Back in 2002, The Chess Drum ran a short article by Dan Lucas that mentioned the U.S. possibly being the host of the 2004 Chess Olympiad. It was during a time of transition for U.S. Chess and at the time, Florida was vying to become the center of U.S. and…

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  • Classical Chess is still King… Here’s Why

    In post-quarantine times, chess has returned to its classical roots, but quick chess has surged and even surpassed all forms of chess in terms of sheer popularity. Popular streamers like Hikaru Nakamura and Levy Rozman have amassed huge followings and the online platform has made chess accessible to a wider…

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  • After World Cup, Where is African Chess?

    One month ago, African Chess was on display. Twenty-two of Africa’s finest chess players (17 Open and 5 Women) participated in the World Cup tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan. Magnus Carlsen scored a historic victory winning the final over phenom Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. The results of the tournament clearly showed that a…

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  • Aftermath of Niemann/Chess.com/Carlsen agreement

    One week ago, Chess.com released a statement announcing the reinstatement of Hans Niemann on chess.com and an end to the legal dispute that gripped the chess world for the past year. The revelation raises some questions about how the matter unfolded and whether there was an out-of-court settlement. However, the…

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  • After 2023 World Open, a new chess era unfolding

    A few weeks ago, Fidel Corrales Jimenez won the 2023 World Open with an undefeated 7.5/9 beating out eight others (including GM Hans Niemann) by a half-point. A strong performance was put in by 17-year-old IM Justin Wang who earned a GM norm in the pack of players ending on…

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  • Is Racism in Chess Overlooked?

    In a world where gender discrimination and racism often rear their ugly heads, sexism in chess is trending, but is racism in chess overlooked? The Chess Drum has featured articles discussing the issue, but there has never been a serious discussion. When the racial tirade of Baadur Jobava recently came…

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  • Is Classical Chess Dead?

    The future of classical chess has been discussed for decades, and the topic has come up once again. The question has been how to make it more marketable for wider public appeal and to eliminate the dreaded “draw death.” Quickplay via online platforms has exploded. Will classical chess be phased…

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