Best of CLO #3- US Chess Scoop with Phiona Mutesi
February 5, 2013
JenPhiona500.jpgThe #3 article in Best of CLO 2012 is The US Chess Scoop with Phiona Mutesi by the US Chess Scoop.The video featured the "Queen of Katwe's" visit to Philadelphia as the guest of honor at a 9 Queens Academy hosted by ASAP (After Schools Activites Partnerships). After the session, Phiona had a private lesson with two-time US Women's Champ and CLO editor Jennifer Shahade.



On USCF Sales, pick up Tim Crothers' book The Queen of Katwe: A Story of Life, Chess, and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster. Login as a member to read the November Chess Life Magazine cover story on Phiona.

The video coincided with a flurry of media attention for Phiona on her US tour, from a beautiful ESPN spot to a CNN story on the future Disney movie starring Phiona. Find more videos by the US Chess Scoop on the US Chess Federation YouTube channel. The most recent US Chess Scoop video featured the Pan-American Championships in Princeton.

The US Chess Scoop also posted a comic video from the 2012 US Amateur Team East, featuring GM Alejandro Ramirez and IM Greg Shahade, both of whom have YouTube channels of their own. The US Chess Scoop will return with Jason Smiles to Parsippany later this month for the 2013 World Amateur Team.

The Judges Sound Off
Read more about the judges 
 
There are generally no “rags-to-riches” stories in chess, but in this story, chess played a tremendous role in opening up a world to an impoverished girl from Uganda. A world she could not have known. The story is not one about chess so much as it is a story about how chess can play such a transformative role in helping one to realize a dream. I can think of a couple of other players who have benefited this way because of chess, but these stories are not told often enough.--Daaim Shabazz

Phiona’s story is wonderful.  This video gives a nice sense of what the event in Philadelphia was like.  I was glad I made the trip to the Marshall to meet her.-Polly Wright 

Very nice video, great photo at the bottom! Very interesting story.--Tim Brennan 

Occasionally, a chess story strikes a nerve in the mainstream media, and Phiona Mutesi of Uganda achieved it.  This video portrayed the young Ugandan woman as a chess player and a celebrity.  Thanks to the CLO editor, chess audiences saw first-hand what caught the attention of ESPN and CNN.--Michael Aigner
 
Best of CLO 2012 Countdown
#2-????
#3-  The US Chess Scoop with Phiona Mutesi by the US Chess Scoop
#4-  Greg on Chess: Time Controls in the US by IM Greg Shahade (Read the judging article)
#5- Caruana Dominating Grand Slam Final at Halftime by GM Ian Rogers (Read the judging article) 
#6-Skywalk to Chess: The National High School Champs by Melinda J. Matthews(Read the judging article)
#7- London Chess Classic: Mate in 196 by Daniel Parmet (Read the judging article ) 
#8- "Nakamura Defeats Fischer’s Record in Istanbul" by FM Mike Klein (Read the judging article)
#9- Sam Loyd’s Organ Pipes and Benko’s 45th Anniversary by Dr. Steven Dowd (Read the judging article here.) 
#10- Greg on Chess: Opening Books by IM Greg Shahade (Read the judging article here)