California Remembers Emory Tate

Today I had the sad honor of hosting a memorial event for International Emory Tate. This West Coast tribute to Emory was attended by many of his best friends and students. It was an inspirational afternoon and everyone who attended left with a better understanding of the man we were fortunate to befriend. At the end of the event, I announced a Torres Chess and Music Academy Scholarship in Emory’s name and also pledged to help Eric Schiller keep Emory’s memory alive through a new book about his life and games. I am deeply grateful to Janine Tate, James Paquette, Eric Schiller and Achiever Institute for their fantastic job helping me to organize such a moving tribute.

Below is the program from Emory’s memorial for those who were not able to attend today’s tribute:

 

Memorial Weekend Sales Event for the Fremont Summer Chess Camp

Fremont Summer Chess Camp

Summer is rapidly approaching and that means it’s almost time for the annual Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School in Fremont, California. Our summer chess camp features coaches with decades of chess teaching experience who annually create a summer camp that is fun, competitive and educational.  All camp attendees will receive the best chess training available and take part in USCF rated tournament with awards given at the end of each week. So why not kick your summer off by saving 10% off of tuition and receiving one of several “thank you” gifts just for signing your child up for the chess camp hosted by the school that just won the 2015 USCF National Elementary Chess Championships?

The TCAMA’s Memorial Weekend Sales Event is the best time to register your child for the Fremont Summer Chess Camp.

• Sign up for one week by May 25^th and your child will receive a free private lesson with a TCAMA chess coach prior to the start of the chess camp.
• Sign up for two weeks of camp and you will also get a copy of Chess Tactics for Champions by our friend Grandmaster Susan Polgar at your child’s free private lesson.
• Finally, if you sign your child up for three or more weeks of the Fremont Summer Chess Camp, he/she will receive the free lesson, book and a deluxe triple weighted set of tournament chess pieces!

Of course, it’s really about giving your child the best chess education possible this summer. That is why the TCAMA only uses the best and most proven local chess coaches at our Fremont Summer Chess Camp. This summer, we proudly are offering classes with:

*IM Emory Tate – Weibel Coach

*NM Eric Schiller PhD. – famous chess author

*Francisco Anchondo – Weibel Coach

*Joe Lonsdale – Head Coach of the National Champions at MSJE!

*James Paquette – Director of Instruction for the TCAMA

*Tans Hylkema – TCAMA’s early childhood specialist

*Chris Torres – President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy

Even better, because all of these chess coaches work full time in the Bay Area, your child can continue to seek guidance from our highly accomplished staff at all of the big scholastic tournaments held in Northern California.

Join us at the Fremont Summer Chess Camp located at Mission San Jose Elementary School  in Fremont from June 29^th through July 23^rd. Remember to sign up by May 25^th in order to receive a 10% discount and claim a special “thank you gift” for your child. For more details and to register online, please visit www.ChessAndMusic.com and I’ll see you at chess camp.

 

Sincerely,

Chris Torres

President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy

Coach for the 2015 National Elementary Chess Champions at Mission San Jose Elementary School

 

P.S. Don’t forget to be sociable and share this incredible offer with your friends.

Chess Classes in Fremont, California

FREMONT ACHIEVER CHESS TEAM: August 23^rd through October 25th

Brought to you by The Achiever Institute and the Torres Chess and Music Academy, a non-profit organization

 

Children at Achiever Institute focusing hard at chess.

 

The Fremont Achiever Chess Team chess program meets every Saturday from 1:00 until 3:00, beginning August 23, 2014.

Held at The Achiever Institute.

43475 Ellsworth St. Fremont, CA 94539

Register at Achiever this Saturday

 

The Fremont Achiever Chess Team has a very special chess program taught by the nationally renowned chess instructors from the Torres Chess and Music Academy.  This course will provide experienced tournament players with instruction that will quickly increase their ability and understanding of chess. In addition, we will also teach newer students the skills necessary to excel in competitive chess. Participants will begin their afternoon by participating in an exciting chess class taught by the top chess instructors from the area. Students will then play 1 USCF rated chess game as part of the ongoing tournament and receive 1-on-1 analysis of their play. Lower rated players will play at g/30 time controls while higher rated players will be using g/45. Every five weeks, the tournament will be reported to the USCF in order to be rated. All participants must be members of the USCF. If your child is not a member, your child can join or renew their USCF membership at the first meeting.

The tuition for this program is $180 for ten weeks.

Drop-In for a single class for $20.

If you miss the first week or inform us during registration that you will be missing a week we will prorate the tuition. No refund will be given for unscheduled student absences.

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 4

Below are photographs of my favorite moments from week four of the Fremont Summer Chess Camp. I wish to thank all of our students, coaches, Steve and Kate’s Camps,  the Wild Cat Education and Conservation Fund and Grandmaster Susan Polgar. It takes a lot of great people to make the Fremont Summer Chess Camp as successful as it is and without these great groups and individuals many kids from Northern California would have missed out on an experience of a lifetime.

 

Thanks to Coach Tans for doing a great job teaching our youngest campers.

 

 

For four straight years, Coach Francisco has been teaching our campers confidence through attacking chess.

 

 

International Master Emory Tate managed to greatly improve the chess skills of every child in the advanced group.

 

 

Coach James proved daily why he is the Director of Instruction for the Torres Chess and Music Academy.

 

 

James Pacquette also managed the technological aspects of our Esteemed Guest Series.

 

 

MSJE Head Coach Joe Lonsdale was always available to help kids review their USCF rated chess games.

 

 

The Wild Cat Education and Conservation Fund put on a great show for our kids.

 

 

Everyone in attendance will never forget the day Susan Polgar (The World’s Top Chess Trainer) challenged every mind in the room with an extremely thought provoking chess lesson.

 

 

Most of all, it was all the awesome young chess players that made the 2014 Fremont Summer Chess Camp so fantastic.

 

Want to see more?

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 3

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 2

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 1

 

 

 

 

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 3

The Torres Chess and Music Academy is constantly at work making sure the events we offer your children are the very best in California. Below are some images from week 3 of the 2014 Fremont Summer Chess Camp. There is still one more week left in our chess camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School which will feature instruction from International Master Emory Tate and Grandmaster Susan Polgar.

 

Click here to register for week 4!

 

Our camp is filled with a diverse group of students who all love chess.

 

 

Joe Lonsdale is a legendary chess coach who brings decades of teaching experience to our camp daily.

 

 

International Master Emory Tate enjoys teaching as much as his students enjoy learning.

 

 

The Fremont Summer Chess Camp features a USCF rated chess tournament with prizes so that our star students have an opportunity to shine.

 

 

When the kids finish their rated games they are treated to personalized analysis from the best minds in the business.

 

 

Famed chess author Eric Schiller stopped by on Thursday and presented seven of his best chess games to our students.

 

 

After his brilliant performance, Eric graciously handed out our weekly awards and signed autographs.

 

 

Our Fremont Summer Chess camp even had its own book fair.

 

Take a moment to check out my report on weeks 1 and 2.

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 1

 

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 2

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 2

The Torres Chess and Music Academy’s Fremont Summer Chess Camp continued to enrich the lives of children during its second week of operation. Below are some of the highlights from week 2:

 

Even our youngest students learned to notate chess properly thanks to Coach Tans.

 

 

Some of our older students battling it out in USCF rated chess games.

 

 

After they finish their games, our students receive private lessons with the best chess coaches in the United States.

 

 

By the end of camp, every child will receive various awards.

 

 

Midweek, I arranged to have a real magician perform for our students!

 

 

The kids played basketball and soccer at recess.

 

 

I am in the background organizing a massive simul against Emory Tate.

 

 

Our campers thoroughly enjoyed Emory’s simultaneous chess exhibition. IM Emory Tate won on every board!

 

There is still plenty of time to sign up for weeks three and four. Register online at www.ChessAndMusic.com

 

If you enjoyed this post perhaps you will also like my post: Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 1

 

 

 

Fremont Summer Chess Camp: Week 1

The first week of the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s Fremont Summer Camp was a smashing success. One parent even asked me why our camp was so much better than the other chess classes in the Bay Area. I answered, “The real secret is in enthusiasm. It is the magic we use to transform challenges into accomplishments.”

 

Students learn more when they are having fun.

 

 

 

TCAMA Director of Instruction, James Paquette, teaches his students the secrets to Paul Morphy’s success.

 

 

 

Tans Hylkema taught our youngest campers how to play chess and notate their moves.

 

 

 

Students at the Fremont Summer Chess Camp were constantly challenged.

 

 

 

Joe Lonsdale has been overlooking chess games at MSJE for nearly thirty years!

 

 

 

Francisco Anchondo teaches his students how to turn chess advantages into stunning combinations.

 

 

 

Our campers learn first hand why International Master Emory Tate is a chess teacher of the highest quality.

 

 

 

After just one week, our youngest players understand the most important endgame positions.

 

 

 

Every game played at our camp is turned into a custom lesson for the children who played it.

 

 

 

All of our hard work pays off during the next school year.

 

 

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 at scholastic chess tournaments, all attendees were treated to fun activities by Steve and Kate’s Camp who was the corporate sponsor for this event.

“Having Steve and Kate’s Camp at the event helped to create the chess festival atmosphere that Torres Chess and Music Academy Tournaments are known for. In addition, their sponsorship made it possible to raise money for breast cancer research while improving the overall presentation of the tournament.” -Chris Torres

In addition to Steve and Kate’s Camp counselors, there were plenty of TCAMA chess coaches on hand to help the children use this tournament as a means toward improving their chess. In particular, James Paquette was especially busy analyzing chess games and teaching notation to the younger chess players. Chris Torres described his Director of Instruction by stating that, “James Paquette is a natural educator whose love for the game of chess captures the imagination of nearly every child he instructs.”

The site for the Breast Cancer Research tournament was the campus of Mission San Jose Elementary School in Fremont, California. MSJE is the home of the 2013 National Elementary Chess Champions as well as the host school for the famous Fremont Summer Chess Camp. Students from MSJE didn’t let their national titles dissuade them from attending a local chess tournament that raised money for a great cause. Many MSJE students were in attendance proudly wearing the “Blue Team Shirts” which list the titles from a State Championship Dynasty that spans several decades.

For more information on this tournament, MSJE Chess and the Torres Chess and Music Academy, please visit http://www.ChessAndMusic.com.

 

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11823309.htm

Biggest No-Brainer in Scholastic Chess

This Monday will start the final week of the Fremont Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School. For only $185, your child can spend the week studying chess at the most successful school chess program in the United States. Our coaches for the final week include Francisco Anchondo, James Paquette, Joe Lonsdale and Chris Torres. The camp will consist of players from the Mission San Jose National Championship Chess Team, several students who are Calchess State Champions and a large contingent of young players who are very serious about improving their chess. This is the last best chance for your child to receive the kind of chess training guaranteed to make a difference this summer. Don’t hesitate to sign up at the Torres Chess and Music Academy website or email questions to chesslessons@aol.com.

The Fremont Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School is where champions are made!

Only 7 Days Until the Fremont Summer Chess Camp at MSJE

All Star Chess Coaches Gear Up for Fremont Chess Camp

The TCAMA President releases the details of the 2013 Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School.

• 

Joe Lonsdale with MSJE kids at the National Chess Championships.

Joe Lonsdale’s goal in chess is to make MSJE the strongest scholastic chess program in the nation and the recent evidence of their success would suggest that he is succeeding.

Fremont, CA (PRWEB) May 24, 2013

The Torres Chess and Music Academy is currently registering students for its summer chess camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School, home of the current State and National Elementary Chess Championship team. Weekly sessions are open to children of all skill levels and will be  held at the MSJE campus in Fremont from June 24 through July 18.  Coaches will include Joe Lonsdale, Eric Schiller, Francisco Anchondo,  Tans Hylkema and Chris Torres.

If ever there was an official Hall of Fame for California chess coaches, Joe Lonsdale would be a first ballot inductee. Joe Lonsdale started the MSJE (Mission San Jose Elementary School, Fremont) chess team in 1990 when his oldest son was a third grader at MSJE. It didn’t take long for Joe’s chess team to rise to the top.  In 1992, Coach Joe led MSJE to win its first grade level National Championship. They won the overall National Elementary School Championship in both 2009 and in 2013. At the 2012 Elementary School Nationals, MSJE was the only team in the country to finish in the top four in every Elementary school championship section (K-1, K-3, K-5, & K-6). Joe Lonsdale’s goal in chess is to make MSJE the strongest scholastic chess program in the nation and the recent evidence of their success would suggest that he is succeeding.

The Torres Chess and Music Academy is pleased to have Eric Schiller as a coach for the 2013 Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School. Eric Schiller, Ph.D. is the author of over 100 chess books and the personal chess coach to many talented young players. When he is not playing in major chess tournaments, Eric is a sought after International Arbiter who has organized and directed an impressive list of chess tournaments and matches. Eric Schiller has stated that he looks forward to making the “best chess camp even better in 2013.”

Francisco Anchondo returns for his third year of teaching at the Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School. Francisco regularly competes in chess tournaments in several western states as well as in Mexico. Francisco Anchondo is feared for his tactical bravado at the chess board while loved for his generosity in providing chess lessons to economically disadvantaged children and schools. Outside of chess, Francisco is an advocate for veterans of war and a role model for other Gulf War Vets.

Tans Hylkema has been a TCAMA chess coach for nearly a decade. His abilities allow him to be a fantastic coach for any level of student but his specialty is working with young beginners. Several of the best students to ever come out of the Torres Chess and Music Academy programs had their start in one of Tans’ classes. In addition to teaching chess for the TCAMA, Tans also teaches acoustic guitar in the traditional Spanish tradition.

Chris Torres is the founder and President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy. A professional chess instructor since 1998, Chris has taught several team and individual national chess champions. Every year several of Chris’s top students are chosen to represent the United States in the World Youth Chess Championship. Chris believes that every child can benefit from learning chess and that his method of teaching prepares children to reach their greatest potential.

This summer, TCAMA teachers will use their decades of chess experience to create a summer camp that is fun, competitive and educational.  Children will receive the best training available and take part in USCF rated tournaments with awards given at the end of the week. Each student’s last day of chess camp will include a custom study plan designed for his/her individual needs. For More information on the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary, please visit http://www.ChessAndMusic.com or email your questions to chesslessons(at)aol(dot)com.