Maurice Ashley

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Maurice Ashley (born March 6, 1966 St. Andrews, Jamaica) is a chess grandmaster. He is the first and only African-American grandmaster. As of the October 2006 rating lists, he has a FIDE rating of 2465, and a USCF rating of 2520 at standard chess, and 2536 at quick chess. Ashley is associated with Chesswise. He recently wrote the Book Chess for Success, relating about his experiences and the positive aspects of chess. He was the main organiser for the HB global chess event, with the biggest cash prize in history. FIDE awarded him the grandmaster title in 1999. Ashley and Englishman James Plaskett are the only two Grandmasters to have made it to the studio stage of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, each in his respective country.

Always promoting chess among youth, Ashley coached the Raging Rooks of Harlem, and the Dark Knights (also from Harlem), both of which have won national championships under his guidance. In September of 1999, he opened the Harlem Chess Center which has attracted such celebrities as Larry Johnson and Wynton Marsalis. Ashley was named 2003 Grandmaster of the Year by the U.S. Chess Federation. He makes appearances all over the country speaking to young people and adults about chess and its benefits.

[edit] Quote

• "African continent GMs do exist; but, according to the system of racial classification, I am the first Black GM in history...it matters, and doesn't matter, all at the same time."

[edit] External links

• mauriceashley.com (official)
• Statistics at ChessWorld.net
• USCF rating card for Maurice Ashley
• FIDE rating card for Maurice Ashley
• Maurice Ashley at ChessGames.com