Hennessy Presents "Make Your Move" Featuring RZA And GZA Of Wu-Tang And Maurice Ashley
Hennessy and Chess.com are teaming up for the Hennessy V.S. Presents "Make Your Move" charity livestream in celebration of National Chess Day this Saturday, October 10 beginning at 1 p.m. Pacific Time (22:00 Central European Time) on Chess.com/TV and Twitch.tv/Chess.
Inspired by the world's first black grandmaster, this special rapid event will feature some of the most notable names in entertainment including Wu-Tang Clan's RZA and GZA, as well as top streamers IAmBrandon and Nate Hill. GM Maurice Ashley, the hero of the "Wild Rabbit" campaign, will also participate by playing an odds match against the other event finalist. In addition, GM Robert Hess and NM James Canty will provide expert commentary and interviews.
"It’s exciting to be a part of this fabulous event," said Ashley. " To have Hennessy joining legendary names from music and streaming supporting a great cause is just simply magical."
The time control for each of the two quarterfinal matches is 10 minutes plus a two-second increment. There will be open mics to allow for trash talk from the players during play. The winner of each quarterfinal will play a one-game match against each other, again at 10+2, to determine who will advance to face Ashley in a time-odds match.
Throughout the livestream, viewers will be able to donate to One Hundred Black Men, the
Hispanic Federation and the Asian American Business Development Center in honor of
Unfinished Business – Hennessy’s initiative providing grants for Black, Latinx and Asian
American small businesses. Hennessy has pledged to match all contributions to the Chess.com
Twitch channel during the livestream with a charity donation of up to $250,000. Unfinished Business was established to provide financial support and access to vital resources for the small business owners who bind our communities together.
Ashley chased his "wild rabbit" through lessons of victory and defeat on his journey to become a grandmaster. He embodies Hennessy’s "Never Stop. Never Settle" ethos, having pushed the limits of his mind to achieve the status of grandmaster.
Click here to learn more about his journey and check out this video outlining his road to success:
As one of the most well-known personalities in chess, Ashley is a mainstay on Chess.com broadcasts and on international chess broadcasts that have taken place over the last decades. He provided commentary for the recent Junior Speed Chess Championship and the recent PRO Chess League Finals alongside Hess and other recognizable faces from the Chess.com community.
As an icon of the chess community, he has inspired players of all backgrounds from around the world to pick up the game of chess.
Don't miss this three-hour-long event, kicking off this Saturday, October 10 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time (22:00 Central European Time) and hosted by GM Robert Hess and NM James Canty on Chess.com/TV and Twitch.tv/Chess.
