ABOUT US

They say confidence lights the way and that is exactly what it did for Robert “Bobby” Stewart. Bobby, born in Jersey City was the second of four children to two hardworking parents. As a youth, he was quiet and suffered from low self-esteem. In Bobby’s teenage years, he had discovered the confidence that he was looking for when he was introduced to the game of chess at a local CYO program in Jersey City. And after only two weeks, he was regularly beating his counselor. With his confidence soaring to new heights, as a young adult he developed a reputation of being a good chess player that would lead him to later be known as a great chess teacher. 

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​After graduating from Dickinson High School, Bobby enrolled at PSI Institute to study computer programming.  It was while attending school at PSI in 1982 and working as a messenger in downtown New York, that Bobby found out life can be transformed. He was wrongfully charged with 1st-degree robbery with a gun. Fortunately, after a year of continuous court battles he was found not guilty. Armed with this experience, he continued his education at PSI to ensure a better future for himself. in 1982, Bobby worked in the postal office for 16 years.  When injured on the job, Bobby faced the hardship of providing for his family. After struggling for a long period of time he relied on his talents to empower and celebrate people through chess and photography. In 2000, Bobby founded the Kings Knight Chess Club. The Kings Knight Chess Club is a non-profit organization with the purpose of providing children with an alternative to drugs and violence through the training and art of chess instruction. The program and Bobby has seen many successes over the last fourteen years. In 2002, Bobby was the only person in the state of New Jersey to teach chess as a part of the charter school curriculum. The program went beyond the school system and into the jails. Bobby worked with Hudson County Correctional Facility to teach and provide inmates with chess activity.  Bobby has been blessed with a life filled of accomplishments: empowering the youth through meeting celebrities, playing chess with football legend Jim Brown, Larry Holmes, GOOD TIMES –Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter. In (2008), these accomplishments among many others were documented in a Comcast documentary titled “Everyday Joes/Bobby Stewart.” The documentary featured Bobby and the Kings Knight Chess program in Jersey City public schools and in the Hudson County Correctional Facility. 

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​In 2011, Bobby founded Kings Knight Chess International, LLC and partnered with the McDonald’s Corporation (The Quintana Family) and established the McDonald’s/Kings Knight Chess Café in Jersey City and Bayonne. At the chess cafe youth and adults come to learn and play chess. The youth are given a free meal.

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In 2012, Bobby began to venture further into another passion and talent of his, photography. He has been hired as a freelance photographer for many occasions such as weddings, portraitures, fashion and commercial purposes. He is especially proud of having done public relations and photography for Bern Nadette Stanis of the hit sitcom “GOOD TIMES” and former heavyweight boxing champ, Larry Holmes, photography for the late Congressman Donald Payne, NJ Senator, Sandra Bolden-Cunningham, In 2014, Bobby became a commissioner of the Jersey City Historic Preservation. 

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Some of Bobby’s other proudest moments include his twin sons Bryan & Byron graduation from TCNJ, receiving the NJ State Unsung Hero Award (2006) recognized by former New Jersey State Governor Jim McGreevy, proclamations from several mayors, Mayor Bret Shundler, Mayor J. Healy, the late Jersey City Mayor and State Senator, Glen D. Cunningham, Mayor Steven Fulop and being featured in a number of short films that he helped direct and produce. 

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Today, Bobby lives in Jersey City with his beautiful wife, Bertha of 35 years after having raised twin sons Bryan & Byron who are now 33. In 2018 Bobby founded “It’s Your Move, Inc.” a 501 c 3 non-profit organization with the mission to promote thinking through the arts for the general community.   In 2017, Bobby became a member of The Rotary Club of Jersey City and served as their media specialist. His It's Your Move, Inc. is a partner of Jersey City Health and Human Services / Healthy Cities and County Grant. Board member – Arlington Park (2017). Jersey City Recreation Chess (2018), Member of the Jersey City Chapter of NAACP.

 

Currently, we operate 6 programs, serving over 500 people. 
Some of our latest projects
include: 

• Jersey City Free Public Library- Providing chess instruction and special events to three (3) library branches.

• Hudson County Correctional Facility- Providing chess instruction and competition to male and female inmates. (11 years)

• Maureen Collier Center (For Seniors)/Joseph Connors Center (For Seniors)- Providing chess instruction and dialogue to seniors one day per week.

• High School Career Development Program ( NY/NJ Port Authority)- Providing internships and jobs to high school students upon graduation in partnership with NY/NJ Port Authority.

• Jersey City Public School #6- Providing chess instruction and special events. (8 years)