Brewington Hardaway Becomes Grandmaster: First US-Born African American to Earn Title

Brewington Hardaway, a 15-year-old from the Bronx, has become the second African American chess grandmaster in history, and the first born in the United States. On November 12, 2024, at the Marshall Chess Club in New York, Hardaway crossed the 2500 FIDE rating threshold required for the GM title, achieving what only Maurice Ashley had done 25 years prior.

The Historic Achievement

November 12, 2024. Marshall Chess Club, New York City.

Round 4 of the NY Fall Invitational GM A tournament.

A 15-year-old from the Bronx sat across from his opponent, calculating variations that would change chess history.

When Brewington Hardaway signed the scoresheet after his victory, his live rating hit 2500.4.

In that moment, he became something chess had been waiting 25 years to see: the second African-American grandmaster in history, and the first born in the United States.

The Numbers That Tell an Extraordinary Story

Age when GM requirements met: 15 years, 6 months

Time from first IM norm to GM requirements: 21 months

Current rating (November 2025): 2522

Total GM norms earned: 3

Undefeated in final GM tournament: 6/9 with 5 draws

But numbers don't capture the full story of what Brewington Hardaway represents.

The 25-Year Wait

In 1999, Maurice Ashley became the first African-American to earn the grandmaster title.

Born in Jamaica, Ashley achieved the title at age 33 after years of dedication.

Then... silence.

Twenty-five years passed. Thousands of grandmasters were created worldwide. America produced hundreds of strong players.

But not a single other African-American reached the summit.

Until Brewington Hardaway.

The Beginning: Kindergarten Prodigy

Hardaway's chess story doesn't start with ambitious goals or structured training.

It starts with a curious four-year-old watching his older sister's chess club.

He was supposed to do homework. Or draw quietly in the back. Instead, he watched. He absorbed. He solved the puzzles mentally.

Then, in first grade, something extraordinary happened.

He beat his chess coach.

Not just beat him, decisively defeated Chris Johnson, an expert-level player who'd been teaching chess for years.

Johnson immediately told Hardaway's mother something that seemed impossible: "He's going to be a grandmaster. He's going to be at the top of the food chain in every grade that he's in."

Johnson knew from that moment: "I knew from the beginning that he had something different than everybody else. He was a fast learner. He never forgot anything I showed him. I only had to show him one time."

The coach added something telling: "He made me a better chess player and a coach too because I'd be sitting at two in the morning looking for something to teach him."

A first-grader was forcing his coach to study until 2 AM just to stay ahead.

Record After Record

Age 6: K-1 State Championship

Hardaway won the K-1 (Kindergarten through 1st grade) New York State Championship, dominating players years older.

Age 10: Youngest African-American National Master

He became the youngest African-American player ever to earn the USCF National Master title, a milestone that typically takes players years longer to achieve.

Age 14: International Master

1. January 2023: First IM norm (NY City Winter IM Norm Invitational, 6/9)
2. February 2023: Second IM norm (Marshall Chess Club Winter IM Invitational)
3. June 2023: Final IM norm (World Open, 6/9, including win vs GM Illya Nyzhnyk)
4. November 2023: Crossed 2400 rating, IM title confirmed

Three norms in six months.

Age 15: The GM Journey

1. January 2024: Second GM norm (NYC Chess Norms event)
2. August 2024: Final GM norm (Sants Open, Barcelona — 7.5/10, undefeated, +19 rating points)
3. November 2024: Crossed 2500 rating, GM requirements complete

From first IM norm to GM requirements: just 21 months.

The Barcelona Breakthrough

August 2024. Sants Open, Barcelona, Spain.

This was Hardaway's first international tournament in years. The pressure was immense: third and final GM norm on the line, in a foreign country, against a 361-player field including multiple grandmasters.

He delivered a masterclass.

Final score: 7.5/10 (5 wins, 5 draws, 0 losses)

Performance rating: 2565+

Rating gain: +19 points

Result: Final GM norm secured

His best game? Against 2596-rated Lithuanian GM Paulius Pultinevicius, a confidence-building victory that showed he belonged at this level.

"I gained a lot of confidence since I felt I was playing well and that I could beat these very strong players," Hardaway reflected.

He returned to New York needing just 11 more rating points.

The Final Step: Marshall Chess Club

November 2024. Back home in New York.

The Marshall Chess Club — where he'd earned two IM norms and one GM norm — hosted the NY Fall Invitational.

Hardaway entered needing to cross 2500.

Round 1: Win

Round 2: Win

Round 3: Draw

Round 4: Win — Live rating 2500.4

Grandmaster.

He continued playing, finishing 6/9 with a 2565 performance rating.

But the critical moment was round 4. When that rating calculator showed 2500.4, history was made.

What It Means: Hardaway's Own Words

"It really means a lot to me to achieve the grandmaster title since it is something every chess player dreams of and, despite many setbacks, I finally persevered and it feels amazing."

"Now that I have completed this goal, I feel a sense of relief, but also a desire to keep on improving to the highest level."

Simple words from a teenager who'd just achieved something only one other African-American had done in chess history.

Maurice Ashley: Mentor and Pioneer

Maurice Ashley wasn't just the first, he's also been a mentor to Hardaway.

"Brewington is sort of a protege of mine, so he texted me the news right after it happened. We're all cheering, we're happy."

But Ashley was quick to add perspective:

"I had no doubt that he would do it, and there are greater things to come for him. I think the GM title is nice, but the lack of African-American representation at the highest level of chess is still an ongoing issue. Getting the GM title is only one step in the right direction."

Ashley's point is crucial: Hardaway's achievement is monumental, but it also highlights a problem.

Twenty-five years between the first and second African-American GMs.

Why so long?

Ashley answered bluntly: "The conditions that led to this [long wait] remain."

The Representation Question

Hardaway himself is acutely aware of what his achievement represents.

In an interview with IM Kassa Korley: "I don't think about it during the games, but I certainly do think about how few African Americans there are at the top level. So, I try to do my best to motivate more people like us to give it a try and hopefully succeed."

This is the burden and the opportunity.

Hardaway didn't choose to be a pioneer. He just wanted to play chess.

But now his success carries weight beyond the board: representation matters, visibility matters, seeing someone who looks like you succeed matters.

Every young Black chess player in America can now point to Brewington Hardaway and say: "He did it. Maybe I can too."

The Journey Wasn't Easy

Hardaway's rapid progression, six norms in 21 months, might make it seem effortless.

It wasn't.

When asked about his biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge was converting winning positions and then dealing with the frustration afterwards. I have had many moments where I was winning and then ended up drawing or losing which is extremely frustrating and sometimes demotivating."

This is the hidden struggle of chess improvement: the won games that slip away, the frustration, the self-doubt after blowing winning positions.

But Hardaway persevered.

How? "I realized that before I started getting norms, my opening repertoire was not that great. I realized this and I decided to start investing more time into learning new openings and maintaining rigorous calculation training."

He identified his weakness, worked relentlessly to fix it, and pushed through the frustration.

That's what separates good from great.

Playing Style and Strengths

Hardaway credits his recent progress to "working hard on my calculations by reading books, doing puzzles, and solving difficult studies."

His games show:

1. Sharp tactical vision
2. Strong calculation ability
3. Time management skills (multiple wins with significant time pressure)
4. Endgame precision (converted complex rook endgames)
5. Resilience (undefeated in his final GM norm tournament)

He's defeated multiple grandmasters, including established names like Praveen Balakrishnan and Yasser Quesada Perez.

His ability to handle time pressure is particularly impressive, in one critical game, he had two minutes against five in a complicated endgame and still converted flawlessly.

Recent Success: Abu Dhabi 2025

August 2025. Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival.

Now 16 years old and a confirmed grandmaster, Hardaway traveled to the UAE for one of the world's most prestigious open tournaments.

He dominated.

Result: 9 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses (9.5/11)

Performance: Tournament winner in the Open category

At 16, competing against players from around the world, Hardaway showed his GM title wasn't a fluke — it was the beginning.

What's Next? The Future Goals

From Hardaway himself:

"Now that the GM title is complete, I would like to rise up to 2600 and then 2700 in the upcoming years."

2600 would put him among America's elite players.

2700 would make him a super-grandmaster, in the conversation for World Championship cycles.

For context: there are only about 40 players in the world rated 2700+.

Is it realistic? Given that he went from 2400 to 2500+ in less than two years, absolutely.

College?

"I still have not thought about which colleges I would want to go to."

But chess programs at top universities are certainly thinking about him.

Saint Louis University, University of Texas Dallas, Webster University, elite chess programs that would love to recruit America's first US-born Black GM.

The question isn't whether he'll get offers. It's which one he'll choose.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

For African-American Youth

Representation in chess matters because:

1. It shows what's possible
2. It provides role models
3. It challenges stereotypes about who belongs in intellectual spaces
4. It inspires the next generation

Every young Black player who sees Brewington Hardaway can think: "If he can do it, why not me?"

For American Chess

America has produced many grandmasters, but diversity has lagged behind talent.

Hardaway's success highlights both progress and how far there is to go.

Maurice Ashley has announced new initiatives to support young African-American talent in chess — programs that Hardaway's success makes more urgent and more possible.

For Chess Globally

Chess has often been criticized for lack of diversity at the highest levels.

Players like Hardaway, along with rising stars from Africa, Southeast Asia, and underrepresented communities globally, are changing that narrative.

The future of chess is more diverse. Hardaway is leading the way.

The Support System

Hardaway didn't achieve this alone.

Chris Johnson — His first coach, who recognized his talent in first grade and studied until 2 AM to stay ahead of his student.

Maurice Ashley — Mentor, inspiration, and the first African-American GM, providing guidance and perspective.

His family — His mother Ikuko (Japanese) and father (African-American), who supported his chess journey from age 4.

His sister — Who joined the chess club, inadvertently introducing her younger brother to the game that would define his life.

The Marshall Chess Club — Where he earned multiple norms and completed his GM requirements, a home base for his development.

Behind every young chess champion is a network of support, encouragement, and sacrifice.

The Name: Brewington

One detail worth noting: his distinctive first name, Brewington, ensures he'll always stand out.

In a chess world with countless players named Magnus, and Fabiano, "Brewington" is unforgettable.

It's fitting, because what he's accomplished is equally unforgettable.

Comparisons and Context

vs. Maurice Ashley:

1. Ashley: First African-American GM, achieved at age 33
2. Hardaway: Second African-American GM, first US-born, achieved at age 15
3. Gap: 25 years between them

vs. Current US Prodigies:

1. Abhimanyu Mishra: Youngest GM ever (12 years, 4 months)
2. Hans Niemann: Achieved GM at 15
3. Brewington Hardaway: Achieved GM at 15, with added historical significance

vs. Global Standards:

1. Average age for GM title: Mid-20s
2. Hardaway's age: 15
3. He's ahead of the curve by nearly a decade

The Road Ahead

At 16 years old, Brewington Hardaway has:

1. Become a grandmaster
2. Made history as first US-born Black GM
3. Won international tournaments
4. Proven himself against elite competition
5. Inspired a generation

What's next?

1. 2600 rating (strong grandmaster territory)
2. 2700 rating (super-GM level)
3. College chess (likely with scholarship)
4. Professional career decisions
5. Continued representation and inspiration

The ceiling? Unknown.

But if his first 16 years are any indication, Brewington Hardaway will keep breaking barriers, setting records, and redefining what's possible.

Final Thoughts

Brewington Hardaway didn't just become a grandmaster.

He became the second African-American grandmaster in history.

He became the first US-born Black grandmaster.

He became a symbol of what's possible when talent meets opportunity and support.

He became proof that chess is for everyone, regardless of background.

And at just 16 years old, he's only getting started.

From watching his sister's chess club at age 4, to beating his coach at age 6, to becoming National Master at 10, to earning the GM title at 15, every step of his journey has been remarkable.

But the most remarkable thing might be what comes next.

Because Brewington Hardawa isn't satisfied with making history.

He's aiming for 2600. Then 2700. Then beyond.

The barriers he's broken are just the beginning.

Welcome to the story of Brewington Hardaway: history maker, barrier breaker, and the future of American chess.

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