Torre Means Rook in Chess

I am not sure if I have ever mentioned it but my last name translated into English would literally mean rook.  You see, the surname "Torres" has its origin in the Latin word "turris," which means "tower." Historically, this surname was used to designate people who lived near towers or who were associated with defensiveContinue reading "Torre Means Rook in Chess"

Paul Morphy At Odds with his Host!

Paul Morphy played many of his attacking masterpieces at odds (a way of handicapping a chess game so that a weaker player begins the game with an advantage). The handicaps he gave to balance the game varied greatly. In most cases, the conditions for the game at odds were described by Howard Staunton’s in hisContinue reading "Paul Morphy At Odds with his Host!"

Already Missing the Olympics?

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games may be over but the stage is set for thrilling chess in August. Below are major chess tournaments occurring this month that are sure to fill the Olympic void. Speed Chess Championship When: 6/27-9/8 Contestants include: Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Alireza Firouzja, Arjun Erigaisi, Ian Nepomniachtchi,Continue reading "Already Missing the Olympics?"

Winning Chess Moves: Morphy vs. Schrüfer, 1859

Last night I dreamt about attending a dinner party with Paul Morphy. At some point in my dream I asked him what he was doing here as he died a long time ago. Unfortunately, this subconscious realization jolted me awake before the chess games started. Luckily, I know a real Morphy game played under similarContinue reading "Winning Chess Moves: Morphy vs. Schrüfer, 1859"

In Loving Memory of Mary Torres

May 26, 1923 - June 22, 2024 My paternal grandmother lived a long and amazing life. Mary Schevchik was born on May 26, 1923 in Donora, Pennsylvania. She entered school during the Great Depression and left home at 18 to search for wartime employment in California. She became welder in the navy shipyards. It wasContinue reading "In Loving Memory of Mary Torres"

Solving Chess Puzzles with Leo

Chess puzzle training plays an important role for enhancing tactical abilities in chess players. By regularly attempting to solve puzzles, aspiring players can sharpen their pattern recognition skills and calculation abilities. Through consistent puzzle practice, players develop a keen eye for spotting tactical opportunities in their own games, leading to improved results and higher ratings.Continue reading "Solving Chess Puzzles with Leo"

Playing Bughouse Chess with My Son

Bughouse is a popular variant of chess played by four players in teams of two. Each player controls a standard chess set and board. The unique aspect of Bughouse is that when a player captures an opponent's piece, they hand it to their partner, who can then place that piece on their board as aContinue reading "Playing Bughouse Chess with My Son"

Emory Tate’s Immortal Game Reaches 25k Views on YouTube 

My very first episode of Master Chess Theatre focused on IM Emory Tate’s great victory over GM Leonid Yudasin. Included in this episode, were many insights about this amazing chess game shared directly to me by the late genius, Emory Tate. Created in 2020, I posted this video to YouTube to help others others appreciateContinue reading "Emory Tate’s Immortal Game Reaches 25k Views on YouTube "

Playing Against Chess Students 

One of my favorite traditions is playing chess against my summer chess camp students. Beyond just being fun, these occasions allows me to demonstrate strategic concepts in action, providing practical examples that go beyond theory. Moreover, playing against students fosters a supportive and collaborative environment, encourages dialogue, mutual respect, and a shared passion for chess.Continue reading "Playing Against Chess Students "

June Summer Camp Friday 6/28/2024

Thank you for joining us today. Please remember to click on both the links for “JOIN TOURNAMENT” in your group assignments every day to join the tournaments. If you do not join them in advance then you cannot play. Be sure to pay attention after you finish your first game because the next round begins rightContinue reading "June Summer Camp Friday 6/28/2024"

Live Chess Lesson with FM James Eade: Bobby Fischer vs Mikhail Tal, Leipzig, 1960

Bobby Fischer and Mikhail Tal had a great chess rivalry that produced many memorable moments. In today’s live lesson, I was joined by FM James Eade and we looked at the exciting Fischer vs Tal game from the 1960 Chess Olympiad in Leipzig. The two legendary chess players played an absolutely fascinating and hard foughtContinue reading "Live Chess Lesson with FM James Eade: Bobby Fischer vs Mikhail Tal, Leipzig, 1960"

June Summer Camp Thursday 6/27/2024

Thank you for joining us today. Please remember to click on both the links for “JOIN TOURNAMENT” in your group assignments every day to join the tournaments. If you do not join them in advance then you cannot play. Be sure to pay attention after you finish your first game because the next round begins rightContinue reading "June Summer Camp Thursday 6/27/2024"

Emory Tate Plays The Danish Gambit

This video is a live lesson from the 2024 Free Online Summer Chess Camp featuring a game played by the late International Master Emory Tate. Our feature game took place during Emory’s simultaneous exhibition given at the 2015 Fremont Summer Chess Camp. I recommended watching the video lesson with my notes from this game thatContinue reading "Emory Tate Plays The Danish Gambit"

June Summer Camp Wednesday 6/26/2024

Thank you for joining us today. Please remember to click on both the links for “JOIN TOURNAMENT” in your group assignments every day to join the tournaments. If you do not join them in advance then you cannot play. Be sure to pay attention after you finish your first game because the next round begins rightContinue reading "June Summer Camp Wednesday 6/26/2024"

June Summer Camp Tuesday 6/25/2024

Thank you for joining us today. Please remember to click on both the links for “JOIN TOURNAMENT” in your group assignments every day to join the tournaments. If you do not join them in advance then you cannot play. Be sure to pay attention after you finish your first game because the next round begins rightContinue reading "June Summer Camp Tuesday 6/25/2024"

How to Play the Danish Gambit

Today during the Free Online Summer Chess Camp, I taught a live lesson for chess players seeking to inject more aggression into your opening repertoire! Together we explored the dynamic and bold Danish Gambit. Students learned how, by sacrificing a little material early on for rapid development and attacking chances, the Danish Gambit can leadContinue reading "How to Play the Danish Gambit"

June Summer Camp Monday 6/24/2024

Thank you for joining us today. Please remember to click on both the links for “JOIN TOURNAMENT” in your group assignments every day to join the tournaments. If you do not join them in advance then you cannot play. Be sure to pay attention after you finish your first game because the next round begins rightContinue reading "June Summer Camp Monday 6/24/2024"

Father’s Day Chess Memories

This photo from July, 1966 shows my Grandfather (with spoon in hand) playing chess with my Great Grandfather. Their game took place at my Grandpa’s kitchen table, the same location as many of my games with my grandfather. He passed away in 2005. Today, on Father’s Day, I played a game of chess with allContinue reading "Father’s Day Chess Memories"

Mokele-Mbembe Case Files: Part 1

On November 14, 2020, there was a rare sighting of the Mokele-Mbembe in the wild. Those who saw the Alekhine’s Defense: Mokele Mbembe Variation used on that occasion described an aggressive sacrifice to expose the enemy king. Black undoubtedly had less than adequate compensation for the lost knight but, as is usually the case inContinue reading "Mokele-Mbembe Case Files: Part 1"