Brooklyn Castle Chess Star Rochelle Ballantyne Simul in Washington
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013
Hi everyone,
The Council of the District of Columbia passed a resolution this month proclaiming April 18, 2013, to be “Chess in the Schools Day” in the District. Council member Tommy Wells presented a copy of the proclamation to U.S. Chess Center president David Mehler at a reception honoring Rochelle Ballantyne, the 17-year-old chess star from New York City who was featured in the documentary film Brooklyn Castle.
Rochelle Ballantyne meets with students at William E. Doar Jr. Public Charter School for the Performing Arts.
While in Washington, Ballantyne, played a 20-board simul against D.C. public school students at the Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Center. She also met with students and educators at local schools to promote the benefits of learning chess. Her visit to the nation's capital was co-sponsored by the Washington Teachers' Union, whose president, USCF member Nathan Saunders, supports using chess as a tool to promote higher academic achievement.
Ballantyne is graduating this year from Brooklyn Tech High School this year and will attend Stanford University on a full scholarship in the fall. Her recent performance at Super Nationals puts her rating at just over 2100, pushing her closer to her goal of becoming the first African-American female master.
Ballantyne's appearance and the District Council's proclamation were part of a larger initiative by the U.S. Chess Center, a local nonprofit charity that teaches chess to at-risk children as a means of improving their academic and social skills. The Chess Center has initiated chess programs in more than 80 D.C. public schools and taught approximately 30,000 children the rules, strategy, and etiquette of the game since its founding in 1992. (Gavin Francis/USChess.org)
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Labels: brooklyn castle, david mehler, nathan saunders, rochelle ballantyne, tommy wells, william e doar jr public charter school for performing arts
Black Chess Talent Rochelle Ballantyne Simul in Anacostia this Thursday
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013
Hi everyone,
Rochelle Ballantyne, a member of the famed Brooklyn Castle championship scholastic squad and the highest rated black female player in the United States, will conduct a 20-board simultaneous exhibition this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at the THEARC in Anacostia, located at 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. Ballantyne, 17, and headed to Stanford on a full scholarship next fall, is on track to becoming the country’s first female African-American chess master and has already won two U.S. Girls Championship age-group titles. The U.S. Chess Center and the Washington Teachers Union are co-sponsoring the event, which will be held on the first D.C. “Chess in the Schools Day.” Proceeds from the event will help fund the Chess Center’s activities. For more details, call the Center at 202/ 857-4922.
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Labels: brooklyn castle, chess in the schools day, rochelle ballantyne, us chess center, washington teachers union
Cool Chess Stars from Brooklyn Castle Movie Walk the Red Carpet in LA
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
Photo: Brian Schulz
Three stars of the highly acclaimed documentary, Brooklyn Castle, walked the red carpet last week at the 44th NAACP Image Awards in LA. Brooklyn Castle, the story of IS 318, the Championship chess team was nominated for the Best Documentary award. Pobo "Pobama" Efekoro, Rochelle Ballantyne and National Master Justus Williams flew from NY to LA for the star-studded ceremony, according to a nice report at the USCF website.
"To walk on the red carpet with Rochelle and Justus was exhilarating," Pobo said, "We were experiencing the the vibe of what it was like to be in Los Angeles, to be a movie star. And its something that the three of us will cherish."Meeting the rapper Common was a highlight. Rochelle, who aims to be the first female African-American chess master in history, said, "I respect him so much not only for his lyrics but for all he does in society." According to Pobo, upon introducing themselves, Common asked if they knew a guy named Maurice. "Our eyes lit up. 'You mean (Grandmaster) Maurice Ashley!?' He nodded. That was a very cool moment."
Justus wore a tailored Kenneth Cole suit picked out by his grandmother and mom. Rochelle said her mom chose her gold dress. Originally Pobo wanted to look "extravagant" but "my mom along with my coworkers decided I should dress formally. I had a dark brand new suit and a gray, black, and blue striped tie. I think it worked out." Rochelle, who will be attending Stanford in the Fall, said: "LA is so beautiful, I feel like I was born to live in California."
Labels: brian schulz, brooklyn castle, justus williams, pobo efekoro, rochelle ballantyne, uscf
Rochelle Ballantyne: The African-American Chess Girl to Watch
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
Steve Kastenbaum has done a nice interview for the CNN of the first African-American girl who is set to become a chess master. She is also the star of Brooklyn Castle. Here is the report along with the audio.
Rochelle Ballantyne plays chess the same way she walks through the streets of New York, determined to reach her goal without letting any obstacles slow her down.
The 17 year old from Brooklyn is just a few wins away from becoming the first female African-American to attain the ranking of chess master.
[:47] "I've never been the first anything so having that title next to my name is going to... it's going to feel amazing."
Ballantyne grew up in a single parent home in the working class neighborhood of East Flatbush. She first learned to play chess from her grandmother, who didn't want that background to limit or prevent her from reaching her fullest potential. Ballantyne did not disappoint.
[2:47] "When I push myself, then nothing can stop me."
When it came time for middle school she wound up at I.S. 318, an inner-city public school that is home to the best chess team in the entire United States. Assistant Principal John Galvin oversees the chess program.
[4:53] "Rochelle was one of our best players that we've ever had in our school. She won several individual national championships."
Her time at the middle school is featured in Brooklyn Castle, a documentary about the chess team released earlier this week.
It's made her a rising star in the world of chess.
From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Labels: brooklyn castle, rochelle ballantyne
Black Chess in America - Achievements, Goals and Path Ahead
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
Black chess in America has a special place. An interesting article on the Chess Drum by Daaim Shabazz states Black women have done somewhat well in chess. Medina Parrilla is currently not very active in tournament play, although she plays in local chess leagues and team events. At 1995 USCF, she still plays around Expert level.
Darrian Robinson will begin at University of Chicago in the fall and is hovering close to 2100. At this point, she is trying to determine how best to get to Master level.
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Rochelle Ballantyne, a student at the academically-challenging Brooklyn Tech, has been very consistent in her play and at 2033 USCF, is trying to move away from the Expert borderline toward National Master.
While there are bright spots, there has been no Black woman to ever earn the title of National Master. The storied history cites Baraka Shabazz as the strongest Black woman from the late-70s and early-80s. Her rise and fall is well-known. After her poor performance in the 1981 U.S. Women’s Championship, she ultimately gave up the game in frustration.
The article also evaluates how the men have fared. You can read the full article at this Chess Drum link.
What is it about chess that remains so elusive for women? Many girls give up the game at high rates after high school although a few continue to play during university studies.
One of the most troublesome issues for girls and women is lack of accessible peers and role models in the game. Certainly training with another peer helps in a number of ways, but there are few women in the ranks. Without seeing how chess may continue to benefit them, many girls seem to re-prioritize where chess fits into their lives.
After they have used chess as a stepping-stone to get scholarships into elite universities, many seem to focus on school, careers, family and abandon the game. There is not the motivation since there are few examples of women excelling in chess at the top levels. Economics drives many of these decisions.
From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com
Labels: baraka shabazz, black chess, daaim shabazz, darrian robinson, medina parrilla, rochelle ballantyne
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