Celebrate the Birthday of Our Movers, Shakers, & Markmakers Born in May

Michael A. McDuffie Incredible Chess Coach “Chess Ambassador” Certified by the United States Chess Federation Birthday: May 1st

Michael A. McDuffie

Trailblazer in WNY: Prompted by the Tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri, Instituted the first ever Annual Erie County Scholastic (K-6) Chess Championships (2018) Founder of the Archangel 8 Chess Academy [1999].

The Master of many local youths learning the game, McDuffie brings unknown knowledge about Chess itself to the Buffalo area, as the overall documented beneficial results to our youth and to our adults, as focusing, raised IQ Scores, independent decision-making, self-confidence and self-discipline, making fast and accurate decisions within time factors; improving memory, reading, language, and mathematical abilities; and learning to select the “best choices” from a number of choices.

Chess is a powerful game that helps prevent the decline in cognitive skills – “the functions our brains use to think, pay attention, process information, and remember things, constantly aiding our thought processes and memory retention.”

Recipient of Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), Buffalo Black Achievers Award, White Rock Baptist Church’s Mover, Shaker & Markmaker Birthday Honoree (2024).

McDuffie’s classes are held at the Frank Merriweather Library (Buffalo, NY); Tournaments held at the Main Place Mall (Buffalo, NY).

Extract on McDuffie from the MAJA Collection, Movers, Shakers & Markmakers, Black History Birthday booklet (2024).