[Mr. Jeeves]

I was an active tournament player In suburban California 30 years ago, and there were many very sharp black players.

[SES1066]

Obvious joke / sarcasm alert!

I was an active tournament player In suburban California 30 years ago, and there were many very sharp black players.

Were they accused of being "Uncle Toms" when they played WHITE?

The sarcasm writes itself!

[Maris Crane]

Darn right!

Those are the quiet, bright minds who should be front and center, speaking up with their thoughts of current events.

[JohnnyP]

I played in a chess club in high school, in the early ‘60’s. Haven’t really played since then.

I don’t like the new notation. When did they switch?

[ml/nj]

I was an active tournament player In suburban California 30 years ago, and there were many very sharp black players.

I'd say, hardly any.

I was a Manhattan Chess Club member for two or three years. I don't recall seeing any black players there. (This was in the 70s. Membership was something like $200/year, so that may have been an issue.)

A Google search suggests that there are 1500 chess players who have reached the Grandmaster rank. (This may include the fewer than 10% who are no longer alive.)

Another search suggests that there were only THREE Grandmasters of African descent in 2015.

FTR, only 37 women are Grandmasters. (Not counting those who hold the lesser title of Woman Grandmaster)

ML/NJ