Today was the start of the TCAMA Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School in Fremont. So far we have over 30 students signed up for this three week camp. The camp which runs from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm features instruction from TCAMA chess coaches Joe Lonsadale, Tans Hylkema, and Chris Torres.Continue reading "Summer Chess Camp"
The Most Violent Chess Game Ever Played!
This fantastic game from 1880 is perhaps the most violent chess game ever played. [Event "Jerome Gambit"] [Site "England"] [Date "1880.??.??"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "?"] [Result "0-1"] [White "NN"] [Black "Joseph Henry Blackburne"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "28"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ {Note - d4 alsoContinue reading "The Most Violent Chess Game Ever Played!"
National Chess Champions to Host Summer Chess Camp
Mission San Jose Elementary School Summer Chess Camp Come and train with the 2009 National Champions! June 22 – June 25, June 29 – July 2, & July 6 – July 9 This class is brought to you by the Torres Chess and Music Academy, a non-profit corporation. The Torres Chess and Music Academy, aContinue reading "National Chess Champions to Host Summer Chess Camp"
National Scholastic Chess Champions
I have received several inquiries as to why this blog has not been updated as frequently. In answer to these questions, I have responded with a seemingly lame excuse of "devoting all my time to teaching future chess champions." Now for the proof: The chess players at the Mission San Jose Elementary School chess club achieved resultsContinue reading "National Scholastic Chess Champions"
Upcoming Chess Events
Dear Chess Parents, The next two weekends contain many exciting scholastic chess events that your children will benefit from attending. On Saturday April 25th, I will be hosting a chess tournament at Mission San Jose Elementary School, a TCAMA school in Fremont which just won the National Chess Championship in the K-6 division. This tournament will allowContinue reading "Upcoming Chess Events"
Anand-Kramnik: Game 6 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess
The championship chess board in Bonn has become a form of torture for Vladimir Kramnik. After loosing game 6, Kramnik has just six games left and is down three full points. A loosing streak against a world champion is very hard to fix. In Kramnik's case, achieving a win against Anand must seem like aContinue reading "Anand-Kramnik: Game 6 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess"
Anand-Kramnik: Game 5 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess
Kramnik must be feeling miserable. Anand has beaten him with the black pieces once again. Now down two full points with 7 games to go, Kramnik must take considerable risks if he is to have any chance at becoming world champion again. Taking these risks could easily backfire and have the effect of causing thisContinue reading "Anand-Kramnik: Game 5 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess"
Anand Kramnik 2008: A Special Report Looking Back at the World Chess Championship 1858
"Morphy...I think everyone agrees...was probably the greatest of them all." (Bobby Fischer) This years chess match between Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik takes place 150 years after one of the greatest world championship matches in history. In 1858, the two best chess players in the world, Paul Morphy and Adolph Anderssen, battled in Paris toContinue reading "Anand Kramnik 2008: A Special Report Looking Back at the World Chess Championship 1858"
Anand-Kramnik: Game 4 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess
It was back to the "drawing" board in game 4 from Bonn, Germany. Defending champion Viswanathan Anand played the white side in the solid Queen's Gambit Declined. Kramnik ended up with the ubiquitous isolated queen's pawn and allowed Anand no opportunities for victory. 3. Nf3 Anand decides to avoid a repeat of game 2's Nimzo-Indian.Continue reading "Anand-Kramnik: Game 4 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess"
Anand-Kramnik: Game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championship
In game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championships, Viswanathan Anand put on a tactical display using his fiery attacking style to beat Vladimir Kramnik into submission. Below is the game that has put Anand ahead in the match: 2...c6 Anand chooses the Slav again. 4. Nc3 Kramnik chooses not to play the exchange Slav asContinue reading "Anand-Kramnik: Game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championship"
TCAMA to Offer Chess at Former “Know Chess!” Schools
For immediate release: As many parents abruptly found out this last week, Know Chess! has closed down due to unspecified reasons. Thousands of young Bay Area chess players are now faced with the possibility of not having a school chess club. The Torres Chess and Music Academy is prepared to offer its services to save chess at these schools. The Torres Chess andContinue reading "TCAMA to Offer Chess at Former “Know Chess!” Schools"
Anand-Kramnik: Game 2 from the 2008 World Chess Championship
The second game from the 2008 World Chess Championship ended in a draw. In an attempt to show off some of his preparation for playing white against the Slav(1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6), Anand decided to use 1.d4 instead of his favorite 1.e4. Kramnik avoided the technical Slav lines in game 1 and chose to use theContinue reading "Anand-Kramnik: Game 2 from the 2008 World Chess Championship"
Know Chess Cancels Chess Classes
Know Chess has recently cancelled chess classes at a number of schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you work for or your child attends one of these schools, the Torres Chess and Music Academy can help you get another chess club set up immediately. Please contact us if your school is located inContinue reading "Know Chess Cancels Chess Classes"
Anand-Kramnik Game 1 from the 2008 World Chess Championship
Kramnik faced off against Anand in Game 1 of the World Chess Championship Match on October 14, 2008. The "Battle of Bonn" began with little surprise as Anand chose to play one of his main weapons referred to as the Slav Defense to the Queen's Gambit Declined. The game concluded after move 32 when aContinue reading "Anand-Kramnik Game 1 from the 2008 World Chess Championship"
Team Kramnik
For the 2008 World Chess Championship match in Bonn, Germany, Vladimir Kramnik has selected these players as his “Seconds.” I hope my readers will visit again tomorrow to view my coverage for game 1 of the 2008 World Chess Championship Match between Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. Name: Peter Leko Date of birth: 09-08-1979 Country:Continue reading "Team Kramnik"
Team Anand
For the 2008 World Chess Championship match in Bonn, Germany, Viswanathan Anand has selected these players as his "Seconds." I will review Vladimir Kramnik's team in a later post. Name: Peter Heine Nielsen Date of birth: 05-24-1973 Country: Denmark Current Rating: 2652 Description: A grandmanster with a very aggressive style who has won the Denmark Chess ChampionshipContinue reading "Team Anand"
My Friends are Better Than Yours… Anand and Kramnik Get Seconds
The upcoming 12 game World Championship match between Anand and Kramnik is creating internet rumors faster than Alexandra Kosteniuk makes blitz moves in China. Most of these rumors seem to be speculation on opening choices and who is going to be the "Second" for Anand and Kramnik. A "Second" refers to a chess playersContinue reading "My Friends are Better Than Yours… Anand and Kramnik Get Seconds"
Alexandra Kosteniuk Takes the Gold in Blitz Chess
It appears as though chess has a new superstar. After taking the Women's World Rapid Chess Championship and the Women's World Chess Championship titles Alexandra Kosteniuk won gold in the 1st World Mind Sports Games Women's Blitz Chess Individual event in Beijing, China. Under her father's(Konstantin Vladimirovich Kosteniuk) coaching and guidance, Alexandra became a WomanContinue reading "Alexandra Kosteniuk Takes the Gold in Blitz Chess"
Where I Was Ten Years Ago.
Thanks to Google's ten year anniversary, the famed search engine has added an option to have a google search show the user what he or she would have seen ten years in the past. This feature also includes the cached pages from a decade ago. Below is the description of my chess activities from ten years ago taken directlyContinue reading "Where I Was Ten Years Ago."
5 Days Until the 2008 World Chess Championships in Bonn, Germany
Anand and Kramnik both enjoy playing the Petroff Defense(1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6) and I would be very surprised not to see it used in their 2008 World Championship Chess Match. Both players know the theory very well in this opening, so any game they play could lead to new ideas for the worldContinue reading "5 Days Until the 2008 World Chess Championships in Bonn, Germany"