What set Emory Tate apart was his remarkable charisma. Whether he was addressing the inquisitive minds in a chess class or carpooling with me during commute time, he possessed an undeniable gift for articulating compelling ideas in a manner that captivated his audience. In a world where many simply echo the opinions of others, Emory brought fresh perspectives to every issue. Simply put, Emory Tate was consistently fascinating. He had an extraordinary ability to take command of every room he entered, drawing everyone into his orbit with a magnetic presence that demanded attention and respect. Exactly eleven years to the day subsequent to his departure from this world, I find myself yearning for his distinctive pedagogical style and the intellectually challenging dialogues we once shared.
Emory Tate on March 1, 2015 in San Mateo, California. (photo by Paul Sprenkel)
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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