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Chess colors and the rules around them will probably change at some point. What's worse is that people will act like the prospect is utterly ridiculous while th

Chess colors and the rules around them will probably change at some point. What's worse is that people will act like the prospect is utterly ridiculous while the idea is in its infancy. Then, after FIDE or some other Chess organization release a statement about planned changes, people's tune will change to "It's inconvenient but if it helps even one more Black person feel good about playing Chess then it was worth it". I'm already starting to believe it. Do we really play a game with white and black pieces where white always goes first? Where black loses more games than white? Not everybody knows the history of Chess. To some new players, especially from less privileged groups, it may seem like just another example of leftover oppression. Even to those who know that the history of the colors predates white European enslavement of black Africans, it nonetheless serves as a painful reminder due to the meanings of those things in a modern context.

jessaustin 5y ago
...the history of the colors predates slavery... This is an interesting claim. My Bible has numerous instances of slavery, and none of chess.
- nathanlied 5y ago
  When "slavery" is mentioned in this context (wrt. black/white), it's reasonable to assume the person means it predates the Atlantic slave trade, which was not the only form of slavery, but it was the largest (and most visible) form of slavery involving predominantly white people owning predominantly brown people. I make no claim over the validity of "white going first" predating the Atlantic slave trade, however. I simply don't know.
- rcoveson 5y ago
  Yes, thank you very much. Fixed.
loopz 5y ago
White chess pieces are offensive, so we end up with black and brown chess pieces. /s https://twitter.com/desiraethinking https://twitter.com/desiraethinking
likeclockwork 5y ago
You think it's a coincidence that Africans were dubbed "black"?

jessaustin 5y ago

...the history of the colors predates slavery... This is an interesting claim. My Bible has numerous instances of slavery, and none of chess.

nathanlied 5y ago
When "slavery" is mentioned in this context (wrt. black/white), it's reasonable to assume the person means it predates the Atlantic slave trade, which was not the only form of slavery, but it was the largest (and most visible) form of slavery involving predominantly white people owning predominantly brown people. I make no claim over the validity of "white going first" predating the Atlantic slave trade, however. I simply don't know.
rcoveson 5y ago
Yes, thank you very much. Fixed.

loopz 5y ago

White chess pieces are offensive, so we end up with black and brown chess pieces. /s https://twitter.com/desiraethinking https://twitter.com/desiraethinking

likeclockwork 5y ago

You think it's a coincidence that Africans were dubbed "black"?