Why Chess?

So why chess?

Chess is a sport that wasn’t present in the environment I grew up in. Brooklyn in the 90s was about Dominos, Monopoly, and Black jack — hustle culture quick money scheme type of games that didn’t demand the kind of long-term strategy life really requires. Chess, though? Chess is different, it feels different. It requires you to sit and think, and I've become so fixated on the game of chess. It’s challenging, it’s critical thinking, and it’s one on one connection. You have to think straight and really strategize, it forces you to focus and sit quietly. 

Figuring out each others moves and patterns, fueled by each other's energy – it’s an amazing game when you learn the basics. Chess has been played for centuries, yet it was rarely publicized or romanticized its way into low-income neighborhoods. I could memorize Biggie and Tupac lyrics word for word, but not a single chess opening.

Don’t get me wrong, I value my degree from the school of hard knocks. But since picking up chess a few years ago, I’ve learned to see life differently. To pause. To weigh my options. To understand that every move has a sacrifice, every choice creates a chain reaction, and the real difference lies in how you position yourself for what’s next. Maybe that comes with age? 

Chess taught me that with the right pieces in place, you can prepare for opportunity when it comes—but it takes practice. That no matter how far behind you might feel, there’s always a move that can shift the entire course of your life—if you can see the patterns and make a few adjustments.

This shirt is an ode to that mindset. To resilience. To strategy. To the power of seeing the bigger picture and moving with purpose.