World Chess Hall of Fame’s New Exhibit Highlights Chess Prodigies

Press

Published on: February 9, 2021

St. Louis native Leroy Muhammad started playing competitive chess at 16 years old. In 1966, while attending Sumner High School, he tied for first in the 265-player Eastern Open held in Washington, D.C. After that, he won the top junior prize at the U.S. Open in Seattle. He eventually became one of the first Black chess masters in the U.S.

World Chess Hall of Fame’s New Exhibit Highlights Chess Prodigies

“Young people really do have dominance in the game,” said Emily Allred, curator at the World Chess Hall of Fame. She joined St. Louis on the Air on Monday to discuss Muhammad’s story.