On Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Words Beats & Life
(WBL) along with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation and Columbia Heights Youth Club will host the fourth annual Bum Rush the Boards Hip-Hop Chess Tournament at Columbia Heights Community Center located at 1480 Girard St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20009.  The world's first hip-hop chess tournament, Bum Rush the Boards was created by WBL in 2006 to promote the idea to the hip-hop generation of overcoming through strategic struggle.  The name of the event was inspired by Public Enemy's album, "Yo! Bum Rush the Show" released in October 1987.

There is a logical connection between chess and hip-hop considering that hip-hop, as a culture, is highly competitive.  It is replete with opportunities to battle and to compete in order to win over crowds, crews, and sponsors.  By connecting hip-hop to chess, WBL has created a chess tournament that exposes youth to a culture (hip-hop) and a science  (chess) that requires them to think ahead, to manage talent and to size up their adversaries.  WBL recognizes that these skills are not only useful in both chess and hip-hop, but in business and life, as well.

This year's tournament will include four rounds of chess with sections for both youth and adults.  There will also be workshops and exhibitions taking place throughout the day on Rocking, Toasting, Visual Arts, Poetry, Graffiti, Chess, and more.

This event is brought to you in part by D.C. Parks and Recreation.

Beginning - Players who can:

• Demonstrate how to set up a chessboard.
• Demonstrate how the pieces move and capture.
• Explain checkmate and stalemate.
• Demonstrates how to castle both sides.
• Demonstrate the ability to play a game of chess to completion.

Intermediate - Players who can:

• Explain the relative value of the pieces and how that can be
  used to evaluate an exchange.
• Explain the touch move rule.
• Demonstrate the proper way to play with a clock.
• Demonstrate how to capture en passant.
• Demonstrate mate with a King & Queen vs. King, King & 2 Rooks vs. King, and King & Rook vs. King.

Advanced - Players who can:

• Explain the general principles of the opening.
• Demonstrate how to read and record a chess game.
• Understand the importance of, and apply, an appropriate thought process.
• Understand the importance of, and apply, good time management.
• Demonstrate basic tactics: fork, pin, back-rank mate, discovered attack.
• Record their moves using algebraic notation.