As a scholastic player, James Black Jr. was an All-American who won numerous national titles and trophies, both as an individual competitor and as part of the famed IS 318 chess program in Brooklyn, New York, as featured in the documentary Brooklyn Castle. Alongside FM Joshua Colas and IM Justus Williams, James became one of the youngest African-American National Masters in U.S. history.
After stepping away from competitive chess for several years, James has recently returned to the game, both as a player and as a coach and mentor. In a full-circle moment, he is now teaching at the same school where he first made his name while also building his own organization, KnightShift.
James joins me to discuss:
• Why he came back to competitive chess, and his goals for the future • The "four pillars" he emphasizes when teaching young players • How chess training has changed since his rise in the early 2010s, and what he needs to do to catch up
Plus, we discuss a unique chess book recommendation, his memories of Webster University, and his reaction to the news that its chess program is coming to an end.
This was a fun conversation, and I am excited to see James's comeback unfold.
00:00 Intro+ What brought James back to chess after an OTB hiatus
Mentioned: Brooklyn Castle
https://www.rescuedmedia.com/brooklyn-castle
GM Alex Lenderman, GM-elect Liam Putnam
Background info we mentioned:
https://grokipedia.com/page/james_black_jr
10:59 Teaching and Learning: Evolving Chess Education
Watch James vs. Magnus in 2012 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfbpC3dQWw
17:16 Opening Strategies: Adapting to Modern Chess
23:25 Inspiration from Legends: Shaping a Chess Career
29:28 Beyond the Board: Life Lessons Through Chess
34:36 Reflections on Growth: Embracing the Journey
36:12 Impact of Mentorship in Chess
38:48 Teaching Chess to Young Minds
43:00- Favorite chess book!
Mentioned: WNYC video featuring James as a kid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOVyiR5jUU
Knight Moves by Charles Alexander-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126711532470?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item&srsltid=AfmBOopTKnSuidd7Eg5M3-xYtoYzP97-jcvhVtZSPv1S1T25hE9dzgcXGsU
48:58 Experiences at Webster University
Webster terminates chess program:
https://www.chess.com/news/view/spice-chess-program-terminated
53:49 Advice for Aspiring Chess Players
Thanks to James for sharing his story!
You can email him at
JamesBlackChess at gmail dot com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/knightshiftofficial_/
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