Chess tournament set to unite historically Black colleges and universities

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The goal of an upcoming chess tournament is to raise awareness of the game at historically Black colleges and universities, ultimately spreading chess to all 107 HBCUs across the nation.

Chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley joined us on Monday, April 3 to discuss the first-ever HBCU Chess Classic, scheduled to take place next month in Atlanta.

The groundbreaking event aims to bring together prestigious HBCUs, including Howard, Hampton, Morehouse, Spelman, Clark and Florida A&M, while fostering a long-standing tradition.

Ashley says that the idea for the tournament emerged from discussions with students at the Atlanta University Center Consortium who were interested in starting a Black Odyssey Chess Society at their institutions.

The tournament is part of a broader boom in chess interest, driven by the popular Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit" and the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more and get involved, visit uschesschamps.com.