Imagine the ability to calculate your opponent’s movement before he even blinks. Much like a chess match, it takes an exemplary mind to use deductive reasoning, and this, my Dear Watson, is what makes the methodical Mr. Holmes a master. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law respectively revive the roles of the super sluth Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, where the duo engage their fiercest nemisis moriarity in an intellectual game of chess as they seek to out wit each other.
According to Adisa Banjoko the founder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation, “Chess enables you to see the potential good and bad in any situation in order to keep yourself safe.” This is a skill adopted by the program and used by Holmes throughout the movie. Banjoko was thrilled when Warner Bros. gave them free Sherlock Holmes chess boards, t-shirts, and tickets for his young people to see the movie and experience the tools they have been learning with the HHCF being demonstrated. “Kids who consistently practice chess,” explains Banjanko, “have higher math skills and reading comprehension, so I’m excited for the kids to get to see this film.” The movie is in theaters now.
For more info on HHCF, follow Adisa at @hiphopchess.