The Torres Chess and Music Academy is aware that parents in Northern California have many choices to make in regards to where they send their children for chess training this summer. Before making that choice, we urge parents to do their due diligence and research the different programs or instructors. In particular, be on the lookout for amateur chess players who are in chess primarily for their own ego or to attempt to profit off of their hobby. Often times, when these amateurs fail to win enough to satisfy their egos, they often exaggerate their own accomplishments or, even worse, take credit for the successes of local youth chess players. Living vicariously through the successes of young chess players, exaggerating their importance in a chess team’s successes and winning an occasional amateur chess event allows these chess parasites to keep feeding on the pocketbooks of unsuspecting parents. Eventually, the amateur coach will be exposed for what he is but usually not before he has organized tournament boycotts in order to preserve his reputation with a dwindling market share.
The Torres Chess and Music Academy only hires professional chess coaches who devote their careers to helping your children succeed in chess. For example, our Fremont Summer Chess Camp at MSJE will feature instruction from:
Susan Polgar, GM
To summarize Susan Polgar‘s chess accomplishments is nearly an impossible task. Susan was the winner of four Women’s World Chess Championships, is a five time Olympic champion with over 10 medals earned, became the number one ranked woman in the world at the age of fifteen, became the first chess player ever to be a World Champion at Blitz, Rapid and Classical time controls. In addition, Susan Polgar was the first woman to be awarded a men’s Grandmaster title in chess, win the U.S. Open Blitz Championship, be awarded the Grandmaster of the year honor, serve as the head coach of a men’s division 1 NCAA team that won a National Collegiate Championship, serve as the head coach of a number one ranked men’s division one collegiate team, serve as the Head Coach of Men’s Division 1 Teams from two different schools to win the Final Four National Collegiate Championship, serve as Head Coach of a Men’s Division I Team to win the National Collegiate Championship 3 straight years and be named coach of the year for a men’s collegiate team. Further accomplishments of Susan Polgar are too numerous to list but even this small sample of work as both a world champion of chess and a world class chess teacher easily rank her as the best chess teacher in the United States.
Eric Schiller Ph.D., NM
The Torres Chess and Music Academy is pleased to have Eric Schiller as a coach for the 2013 Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School. Eric Schiller Ph.D. is the author of over 100 chess books and the personal chess coach to many talented young players. When he is not playing in major chess tournaments, Eric is a sought after International Arbiter who has organized and directed an impressive list of chess tournaments and matches. Eric Schiller has stated that he looks forward to making the “best chess camp even better in 2013.”
Emory Tate, IM
Over the board, Emory Tate is widely regarded as one of the greatest attacking chess players of our time. Emory first received national recognition as the best chess player in the United States Air force and by winning the All-Armed Services tournament five different times, setting a record which may never be broken. After the Cold War ended in 92, Tate went into civilian life in Indiana. During these years, he became Indiana State champion a total of six different times and then Alabama State Chess Champion twice. Emory Tate currently holds the FIDE title of International Master which is only one step below the highest title of Grandmaster. However, Emory makes it a regular habit to defeat top grandmasters at the prestigious chess tournaments in which he often participates.
Chris Torres, President of TCAMA
Chris Torres is a nationally renowned scholastic chess coach working in the San Francisco Bay Area. His classes have attracted players of strengths ranging from rank beginners to world champions. A chess professional since 1998, Chris is widely recognized as one of the main driving forces behind the explosion in popularity and sudden rise in quality of scholastic chess in California. Currently, Chris Torres is ranked within the top 10 of all the correspondence chess players in the United States and serves as the President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy. Mr. Torres’ hobbies include playing classical guitar and getting his students to appear on the national top 100 chess rating lists.
Joe Lonsdale, Head Coach MSJE
If ever there was an official Hall of Fame for California chess coaches, Joe Lonsdale would be a first ballot inductee. Joe Lonsdale started the MSJE (Mission San Jose Elementary School, Fremont) chess team in 1990 when his oldest son was a third grader at MSJE. It didn’t take long for Joe’s chess team to rise to the top. In 1992 Coach Joe led MSJE to win its first grade level National Championship. They won the overall National Elementary School Championship in both 2009 and in 2013. At the 2012 Elementary School Nationals MSJE was the only team in the country to finish in the top four in every Elementary school championship section (K-1, K-3, K-5, & K-6). Again in 2013, MSJE placed first at the USCF Nationals in the k-3 championship section. Joe Lonsdale’s goal in chess is to make MSJE the strongest scholastic chess program in the nation and the recent evidence of their success would suggest that he is succeeding.
Don’t miss out on the best chess opportunity of the summer! Our coaches will use their decades of chess teaching experience to create a summer camp that is fun, competitive and educational. Attendees will receive the best training available and take part in USCF rated tournaments with awards given at the end of each week.
All students who complete four weeks of camp will receive:
* A commemorative camp T-shirt
* A special 1 on 1 follow up lesson by a TCAMA instructor
* And hand signed diploma awarded to be awarded by Susan Polgar!
This class will meet from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM,
Mondays through Thursdays,
June 30 to July 24
At Mission San Jose ES 43545 Bryant St. Fremont, CA 94539.
To apply online, or for more information on the TCAMA, please visit CHESSANDMUSIC.COM, or contact Chris Torres at chesslessons@aol.com.
The checks should be made payable to The TCAMA Inc. The fees for the chess program are nonrefundable after the class has begun. No refunds will be given for unscheduled student absences.
Dates: 6/30-7/3, 7/7-7/10, 7/14-7/17, 7/21-7/24
$222.00 for one week
$414.00 for two weeks *save $30 by enrolling for two weeks now
$606.00 for three weeks *save $60 by enrolling for three weeks now
$750.00 for four weeks *save $138 by enrolling for four weeks now
Another good way to make an informed decision on a Summer Chess Camp for your child is by attending classes/tournaments that are run by the same organization you are looking into.
The Torres Chess and Music Academy offers Saturday chess classes as well as a rated chess tournament every Saturday in Fremont, California.
Below are the details for our Fremont Achiever Chess Program:
The Fremont Achiever Chess Team meets every Saturday from 1:00 until 3:00.
The Fremont Achiever Chess Team has a very special chess program designed and taught by nationally renowned chess instructor Chris Torres. This class will provide experienced tournament players with instruction that will quickly increase their ability and understanding of chess. Participants will begin their afternoon by participating in an hour long chess class taught by Chris Torres. Students will then play 1 USCF rated chess game as part of the ongoing tournament and receive analysis of their play. All participants must be members of the USCF. If your child is not a member, your child can join or renew their USCF membership at the first meeting, or by going to uschess.org/
Checks should be made payable to The Achiever Institute.
43475 Ellsworth St. Fremont, CA 94539
(510) 226-6161 achieverinstitute.org
A USCF ID number is required in order to participate in the tournament.
Scholastic chess will never free itself from opportunistic amateurs looking to make a quick buck off unsuspecting parents. But we, as parents, can recognize their amateur habits and steer our children to a more suitable chess educator.
Sincerely,
Chris Torres
Multi-National Championship Professional Chess Coach
President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy
Chess Dad
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