Grandmaster Maurice Ashley is a chess organizer, author and media personality from the United States.
A US Chess Hall of Fame inductee, GM Ashley’s achievements and contributions in the chess community cannot be overstated. In 1999, he became the first ever black grandmaster in history, and a few years later, named 2003 Grandmaster of the Year by the U.S. Chess Federation.
GM Ashley has also been a successful chess organizer. A longtime resident of New York, he founded the Harlem Chess Center 1999, and has been known to frequent popular chess destinations in NYC such as Washington Square Park. In 2013, he helped organize the Millionaire Chess Open, which offered the largest prize fund in history for an open chess tournament.
But by far, GM Ashley is best known as one of the most eloquent chess commentators of all time. He regularly provides commentary for major American and international chess events, such as the U.S. Championship and Sinquefield Cup, and has even hosted the press conferences for the World Chess Championship.
It is no exaggeration to say GM Ashley’s passionate charisma has widened the appeal of chess as a sport in the wider international community. His electric personality has even been picked up by the likes of major broadcasting outlets such as ESPN and NBC covering major international events.
But on Chessable, he displays yet another of his many talents: writing. His debut course, The Secrets of Chess Geometry, is an insightful tactics course which trains you to recognize tactical possibilities through the interesting geometric relationships of the chess board. Be sure to check it out below and stay tuned for more from GM Maurice Ashley:
