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Maurice Ashley: Black Grandmaster No. 1

Published

4 years ago

December 10, 2020

Kiki

Maurice Ashley, pondering a move. Wikipedia photo.

Most people who master the game of chess begin their studies around age 4. Maurice Ashley however, didn’t have that luxury. Born in 1966 in St. Andrew Parish on the island of Jamaica, Ashley grew up dabbling in checkers, card games, and dominoes.

“We didn’t have a lot of technology,” Ashley said during an interview with The Undefeated. “Television came on, but it was like 6 o’clock in the evening when the first show came on, so we learned to play a lot of games. Chess was one of those games … I kind of liked it, but I wasn’t into it because it was just a game like the rest of them.”

By age 12, Ashley relocated to Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood. While in school, he noticed that several boys played chess. Although he’d shown little interest in it earlier, he remembered enough about the rules to engage in a game with a friend. And he lost. This crushed his competitive spirit; he had to win.

Ashley began to read books about the game and practice techniques. “I was reading books about famous players all around the world; I wanted to beat those guys,” he said.

Consumed by the game, he wanted to play all the time. And for that, New York was the place to be. “In the mid-’80s in Brooklyn, in New York, it was crazy,” he said during a filmed interview with Hennessey US. “For me to have chess as an outlet, something that I always wanted to do, something that kept me away from the bullets flying outside … I was always inside studying chess. I just knew this is what I wanted to do all the time.”

During high school, Ashley joined what was called the Black Bear School of Chess, a loosely defined group of Black chess fanatics in Brooklyn, mostly in their late teens and early 20s, who also studied and played for hours at a time or sometimes all weekend. They gathered on Friday nights for chess rumbles.

Ashley soon began to compete in various city parks and in tournaments. The experience, he said, helped him to “mature, think about calculations, analysis and data. Chess is all these different pieces; the possibilities are very complex … That kind of complexity of the game is what keeps us coming back again and again.”

Being active in competitions and clubs opened doors. In 1999, at the age of 33, he became the first Black person to achieve the highest rank in chess: grandmaster.

Ashley’s passion for chess is his life. Today, he teaches and mentors those in underserved communities with an interest in the game. “I didn’t have those kinds of role models when I was growing up, so to be a role model now, to represent a sport and represent my family, that, to me, is absolutely a big responsibility, and I embrace it,” he told The Undefeated.

There are about 1,300 chess grandmasters worldwide. Today, only three are Black. The others are Pontus Carlsson (2005) and Amon Simutowe (2007).

Kiki

Posts by Kiki | Website

Related Topics:Amon Simutowe Black Bear School of Chess chess Grandmaster Maurice Ashley Pontus Carlsson The Undefeated

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

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The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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WCCUSD Reinstates Pinole Valley High Baseball Coaches

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West Contra Costa Unified School District headquarters. Photo by Kathy Chouteau of the Richmond Standard.

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The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) announced Tuesday the reinstatement of Pinole Valley High School coaches who were placed on leave while the district investigated allegations of racist remarks made by their team during games.

“Reports indicate that the inappropriate remarks may have come from the stands; however, the exact source has not been confirmed,” the district said in the statement.

The district said that in response to the incident, it will have a school administrator and the athletic director present at all remaining Pinole Valley High School baseball games this season. The district says it is also reinforcing behavioral expectations to student-athletes, staff, families, and spectators.

“The behavior displayed by individuals during the April 23 varsity baseball game between Pinole Valley High School and Albany High School was unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our district, our schools, or our athletic programs,” the district stated.

In cellphone video captured by an Albany High parent at the April 23 game, one or more people can be heard shouting comments including “P.F. Chang is that you” and “Baljeet” to separate Albany pitchers of Asian descent.

According to news reports, the Pinole Valley baseball coach apologized to the Albany team days after the game. Pinole Valley High also faced allegations of inappropriate remarks made at the April 16 game against El Cerrito High.

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State Orders Cleanup of Former Richmond Landfill

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Site map provided by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

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The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) is ordering Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR) and Bayer CropScience, Inc. to clean up the former Blair Southern Pacific Landfill in Richmond due to findings of elevated levels of lead, banned pesticides like DDT, and radioactive material at the site.

Bayer and UPRR were ordered to clean up the site as it is their predecessor companies that are deemed responsible for the hazardous waste. The site was used from the 1950s to the 1980s, before modern environmental laws were in place, according to the CDTSC.

“During this time, the site was leased to landfill operators, who developed and operated the site as a series of landfills for disposal of industrial and non-industrial wastes,” the CDTSC stated.

The state’s order requires Bayer and UPRR to safely remove and dispose of the radioactive materials and includes penalties of up to $25,000 per day for noncompliance.

“There will be opportunities for public involvement during the development of the cleanup plan and at the Richmond Southeast Shoreline Community Advisory Group (CAG) meetings, which meet on Zoom the second Thursday of every month,” said Richmond City Councilmember Soheila Bana.