The Chess Drum The Original Pan-African Chess Website Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:19:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://i0.wp.com/thechessdrum.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-TCD_icon2.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 The Chess Drum 32 32 242416560 Next week, The Chess Drum is 25 years! https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/02/08/next-week-the-chess-drum-is-25-years/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/02/08/next-week-the-chess-drum-is-25-years/#respond Sun, 08 Feb 2026 13:42:32 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=97111 Greetings,On Thursday, February 12, 2026, The Chess Drum will celebrate its 25th anniversary. In the days when social media rules, websites still play a complementary role in delivering content. The Chess Drum has provided a platform for players from an overlooked demographic and will continue this trend. Amidst the change in content creation, it has …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/02/08/next-week-the-chess-drum-is-25-years/feed/ 0 97111 Jacorey Bynum uncorks gem against Carlsen! https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/27/jacorey-bynum-uncorks-gem-against-carlsen/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/27/jacorey-bynum-uncorks-gem-against-carlsen/#respond Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:57:45 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=97113 Jacorey Bynum is one of the brightest stars and currently the 23rd highest-rated player in Florida. Two years ago, Bynum earned the title of National Master and has been hovering around 2300 for the past six months. Looking to make improvements, he keeps an active tournament schedule and is also making a presence in online …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/27/jacorey-bynum-uncorks-gem-against-carlsen/feed/ 0 97113 Ashley appears on Oprah! https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/13/ashley-appears-on-oprah/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/13/ashley-appears-on-oprah/#respond Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:42:45 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=97058 Maurice Ashley appeared on Oprah along with Adam Grant, who highlighted Ashley in his book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. Grant’s book focuses on talent assessment, drawing from stories of successful personalities in various fields. Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, appearing on The Oprah Podcast, with author Adam Grant Hidden Potential offers a new framework …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/13/ashley-appears-on-oprah/feed/ 0 97058 The Chess Drum’s Highlights of 2025 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/01/the-chess-drums-highlights-of-2025/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/01/the-chess-drums-highlights-of-2025/#respond Thu, 01 Jan 2026 16:02:57 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=97045 Retired Chicago Bulls great Derrick Rose stands between commentator James Dash and Magnus Carlsen at Chesstival 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Freestyle Chess. Key Takeaways 2025 featured key moments, including Brewington Hardaway on the cover of Chess Life and Tani Adewumi achieving the IM title. High-profile losses, such as IM Stephen Muhammad, and a tragic …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2026/01/01/the-chess-drums-highlights-of-2025/feed/ 0 97045 NM Charles Troutman to lead WashU for Pan-Ams https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/12/17/nm-charles-troutman-to-lead-washu-for-pan-ams/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/12/17/nm-charles-troutman-to-lead-washu-for-pan-ams/#respond Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:48:13 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=96922 Charles Troutman III is a rising senior set to graduate from Washington University in May 2026. The Atlanta native has decided on a career in technology and is currently an intern at the design company Figma. Located in Silicon Valley, the company had a massive IPO in July, resulting in a $68 billion valuation, and …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/12/17/nm-charles-troutman-to-lead-washu-for-pan-ams/feed/ 0 96922 Chess in Jamaica recovering from Melissa https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/12/06/chess-in-jamaica-recovering-from-melissa/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/12/06/chess-in-jamaica-recovering-from-melissa/#comments Sat, 06 Dec 2025 15:42:49 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=96658 Jamaica, an island of almost three million, was devastated by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that reached sustained winds of 185mph (and gusts over 250 mph). The hurricane created storm surges of up to 12 feet, flooding many parts of the tourist haven. Forming as an “extratropical cyclone” in late October, an area called …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/12/06/chess-in-jamaica-recovering-from-melissa/feed/ 1 96658 FAMU-FSU Tallahassee chess clash… a first! https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/21/famu-fsu-tallahassee-chess-clash-a-first/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/21/famu-fsu-tallahassee-chess-clash-a-first/#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:41:58 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=96735 Florida A&M (FAMU) and Florida State (FSU) share the capital city of Tallahassee and have proud traditions, including football. While there is a natural barrier of the railroad tracks, the campuses are literally walking distance from each other. The two campuses share many things, including an engineering program, but lately they have also developed a …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/21/famu-fsu-tallahassee-chess-clash-a-first/feed/ 1 96735 Hardaway gracing the cover of Chess Life! https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/20/hardaway-gracing-the-cover-of-chess-life/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/20/hardaway-gracing-the-cover-of-chess-life/#respond Fri, 21 Nov 2025 02:26:27 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=96733 Brewington Hardaway stands majestically on the cover of the current Chess Life magazine in a vintage black and white photo. Aptly written by Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, the story titled “A Long Time Coming” is in reference to his long pursuit of the GM title, but also the 25-year gap it has taken another Black player …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/20/hardaway-gracing-the-cover-of-chess-life/feed/ 0 96733 Jay Williams on Finance and Chess https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/05/jay-williams-on-finance-and-chess/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/05/jay-williams-on-finance-and-chess/#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:46:41 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=96685 Jay Williams was an All-American and “National Player of the Year” at Duke University and was a first-round draft pick for the Chicago Bulls. He graduated in three years with dual degrees in sociology and business, and his work ethic was a hallmark of his college career. His #22 is retired at his alma mater. …

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]]> https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/11/05/jay-williams-on-finance-and-chess/feed/ 4 96685 Daniel Naroditsky and the Chess World’s Failure on Bullying https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/10/25/daniel-naroditsky-and-the-chess-worlds-failure-on-bullying/ https://thechessdrum.net/blog/2025/10/25/daniel-naroditsky-and-the-chess-worlds-failure-on-bullying/#comments Sat, 25 Oct 2025 17:50:03 +0000 https://thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=96551 Daniel Naroditsky was a popular chess streamer and influencer who mixed humour with his skillful play and engaging commentary. Naroditsky, who would’ve turned 30 on November 9th, was found dead in his home days after his final stream. He appeared extremely distraught and reflective of the bullying he suffered at the hands of Russian Grandmaster …

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