http://www.southerndigest.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/03/02/4044c44d1aa8a
Everyone knows that in a chess game white moves first.
This abstractly implies that white has a distinct advantage over black because black has to always take a defensive stand. Some see this as a continuing form of racism and want to change the rules of the game. Bill Ware, a devoted chess player, is one of these people and has come up with a new form of chess.
"By saying that white automatically is offensive, it states that white is better than black," Ware said.
His idea is to remove color superiority in chess by focusing the game on variables. He calls his new way of chess "Algebra Chess" paralleling it to The Algebra Project by Robert Moses.
Moses and Ware came up with the basic concepts of The Algebra Project in 1969. Also around this time, Ware began formulating the plan of attacking racism in chess.
Moses implemented The Algebra Project in the 1980s as he taught the students in his daughter?s eighth grade algebra class. After his success, he began a nationwide plan to provide all students with a conceptual understanding of mathematics and know it as a language of practicality, not abstraction.
"Without these skills, children will be tracked into an economic underclass," said Moses in his book Radical Equations.
The Algebra Plan?s goal is to help low income students and students of color, particularly Black and Latino students, successfully achieve mathematical skills that are a prerequisite for a college preparatory mathematics classes in high school.
Ware is in agreement with Moses on the importance of algebraic skills. "The history books will have to be rewritten so that the necessary skills in life will now be reading, writing and algebra," Ware said.
In Algebra Chess, Bill Ware plans on removing color superiority by allowing the pieces to either be the same or different colors such as red, blue, green, etc. The determining factor on who moves first depends on what square the queen sits on.
Chess is played on a grid and each square has a variable of A-H, and a number of 1-8.
According to Ware, whichever queen sits on the square D-1, that is the team that moves first. This way, nether color has priority or an inherent right to move first.
"My way of chess involves algebra because by removing the colors and focusing on the spaces of the board, it forces the player to use and understanding variables. If you can understand chess, you can understand algebra," Ware said.
Ware offers classes in Algebra Chess to explain the concept of the game and The Algebra Project.
"My goal is to not only help students improve their algebra skills, but to also take what they have learned and teach others through community volunteerism," Ware said.
Just like Moses, Ware said he wants the students he helps to teach the skills they learned to others. He also wants to eliminate the stereotype that if you?re white you?re right and if you?re black, step back.
Everyone knows that in a chess game white moves first.
This abstractly implies that white has a distinct advantage over black because black has to always take a defensive stand. Some see this as a continuing form of racism and want to change the rules of the game. Bill Ware, a devoted chess player, is one of these people and has come up with a new form of chess.
"By saying that white automatically is offensive, it states that white is better than black," Ware said.
His idea is to remove color superiority in chess by focusing the game on variables. He calls his new way of chess "Algebra Chess" paralleling it to The Algebra Project by Robert Moses.
Moses and Ware came up with the basic concepts of The Algebra Project in 1969. Also around this time, Ware began formulating the plan of attacking racism in chess.
Moses implemented The Algebra Project in the 1980s as he taught the students in his daughter?s eighth grade algebra class. After his success, he began a nationwide plan to provide all students with a conceptual understanding of mathematics and know it as a language of practicality, not abstraction.
"Without these skills, children will be tracked into an economic underclass," said Moses in his book Radical Equations.
The Algebra Plan?s goal is to help low income students and students of color, particularly Black and Latino students, successfully achieve mathematical skills that are a prerequisite for a college preparatory mathematics classes in high school.
Ware is in agreement with Moses on the importance of algebraic skills. "The history books will have to be rewritten so that the necessary skills in life will now be reading, writing and algebra," Ware said.
In Algebra Chess, Bill Ware plans on removing color superiority by allowing the pieces to either be the same or different colors such as red, blue, green, etc. The determining factor on who moves first depends on what square the queen sits on.
Chess is played on a grid and each square has a variable of A-H, and a number of 1-8.
According to Ware, whichever queen sits on the square D-1, that is the team that moves first. This way, nether color has priority or an inherent right to move first.
"My way of chess involves algebra because by removing the colors and focusing on the spaces of the board, it forces the player to use and understanding variables. If you can understand chess, you can understand algebra," Ware said.
Ware offers classes in Algebra Chess to explain the concept of the game and The Algebra Project.
"My goal is to not only help students improve their algebra skills, but to also take what they have learned and teach others through community volunteerism," Ware said.
Just like Moses, Ware said he wants the students he helps to teach the skills they learned to others. He also wants to eliminate the stereotype that if you?re white you?re right and if you?re black, step back.
:beer:
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