North America
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Nakamura wins 2011 Tata Steel!
GM Hikaru NakamuraPhoto by Chessvibes.com. In his biggest win of his career, Hikaru Nakamura won the 2011 Tata Steel Chess Tournament held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. This tournament featured the top four highest-rated players in the world including World Champion Viswanathan Anand and the world’s highest rated player in…
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Justus Williams makes Master at 12!
U.S. National Master Justus Williams After making strides in the past year to make National Master, Justus Williams has accomplished this feat smashing the age record for African-American master for almost three years! The 12-year old Bronx native has had a spectacular year winning the National K6 Championship and traveling…
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Becerra defends Florida title
GM Julio Becerra The Florida State Championship was held at the picturesque Rosen Shingles Creek in Orlando, Florida. Players from the length and breadth of the state came to compete in the tournament traditionally held during Labor Day weekend. The beautiful hotel complex sit adjacent to a golf course and…
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NY Stars take on Canada!
Michael Song getting set to play Joshua Colas. Justus Williams on top board against William Graif. Photo by Guy Colas. Justus Williams and Joshua Colas recently returned from their first international trips to Brazil and Trinidad, respectively. Both had credible results and were intent on using the experience as preparation…
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Theophilus Thompson’s Problem Book!
Theophilus Augustus Thompson Theophilus Thompson is recognized by most as the first Black player of note in the U.S. Born in 1855 in Frederick, Maryland, Thompson took to chess after seeing two gentlemen playing. He learned the moves from observing and was soon kibitzing in the games. It was interesting…
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Baraka Shabazz: Black Queen of Chess
Baraka Shabazz’s demure pose is a testament to her confidence and poise.This photo was featured in Chicago Metro News, December 4, 1982as part of Tony Brown Journal segment. Baraka Shabazz (pronounced ba-roka sha-boz) is a famous name is Black chess lore and a name that exudes power. Her arrival on…
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Justus-Josh battle at IS-318!
Shaun Smith, Chess-in-Schools (CIS) has organized a training match between two of the brightest stars in the U.S. chess scene. Both Justus Williams (2141) and Josh Colas (2114) are well-known here at The Chess Drum, but the world will see both talents on display at the Internet Chess Club on…
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U.S. Chess: Changing of the Guard
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis has released a DVD that choronicles the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship. The video features video footage from the top players in the U.S. and their expressions on a variety of topics. The preview appears to capture the intensity of the event…
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Is Nakamura the ‘Real Deal’?
GM Hikaru Nakamura at the 2004 World OpenPhoto by Daaim Shabazz Hikaru Nakamura has quite a story to tell. Born in Osaka, Japan and arriving in the U.S. at the age of two, Nakamura has been gracing the pages of chess magazines since he began breaking many of Bobby Fischer’s…
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2009 World Team Championship (Bursa, Turkey)
Many of the world’s top chess federations will assemble in the Bursa province of Turkey for the World Team Championships. Some of the notable teams represent perennial powers Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Israel and USA. Also included in the field is India, the world’s #6 team Despite the fact that World…
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