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On the Eve of Greatness: Part Three

It has now been several years since I first reported on the three California chess prodigies that I had the pleasure of coaching during the 2010 school year. My first article, “On The Eve of Greatness: Three California Chess Prodiogies Competing in their First National Chess Championship” shined the national spotlight onto Milind Maiti, Chenyi ZhaoContinue reading “On the Eve of Greatness: Part Three”

Eight Year Old Wins Big in Las Vegas

Torres Chess & Music Academy, Inc. 16691 Colonial TrailLathrop, CAPhone (661) 699-8348 Chesslessons@aol.com Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 31, 2012 Eight Year Old Wins Big in Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada, December 26-30, 2012)When Ben Rood walks through a casino in Las Vegas it isn’t to win money on the Craps Tables but insteadContinue reading “Eight Year Old Wins Big in Las Vegas”

Bay Area Kids Dominate at the World Youth Chess Championship

Young chess players from the San Francisco Bay Area took Maribor, Slovenia by storm this November. Their dominating performance at the World Youth Chess Championships once again proved that the best scholastic chess in the country takes place in Northern, California. Cameron Wheeler’s silver medal performance at the 2012 World Youth Chess Championship is theContinue reading “Bay Area Kids Dominate at the World Youth Chess Championship”

World Youth Chess Championships 2012: Half Time for Team USA

Today was the break day for the young chess players competing at the World Youth Chess Championships in Maribor, Slovenia. Team USA is particularly dominant in the U12 Open where American chess masters Samuel Sevian and Jeffrey Xiong are tied for first and will be playing on board 1 in round 7. Only a half point behind and tied for secondContinue reading “World Youth Chess Championships 2012: Half Time for Team USA”

World Youth Chess Championships 2012: Round 3 Preview

California’s top young chess stars are once again proving that the kids in the Golden State play world-class chess. Several remain undefeated and nearly all remain in contention for the gold after the first two rounds of the World Youth Chess Championships. Round 3 has some interesting match-ups. Here are the games to keep an eyeContinue reading “World Youth Chess Championships 2012: Round 3 Preview”

Teaching Chess Improves Chess Creativity

Last night after a long day teaching chess which culminated with a private lesson for chess prodigy Ben Rood, I came home and decided to relax by playing a couple blitz games on FICS. As usual, I won a couple and lost a couple. In the past I have noticed that I have more creative ways of handling routineContinue reading “Teaching Chess Improves Chess Creativity”

Help Send Ben Rood to Slovenia

To the Supporters of Northern California Chess, On November 2, 2012 California chess super-star Ben Rood will leave for Maribor, Slovenia in order to compete in the FIDE World Youth Chess Championships. Ben Rood asked his family to attend for support as he battles the best eight-year-olds from around the globe. A family trip toContinue reading “Help Send Ben Rood to Slovenia”

2012 USCF National Elementary (K-6) Chess Championship : Day 1

Day one of the 2012 USCF National Elementary (K-6) Chess Championship is in the books. Several of California’s top chess players still remain undefeated. In the K-1 Section Stephen He and Rishith Susarla scored 2/2. In the K-3 Section Mihir Bhuptani, Tommy Koh, and Ben Rood also have perfect scores. In the K-5 Section Amit SantContinue reading “2012 USCF National Elementary (K-6) Chess Championship : Day 1”

2012 U.S.C.F. National Elementary (K-6) Chess Championship

Beginning May 11, Nashville Tennessee will host the 2012 U.S.C.F National Elementary Chess Championship. This is the paramount annual chess event for children ages 4-12. Below is a highly biased preview for this year’s event. The competitors listed in this article are all kids I have the pleasure of playing chess with on a weeklyContinue reading “2012 U.S.C.F. National Elementary (K-6) Chess Championship”

Eight Year Old Wins Grade 4-5 Chess Championship in California

Chess history was made on April 22, 2012. Ben Rood, while still only eight years old, won first place in the grade 4-5 section at the Calchess Scholastic State Chess Championship.    California has been home to many youthful chess prodigies since I started attending the Calchess Scholastic State Chess Championship. A few that comeContinue reading “Eight Year Old Wins Grade 4-5 Chess Championship in California”

World Youth Chess Championship 2011: Round 1

Play got underway today at the 2011 World Youth Chess Championship in the resort town of Caldas Novas, Brazil. Over a thousand of the world’s best young chess players took to the playing hall before 4:00 p.m. to make the first move toward winning a World Championship. For many of these young prodigies, this isContinue reading “World Youth Chess Championship 2011: Round 1”

Ben is the Best at Chess

On 10/30/2011 Ben Rood again proved that he is the best chess player under the age of eight by producing a perfect score at the 2011 U.S.  National Junior Chess Congress in Santa Clara, California. Ben was the overwhelming favorite in the 2011 U.S. Junior Chess Congress and he did not disappoint his fans. InContinue reading “Ben is the Best at Chess”

Send Ben Rood to Brazil

This November local super star Ben Rood will be representing the United States in the World Youth Chess Championship to be held in Caldas Novas, Brazil. Seven year old Ben would like to have his family there to support him as he battles the best eight year olds in the world for the title. AllContinue reading “Send Ben Rood to Brazil”

Ben Rood’s Chess Accomplishments are the Talk of the Town in Walnut Creek

The Walnut Creek Patch just ran a wonderful article detailing Ben Rood’s rise to chess fame. The Walnut Creek Patch is Ben Rood’s hometown newspaper so I know this will help raise  community awareness of his incredible chess accomplishments. Below is an exerpt from the article by Jonathan Hawthorne of the Walnut Creek Patch: TheContinue reading “Ben Rood’s Chess Accomplishments are the Talk of the Town in Walnut Creek”

Milind Maiti was Undefeated at the National Chess Championship

Torres Chess & Music Academy, Inc. 16691 Colonial Trail Lathrop, CA  95330 Phone (661) 699-8348 Chesslessons@aol.com Press Release Contact: Chris Torres Phone: (661) 699-8348 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2011 Kindergartener Milind Maiti Was Undefeated at the NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONship Cupertino, CA, May 6-8, 2011: Cupertino five year old Milind Maiti was unbeatable at theContinue reading “Milind Maiti was Undefeated at the National Chess Championship”

Ben Rood Becomes National Chess Champion

Torres Chess & Music Academy, Inc. 16691 Colonial Trail Lathrop, CA  95330 Phone (661) 699-8348 Chesslessons@aol.com Press Release Contact: Chris Torres Phone: (661) 699-8348 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2011 FIRST GRADER BEN ROOD BECOMES NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPION WALNUT CREEK, CA, May 6-8, 2011: Walnut Creek seven year old Ben Rood was awarded the titleContinue reading “Ben Rood Becomes National Chess Champion”

2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships: Ben Rood

Ben Rood scored a perfect 6/6 in the k-3 championship section at the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships. For many at the tournament, Ben’s remarkable performance was the most memorable aspect of the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships. For his coach, the most memorable moment came after Ben’s fifth round win over Josiah Stearman (1712).Continue reading “2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships: Ben Rood”

2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championship: Round Four

First Grader Ben Rood continues his impressive streak by defeating current grade three State Champion Joanna Liu (1540). Ben’s play at the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championship is entirely consistent with the brilliant chess I see from him every week during our lessons.    Anthony Zhou, another one of my favorite students, is also 4/4.Continue reading “2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championship: Round Four”

2011 Calchess Scolastic State Championships: Day 1

Three Northern California chess prodigies performed extremely well during the first day of the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships.  Kindergartener Milind Maiti scored a perfect 5/5 and became the 2011 Calchess Kindergarten State Champion. First Grader Chenyi Zhao scored 2.5/3 in the k-3 championship. Ben Rood, another first grader, scored a perfect 3/3 on dayContinue reading “2011 Calchess Scolastic State Championships: Day 1”

National K-12 Championship: Day 3

Congratulations are in order for three Torres Chess and Music Academy students from Northern California who attended the 2010 USCF National K-12 Chess Championship in Florida from December 10-12. Milind Maiti, Chenyi Zhao and Ben Rood traveled across the country to this tournament less than one week after competing in the Calchess Grade Level ChessContinue reading “National K-12 Championship: Day 3”