It is with great sadness that I am sharing the news that Joseph Norman Cotter passed away on May 23 at the age of 91. Mr. Cotter was a chess player, educator and friend whom I met during our shared adventures in the 2006 USCF Golden Knights correspondence chess tournament. During our game, Norman spoke highly of his son (who was also named Christopher) and we shared many stories about our families and common interests. Norman Cotter was a gentleman and a scholar (in fact a University Professor) who enjoyed intellectually challenging games. He was quite an accomplished chess player and I am saddened that I will never again be able to share moves and stories with him.
I offer my sincere condolences to the friend and family of Joseph Norman Cotter.
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. Chris Torres served as the President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy from 2005-2020 and currently is recognized as a correspondence chess master with the United States Chess Federation. Since 1998 Chris Torres has taught 6 individual national champions as well as led multiple school teams to win national championship titles. In addition, Chris Torres has directed and taught at 10 different schools which have been California State Champions at chess. In 2011 and 2012, several former and current students of Chris Torres have been selected to represent the United States at the World Youth Chess Championships. Mr. Torres’ hobbies include playing classical guitar and getting his students to appear on the national top 100 chess rating lists.
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