Huge Chess News for California

It’s official. Talented chess players from around the United States will be coming to California next February in order to compete in the 10th annual Susan Polgar Foundation’s National Open for Boys and Girls. Over $100,000 will be  awarded in prizes, which include trophies, computers, chess prizes and scholarships to Webster University.  In addition to theseContinueContinue reading “Huge Chess News for California”

Children Were Checkmating Breast Cancer at a Chess Tournament in Northern, California

Everybody was a winner at the Breast Cancer Research Chess Tournament in Fremont.   Fremont, California (PRWEB) May 06, 2014 On Saturday May 3, 2014, scores of children attended the Annual Breast Cancer Research Tournament held by the Torres Chess and Music Academy. In addition to the standard trophies and medals that are ubiquitous atContinueContinue reading “Children Were Checkmating Breast Cancer at a Chess Tournament in Northern, California”

The MSJE Chess Team’s Dynasty Continues at the 2014 Calchess Super States

MSJE Head Coach Joe Lonsdale Reports on the 2014 Calchess Super States   The 2014 Northern California Scholastic Chess Championships were held the weekend of April 26th and 27th at the Santa Clara convention center.  Over 600 students and more the 50 schools competed in these championships.  Mission San Jose Elementary school (MSJE) of FremontContinueContinue reading “The MSJE Chess Team’s Dynasty Continues at the 2014 Calchess Super States”

Calchess Super States 2014

The first day of the 2014 Calchess Super States is complete. Tournament directors, players, coaches and parents can relax for a few hours before chess battles starts again in the morning. Below, I give my readers a brief recap of the day’s highlights as well as some photographs I took when I wasn’t analyzing students’ContinueContinue reading “Calchess Super States 2014”

Joe Lonsdale’s Legacy to Northern California

Santa Clara, California (PRWEB) April 24, 2014 A TCAMA Instructor is Receiving the Greatest Honor Ever Bestowed on a Chess Coach from the Governing Body of Northern California Chess   On Saturday, April 26, while many people are still asleep, elementary school children will turn out in mass to play chess in the largest StateContinueContinue reading “Joe Lonsdale’s Legacy to Northern California”

Once upon a time in Mexico: A Chess Adventure Retold by Francisco Anchondo

My friend Francisco Anchondo sent me a story from one of his recent chess adventures in Mexico. The story is fantastic and the game is even better. Enjoy!       From Francisco: On my way to Ensenada at 2:30 AM my vehicle was having some electrical problems. l waited at 7/11 /Pemex service station ContinueContinue reading “Once upon a time in Mexico: A Chess Adventure Retold by Francisco Anchondo”

Young Chess Players Set to Compete in Honor of Defeating Breast Cancer

The Torres Chess and Music Academy will be hosting a chess tournament in Fremont, California in order to raise funds in the fight against breast cancer.     Fremont, CA (PRWEB) April 19, 2014 Nearly every family has been touched by the disease known broadly as cancer. Every May, we set aside a date toContinueContinue reading “Young Chess Players Set to Compete in Honor of Defeating Breast Cancer”

April’s Chess Combination of the Month

This month’s chess combination comes from a nice win I had over “Flash,” the number two ranked player on VelocityChess.com. Each Month I will select one combination that I played in a real game to examine in detail for the benefit of my students and readers.   When it is your turn, the first thingContinueContinue reading “April’s Chess Combination of the Month”

Oops She Did It Again!

  To most fans of college athletics, a coach fails unless he/she wins it all every time. To Susan Polgar, the head coach of Webster University’s Chess Team, success and failure are connected like cause and effect. Still, her unique philosophy on coaching chess has allowed her to set a record that even the harshestContinueContinue reading “Oops She Did It Again!”

Susan Polgar Explains Her Coaching Philosophy

Susan Polgar is, in my humble opinion, the best chess coach in the United States. Her achievement of coaching two different division 1 colleges to National Chess Championships on several occasions speaks volumes as to her abilities. I believe Susan’s coaching philosophy should prove useful for coaches of any discipline. Obtained from http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-coaching-philo<a href="http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-coaching-philosophy.html?m=1 ManyContinueContinue reading “Susan Polgar Explains Her Coaching Philosophy”

Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 2

Throughout its 39 year history, there have been many great leaders who organized the Calchess Scholastic State Championships. Each of them has led with unique talents and in different circumstances. Tonight I present to you my brief interview with one of the best chess promoters in the history of California chess, Salman Azhar.   (For easeContinueContinue reading “Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 2”

Who are playing in the 2014 College Chess Final Four?

Who are playing in the 2014 College Chess Final Four?. Susan Polgar has the answers. Webster University Ray Robson Georg Meier Wesley So Le Quang Liem Fidel Corrales Jimenez Anatoly Bykhovksy Head Coach: GM Susan Polgar UMBC Niclas Huschenbeth Akshayraj Kore Levan Bregadze Nazi Paikidze Sabina Foisor Head Coach: GM Sam Palatnik University of IllinoisContinueContinue reading “Who are playing in the 2014 College Chess Final Four?”

Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 1

Without a doubt, the best scholastic chess tournament in Northern California for the past six years has been the Calchess Scholastic State Championship. Every Spring, nearly one thousand school aged chess players compete in a single weekend of matches to determine who the best chess players and school chess teams are in Northern California. InContinueContinue reading “Calchess Scholastic Super State Championship: Preview 1”

My First Impressions of Velocity Chess

After arriving at velocitychess.com,  I signed up through my Facebook account and was up and running in less than a minute. Immediately, the site will take new users on a “tour” that demonstrates some of Velocity Chess’ unique offerings. Some items on the tour that I found worthwhile were: 1)      Free chess play for everyoneContinueContinue reading “My First Impressions of Velocity Chess”

March’s Chess Combination of the Month

“Chess is 99% tactics” – Richard Teichmann   Richard Teichmann (24 December 1868 – 15 June 1925) was an excellent chess teacher and a powerful chess player from Germany. This month tactical shot is dedicated to him.     Below is the entire game. The answer to the puzzle is in bold font. [Event “Training Game”]ContinueContinue reading “March’s Chess Combination of the Month”

Crime and Punishment on the Chessboard (Tijuana Style!)

  Francisco Anchondo showed me another example of why players throughout Mexico revere his chess skills.   [Event “Blitz”] [Site “Tijuana, Mexico”] [Date “14.1.26”] [Round “”] [White “Anchondo, Francisco”] [Black “Morales, Juan”] [Result “”] [Eco “D00”] [Annotator “Chris Torres”] {[Blackmar-Diemer Gambit,D00]} 1.d4 d5 2.e4 {!} {Francisco is usually happy to gambit a couple pawns toContinueContinue reading “Crime and Punishment on the Chessboard (Tijuana Style!)”

The Future of Chess has Arrived at River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop, California

The Torres Chess and Music Academy brings chess instruction to the twenty-first century classroom. Parents in Lathrop, California are growing accustomed to seeing their kindergartener’s eyes glued to the screen of an iPad. Often times their child isn’t watching a movie or playing a kid’s game. Instead, kindergarteners around town are turning to the iPadContinueContinue reading “The Future of Chess has Arrived at River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop, California”

Fork Trick or Treat

“One way to find food for thought is to use the fork in the road, the bifurcation that marks the place of emergence in which a new line of development begins to branch off.”-William Irwin Thompson “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”-Yogi Berra Had it not been for the President’sContinueContinue reading “Fork Trick or Treat”

Fremont Girls Dominate Calchess Championship

On February first, girls from all over Northern California headed to Saint Marks School in San Rafael for the annual Calchess Girls’ Championship. The talented few who finished in first place were awarded the title of Calchess State Girls Champion and given fabulous trophies to commemorate their achievement. Once again, girls from Fremont, California dominatedContinueContinue reading “Fremont Girls Dominate Calchess Championship”

An Open Letter to Mr. Albert Garibaldi, Superintendent: Banta School District

Mr. Albert Garibaldi, Superintendent: Banta School District First of all, let me congratulate you on the success of Banta Elementary School District’s charter with the River Island Technology Academy in Lathrop. I have been involved in education for 16 years and have never witnessed the birth of such an ambitious undertaking. Under the leadership ofContinueContinue reading “An Open Letter to Mr. Albert Garibaldi, Superintendent: Banta School District”