In the sporting world, Jamaica is popularly known for its excellence in athletics, dominating sprint races for over a decade now. Apart from athletics, Jamaica has excelled in other little-known sports like chess and participates in continental and global competitions. One of the greats in the competition, Maurice Ashley, can trace his roots to Jamaica.
Chess in Jamaica
Chess is a type of board game played by many for leisure and a professional sport. In Jamaica, chess is a highly regarded game and is played under the guidance of the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF).
The primary function of JCF is to organize tournaments, seminars, workshops, contests, and training sessions. You can find a complete list of their tasks on their website www.chessjamaica.org. The love and passion for this game in Jamaica have formed various chess clubs. Popular chess clubs in Jamaica include:
- Chess Ninjas Dojo
- the Chess Drum
- the Liguanea Chess Club
- the Jamaica Ambassadors Chess Academy
- the Mandeville Chess Club
- the Middlesex Chess Network
In Jamaica, chess started gaining popularity in the 1950s. The Jamaica Chess Association was founded in 1954 and held its first competition in 1955. One of the game pioneers who played a pivotal role in helping the game become popular on the island is Dr. Harold Chan. Jamaica Chess Federation became a member of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1972.
Bertram Scott is another great who played an essential role in the growth of chess in Jamaica. He started the Jamaica Ambassadors Chess Academy (JACA) in the early 2000s, which helped nurture chess talents. With over 50 years of chess in Jamaica, the game is most loved and has become a professional sport for most Jamaicans. Young Jamaicans who wish to participate in the game should follow the footsteps of greats like Maurice Ashley and enroll in clubs that will help them perfect their skills.
Maurice Ashley, The First Black Grandmaster in the History of Chess
The first African-American Grandmaster in chess history, Maurice Ashley (ranked 2440 in Elo Fide of March 2016), was born on March 6, 1966, in Saint Andrew, Jamaica. He obtained the title of the International Grandmaster of the game of chess in 1999.
Maurice Ashley lived in Jamaica until he was 12 before moving to the US, developing a passion for chess. In 1986 he became a national director before becoming the first black global Grandmaster in 1999. The American Chess Federation named him the Grandmaster of the year in 2003.
Early Life and Career
Maurice Ashley spent his early years in the Island nation. Together with his brothers, he was left in the care of his grandmother by his mother at 2 years old. His mother left for the US in search of greener pastures. Maurice and his siblings left St Andrew, Jamaica, for New York later in 1978 to reunite with their mother.
Maurice Ashley developed a passion for chess and started playing the game at 14. Prospect Park in Brooklyn was his preferred venue, where he faced off with older and wiser players. In one of his interviews, he stated that he used most of his lunch money in playing chess. Ashley continued practicing, and his consistency bore fruits.
At the age of 20, he became a national master. He also started a part-time job as a chess teacher while studying at City College of New York. He played a pivotal role in the 1991 national championship win by the Harlem team. Ashley also landed a coaching role at Middle School Mott Hall, another Harlem school. He led the institution’s students to the 1994 inter varsity championships and the 1995 junior championship.
How Maurice Ashley Developed Interest in Chess
The first years of adjusting to life in the US were quite difficult for Maurice, who had many ideas about life. Growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, was no joke. Maurice decided to express his chess talents in a city full of sports fanatics who were more inclined towards basketball, soccer, boxing, and athletics.
So how did the 12-year old former Wolmer Boys kid develop an interest in chess? While in Jamaica, he had learned some moves from his brother but showed no active interest. He resurrected his interest in the game when he joined Brooklyn Tech High School. Maurice didn’t have a good start in the game.
With time, he built confidence in the game. This got the best of him until he lost badly to a classmate. The defeat would be a life-changing moment for Maurice, who did everything to be the best. He came across a book on chess that was all about the achievements of American legend Paul Morphy. Since then, his interactions with some of the greats in the game and participating in different competitions made him a great player.
Make a first comment with the name of a popular board game in Jamaica and gain Ja thousand dollars phone credit
The International Grandmaster
In 1999, Ashley made history, becoming the first black international Grandmaster. This achievement made him join the list of other chess greats like Anatoly Karpov, Bobby Fischer, and Paul Morphy. Ashley kept excelling, and in 2002, he became the first African-American to make it to the US Championships in over 150 years. In 2003, he became Grandmaster of the Year, a title given by the American Federation.
Ashley was generous with his experience and knowledge. This made him set up the Harlem Chess Center in 1999, where he trained young and upcoming chess players. In 2005, he wrote the book The Diagonal of Success (original title Chess for Success), where he promotes chess as a game to improve student achievement. In the book, he recounts his experience and talks about the educational interest of chess.
In particular, he recommends using chess to re-motivate children with educational difficulties or living in sensitive neighborhoods. With this in mind, he founded a chess school in Harlem, the Harlem Chess Center. He also started a competition in 2013 for the chess generation. Ashley also has a popular mobile application known as Learn Chess with Maurice Ashley.
Return to Jamaica
Ashley returned to his birthplace, Jamaica, in 2007 and made history as the first Grandmaster to participate in a competition in the island nation. He participated in the Frederick Cameron Open competition, where he outshined several top Jamaican players to face it off in the finals with Jomo Pitterson, Jamaican National Master. Ashley lost in the finals to Pitterson.
Maurice Ashley is currently working as a chess commentator for different events
These might also interest you
The Best Side Hustle for 2022 – How to Make Money Today Working Online
