Opinion/Editorials
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Confessions of a Former Chess Jerk
Confessions of a Former Chess Jerkby Steven B. Dowd, Ph.D. As we age, dates blend, so forgive me for not giving exact dates. I remember Judge George Leighton not because he was an African-American, but because of his sportsmanship. One day David Sprenkle, the future Illinois and now Washington FM,…
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Generation Chess at the 102nd New York Masters
Generation Chess at the Mastersby GM Maurice Ashley Last year I wrote an article that protested the high incidence of so-called “Grandmaster Draws” in top level chess. The world-wide outpouring of support for this point of view was tremendous: fans from Germany to Australia vented their ire via numerous emails…
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Is Chess Being “Outsourced?”
Outsourcing in Perspective With all of the discussion about U.S. jobs moving offshore to low-cost areas, there is an interesting parallel in chess. Both of these phenomena involve the emergence of technology. In the former case, multinational corporations seek to maximize efficiency and profits by moving production to cost centers…
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The Curse of the Chess Expert
In almost every sporting activity, there is one thought that inevitably enters a competitor’s mind… the quest for mastery. This level of attainment would place the individual in an elite group of competitors in that sport and they would stand as an example of the discipline and fortitude required to…
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The Dynamics of Critical Thinking
In my profession, we use our body of intellectual knowledge to make complicated concepts understandable to the uninitiated. However, there is an irony to being part of this elite body of scholars. Just what does it mean to have a Ph.D. or to be a Doctor of Philosophy? How does…
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Simutowe in Nigeria!
My Trip to Nigeria by IM Amon Simutowe IM Amon Simutowe I have developed great interest in what really makes chess players perform well. Our Chess Program is headed by Dr. Tim Redman. He insists on good diet and physical exercise as the best factors to improve our performance. He…
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Black Women in American Chess
When abolitionist Sojourner Truth stated, “Ain’t I a Woman,” some regard that as the most definitive statement for affirming the pride and dignity that women have always possessed. From the womb of the Black woman has sprouted an entire civilization and the intrigue with which others hold her is testament…
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The Challenge of Online Chess Journalism
The World Wide Web has created a number of possibilities in the way content is delivered to computer users. On the Web, we are able to manipulate text, images, video and audio which opens a number of possibilities in how we receive and send information. The chess world has been…
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Prison Chess: The Game Called Life
Behind the coils of razor wire, the walls of thick concrete and the columns of steel beams are men of all ages… minds searching for answers to “the game called life.” Locked in the minds of most imprisoned men around the world are ambitions. Ambitions to be free and to…
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Can You Keep the Beat Going?
Over the past two years, The Chess Drum has been able to present a variety of information highlighting the accomplishments of players in the African Diaspora. It has been a privilege for me to see the vehicle grow and to have become a fixture in the chess community. As the…
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