Day two of the 2010 CalChess Scholastic Chess Championships began with a rather contentious coaches meeting. As usual, all the colorful personalities and huge egos resulted in a very heated discussion. The use of electronic devices to keep score and the ability to have unrated players play in the junior varsity sections were the mostContinueContinue reading “CalChess Scholastic Chess Championships: Part Three”
Tag Archives: Torres chess
Top Chess Children to Play Chess Near San Francisco
The Bay Area’s best scholastic chess players are cordially invited to join the World Journal Chess Team in Millbrae. (Millbrae is located just South of San Francisco.) This program is perfect for North Bay chess players who are serious about studying to quickly improve their chess rating. Chris Torres, chess instructor for the 2009 NationalContinueContinue reading “Top Chess Children to Play Chess Near San Francisco”
Chess Quads for Children
A children’s chess quad run by the Torres Chess and Music Academy is the ideal way for new chess players to begin playing in tournaments. Children are separated into groups of four based on rating and age so that each quad tournament represents the closest chess experience grouping possible. This structure assures that all threeContinueContinue reading “Chess Quads for Children”
For Immediate Release: Scholastic Chess Tournaments in the Bay Area
For Immediate Release: Torres Chess and Music Academy, Inc. Presents: The SPHDS Quads At the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School – 1030 Astoria Dr., Sunnyvale, CA 94087 Sunday, February 7th, 2010 AND Sunday, March 7th, 2010 Where: South Peninsula Hebrew Day School When: 1:00pm – 4:00pm What: Scholastic (K-12) 3 Round Quad – G/30 Cost:ContinueContinue reading “For Immediate Release: Scholastic Chess Tournaments in the Bay Area”
California Chess Tournaments
Chris Torres has been one of the most successful scholastic chess organizers since 1998. His chess tournaments are extremely well organized and offer young chess players an opportunity to compete in a structured format and receive chess instruction from the best chess teachers in California. For information on these chess tournaments please visit SiliconValleyChess.com andContinueContinue reading “California Chess Tournaments”
2009 CalChess Grade Level Championship: Part 2
Wall Chart. 2009 CalChess State Grade Level: Kindergarten (standings) # Name/Rtng/ID Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Tot 1 Jack Chin B 16 W 6 B 4 B 2 W 5 unr. 14288146 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 2 Gia Peterson B 18 ContinueContinue reading “2009 CalChess Grade Level Championship: Part 2”
Tal Memorial 2009: Round 7
In round 7 Vassily Ivanchuk punishes Boris Gelfand’s small inaccuracies with authority. Now Ivanchuk and Anand are just a half game behind Kramnik. Below is Ivanchuk’s win followed by a game where the opening line was first played. [Event “Tal Memorial”] [Site “1:06:33-0:46:33”] [Date “2009.11.12”] [EventDate “?”] [Round “7”] [Result “1-0”] [White “Ivanchuk”] [Black “Gelfand”]ContinueContinue reading “Tal Memorial 2009: Round 7”
2009 Tal Memorial: Round 6
Today Kramnik was able to win his game multiple times do to inaccurate play on both his and Ponomariov’s part. I am in shock that the same Kramnik that missed 19.Qxh7+ played such a precise endgame. Thanks to Ponomariov, Kramnik was able to pull ahead of Anand and is now in first place all byContinueContinue reading “2009 Tal Memorial: Round 6”
Tal Memorial: Anand vs. Leko
One of the strongest chess tournaments ever assembled moved to Russia’s Red Square today. Viswanathan Anand demonstrated to the world that he is not satisfied to “rest on his laurels” but is willing to use whatever means necessary to defeat his challengers at the Tal Memorial. The first 21 moves are considered book. It isContinueContinue reading “Tal Memorial: Anand vs. Leko”
Kramnik vs. Svidler: 2009 Tal Memorial
Below is Kramnik’s win over Svidler in a Gruenfeld Defense: Exchange Variation. A lot could be stated about the opening theory as Kramnik tried a new move successfully with 12. h4. However, I do not believe Kramnik’s courageous new move is to blame for Svidler’s failure. Instead, Svidler seemed to have forgotten that “Knight’s onContinueContinue reading “Kramnik vs. Svidler: 2009 Tal Memorial”
Fremont Achiever Chess Team
Today was the start of the Fremont Achiever Chess Team. Our group will meet every Saturday from 1:00 until 3:00 at the Achiever Institute in Fremont. This program is aimed at the serious young chess player who aspires to improve his/her game through hard work and practice. Each week we will play one rated gameContinueContinue reading “Fremont Achiever Chess Team”
Summer Chess Camp
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.ContinueContinue 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 alsoContinueContinue 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, aContinueContinue 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 resultsContinueContinue reading “National Scholastic Chess Champions”
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 aContinueContinue 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 thisContinueContinue 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 toContinueContinue 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.ContinueContinue 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 asContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik: Game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championship”