The Chess Drum
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Historic Moments: Medina Parrilla at 2003 World Championships in Greece
Lapshun and Parrilla play a game against a picturesque backdrop. Bronx native, Medina Parrilla journeyed to Halkidiki, Greece to compete in the Under-12 championships and scored a respectable 6-5. The Bronx Times’ Noah Fowle penned an article about the 12-year old star and although she downplayed the attention she has…
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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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Historic Moments: Country Spotlight… Martinique
When one thinks of chess in the Caribbean, perhaps only the English-speaking countries come to mind. Of course, Cuba is by far the strongest chess nation in the Caribbean, but most seem to forget due to the strong affiliation to Latin America. The Dutch-speaking Caribbean territory has been active in…
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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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Historic Moments: Ten of the Best Chess Games played by Black Masters (2003)
Hello everyone! This article was presented on The Chess Drum in September 2003 and highlighted some memorable games by chess masters in the African Diaspora. Many of these were featured in “Fire on Board” and “Chess Crackers” segments, both discontinued in 2010. Now we are in the year 2020 and…
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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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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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The End of the Draw Offer?
The End of the Draw Offer? by GM Maurice Ashley To all chess fans:Recently I have been thinking about a practice in chess that I believe needs to be discussed by all of us who love the game, and that is, the draw offer. This topic started to occupy my…
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Jamaica @ Chess Olympiad (Bled, Slovenia)
The 35th Chess Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia through a Jamaican Microscope: A Fantastic Sojourn by Ian Wilkinson (Kingston, Jamaica, WEST INDIES) “A tower of nine stories begins with a heap of earth. The journey of a thousand li starts from where one stands.” – Tao-te Ching (Chapter 64 by Lao…
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The Mind of a Grandmaster
In the chess world, GMs are considered the elite thinkers. Perhaps it is safe to say that a GM is superior in the handling of one or more key areas of the game which most times leads to finding the clearest path to victory. In his popular book, Road to…
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