First Moves / Chess news from around the U.S. Beach Chess Just in time for your summer beach trip! By AL LAWRENCE
FACES ACROSS THE BOARD MARCUS
MARSHALL CC!
AT THE
FENNER MANHATTAN Marshall arts
In 2009, then-Marshall-Club-
President Frank Brady sent out a call to membership seeking a manager for the legendary Greenwich Village chess-Mecca. Founded in 1915 by Frank J. Marshall, the longest-reigning U.S. champion, the landmark seemed in a waning endgame. "It pained me to see the club in such bad shape," Fenner said. A successful businessman with a Ph.D. in economics, he took on responsibility and crafted an artful comeback. "Little by little, we made improvements." Since then, mem- bership has more than doubled and the Marshall Chess Club holds flagship events for the U.S., including the N.Y. International, “the most successful tournament in the U.S. at generating norms."
ADIA ONYANGO QUEENS
BEACH CHESS IS A CONVENIENT AND CLEVER new way to have fun at the beach. Each of the two cubes’ six sides has the outline of one of the six unique chess pieces. The black cube’s outlines are in relief whereas the white cube’s outlines are sunken in order to tell the difference between the “white” and “black” pieces. This stunning design allows you to imprint your game into the Earth itself. For more information, see
igg.me/at/beachchesscube.
priated chess strategies in deciding to resign from comfortable and steady employment with the renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis to carve out a singular career. “Chess,” he said, “is the ultimate game for the entrepreneur.”
His grandfather taught him the game in elementary school, but he gained his stride in college at the Manhattan School of Music. His study of the game became more serious when he began playing for money. He read Chess Life magazine, played at chess clubs and became a reg- ular at the five-minute “blitz” games in Washington Square Park. “I was a gam- bler along with the other chess hustlers,” he said.
Harmony, hierarchy, ethics, paradigm are among elements common to chess and jazz, Lewis said. “[In music] you have different dynamics you have to deal with and you have to try to make the best moves you can. The quality of your moves leads to other situations and coinci-
dences, and then everything gets syn- chronized based upon the quality, or Zeitgeist, of your moves. It’s the exact same thing in chess.”
Asked about his chess ability, Lewis said, “My strengths have to do with my ability to play possum and seem weak when I’m strong, and potentially tempt the other player to think less of me.”
And so it goes in his career. Under the sobriquet ELEW, Lewis has combined the genres of rock and jazz to move closer to the center of the board. His website says he has performed at the behest of Google, Fendi, Disney and Mercedes Benz, had his music included on Donna Karan’s iPhone app and played for Pres- ident Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in the East Room.
“The rock jazz thing … comes straight from playing with the hustlers and learn- ing how to think out of the box,” Lewis said. “My chess game and real life chess game are the same thing.”
Wasn’t there for the Zumba
“As a female in chess,” Adia has some classic expe- riences. “Once I entered a community center for a tournament with my chess bag in my arms only to be asked if I was there for the Zumba class!” When she went on to beat A-players and a master to take first place, the Zumba questions stopped. A trained clinical psychologist, Adia uses chess to help kids with behavioral challenges. A treasure trove of chess Americana, exhibited on its walls and pro- tected in its archives, the Marshall Chess Club wowed Aida on her first visit. “I was overwhelmed by the history.”
SEAN O’HANLON BROOKLYN A story in every game
A published poet with a master of fine arts from City College,
Sean now manages the scholastic chess program and its 14 teachers for Success Academy charter schools, which offers chess in 33 schools. Like Adia, Sean feels that, “Chess is a great way to get kids excited about coming to school.” His favorite mem- orabilia at the Marshall is the famous bust of Frank J. himself, which drew even current World Champion Magnus Carlsen to pose for a photo. “A chess game is like good literature—a narrative that offers rising action, a climax, and a denouement. There’s a story in every game.”
Write to
faces@uschess.org.
www.uschess.org 11
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