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’ chess games.

For the first time ever, the Calchess Scholastic State Championships was run by a woman and she did the best job I have ever witnessed in my sixteen years of attending. Congratulations Judit Sztaray on a job well done and good luck with tomorrow’s rounds.

Mission San Jose Elementary School dominated the field in all the elemnetary aged sections on day one of the Joe Lonsdale(k-6) Championship. MSJE is again proving itself to be the best program in Norcal chess.

“Analysis is the breakfast, lunch and dinner of champions.” -Chris Torres

 

 

The Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School is a once in a lifetime opportunity for your child to take classes with the best chess teachers in the United States and train with the 2013 National Elementary Chess Champions. This year, our camp will also feature instruction from GM Susan Polgar as well as many other distinguished special guests. The Fremont Summer Chess Camp at Mission San Jose Elementary School is filling up quickly, so be sure to sign up soon to ensure a spot for your child.

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 the 2011 United States Chess Federation National Elementary Chess Championships held in Dallas, Texas on May 6-8. Despite competing in a section with 294 of the best young chess players in the country, Milind won six games and had one draw which was good enough for a third place finish.  

   Milind Maiti’s path to becoming the top kindergarten chess player began at the age of four when his parent’s noticed his talents at solving jigsaw puzzles. A couple months later Milind’s interest moved towards building with Legos.  It was at this point that Milind’s father Chandan slowly introduced him to the game of chess which he enjoyed immediately.  For one so young, Milind’s desire to improve was immense. His parents began signing him up for tournaments very regularly. When he entered school, Milind started attending chess classes run by the Torres Chess and Music Academy. In spite of being a kindergartener, Milind quickly was promoted to the “advanced” class at the Collins Elementary School Chess Team. It was in this Class that Milind met chess coach Chris Torres, president of the Torres Chess & Music Academy. Chris has taught several national chess champions and he immediately recognized Milind Maiti’s remarkable talent and began training Milind to use tactics with greater effect.

In December of 2010, Milind Maiti traveled to Stockton for the Calchess Grade-level Championship. Milind won all his games easily and became the Kindergarten State Chess Champion. Over the next several months, Milind’s chess continued to improve at an incredible rate. In the first week of April, Milind Maiti competed in the Calchess Scholastic State Championships Kindergarten division, held in Santa Clara. During this tournament, Milind once again achieved a perfect score. For his remarkable performance, Milind Maiti became a State Chess Champion for a second time.

   According to his coach Chris Torres, Milind is the only kindergartener in California history to be undefeated at the State Grade Level Chess Championship, the State K-3 Chess Championship and the National Chess Championship in the same school year. Chris attributes Milind’s successes to his remarkable talent, love for the game, incredible work ethic and to the support that his parents Chandan and Smitha Maiti  provide.           

Chris Torres had other Torres Chess & Music Academy students to make him proud in the K-1 section. Chris’ other students included Ben Rood, from Walnut Creek, who tied for first in the individual competition. Five members of the Mission San Jose Elementary School team, Rishith Susarla, Chenyi Zhao, Soorya Kuppam, Jeffrey Liu, and Amulya Harish also placed third in the school competition.

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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 title of K-1 National Chess Champion at the 2011 United States Chess Federation National Elementary Chess Championships held in Dallas, Texas on May 6-8. Ben’s presence attracted interest in the section for kindergarten to first graders because he had the highest chess rating of all 294 contestants. Despite the tough competition, Ben won all seven of his games against the very best chess players his age in the country. The most challenging game for Ben came in round 5 when he was paired against last year’s K-1 champion, Praveer Sharan. It took Ben Rood 3 hours and 81 moves to finally defeat Praveer. He then had to continue his perfect record for two more rounds in order to be crowned a National Chess Champion.

   Ben Rood’s path to becoming a National Chess Champion began at the age of three when he decided that 300 piece jigsaw puzzles were too easy and his mother decided to introduce him to the game of chess. When he entered school, Ben started attending chess classes run by the Berkeley Chess School. For one so young,  Ben’s desire to improve was immense. His parents began signing him up for tournaments very regularly and taking him to the Friday Night Chess program run by the Berkeley Chess School. In spite of winning first place in the Kindergarten section at the 2010 Calchess Scholastic State Championships, Ben had reached the point of needing personal attention to draw out his natural talent. During the summer of 2010 Ben met chess coach Chris Torres, president of the Torres Chess & Music Academy, at a chess tournament. The two started training together a short while later. Chris has taught several other national chess champions. He immediately recognized Ben Rood’s remarkable talent. Chris then devised a plan to get Ben calculating more accurately while playing more aggressive openings that would better suit his personality and amazing tactical vision.

In December of 2010, Ben Rood traveled to Stockton for the Calchess Grade-level Chess Championships and used his newly found chess style very effectively. Ben won all his games easily and became the Grade One State Chess Champion. Over the next several months, Ben’s chess improved at a rate never before seen from a six year old chess player. By February of 2011, Ben was beating very strong chess players of all ages while taking care to record his games accurately for later review with his coach. In the first week of April, Ben Rood competed in the Calchess Scholastic State Championships K-3 division, held in Santa Clara. During this tournament, Ben once again achieved a perfect score and even defeated the reining second grade National Chess Champion, Josiah Stearman. For his remarkable performance, Ben Rood became a State Chess Champion for a third time.

   According to his coach Chris Torres, Ben Rood is the only first grader in California history to win the State Grade Level Chess Championship, the State K-3 Chess Championship and the National Chess Championship in the same school year. Chris attributes Ben’s successes to his remarkable talent, love for the game, incredible work ethic and to the support that his parents Robin Hultgren and Lisa Rood provide.           

Chris Torres had other Torres Chess & Music Academy students to make him proud in the K-1 section. Chris’ other students included Milind Maiti, from Cupertino, who placed third in the individual competition. Five members of the Mission San Jose Elementary School team, Rishith Susarla, Chenyi Zhao, Soorya Kuppam, Jeffrey Liu, and Amulya Harish also placed third in the school competition.

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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). Immediately following the game, Ben Rood ran up to his mother, Robin Hultgren, and took part in a hug that could have rivaled the joyous embraces that American sailors returning from the second World War shared with their wives.
   This is the third time that Ben Rood has earned the title of “State Champion” and he is only in the first grade!

2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships: Team Champions

Mission San Jose Elementary School has, once again, proven itself to be the best school chess team in California. At the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships, MSJE took first place in the k-3 championship and the k-5 championship sections. MSJE also placed second in the k-6 championship section. For those new to the California chess scene, this means that the chess team won the state championship title in two out of three age group sections.
   Excellent job team! I look forward to celebrating your amazing accomplishments.

Mission San Jose Elementary School is located in Fremont, California. The MSJE Chess Team is run under the auspices of the Torres Chess and Music Academy. Joe Lonsdale, Richard Shorman and Chris Torres are the coaches for the MSJE Chess Team.

Come train with MSJE this summer.

2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championship: Opening Trap

[Event “Calchess Scholastic State Championship”]
[Site “Santa Clara, California”]
[Date “2011.04.03”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Canafe, Abraham”]
[Black “Li, Steven”]
[Result “0-1”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bg4 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Qxd8+
Rxd8 8. Nxe5 Rd1# 0-1

Steven Li teaches a valuable lesson to his opponent. Steven is a fifth grader at Mission San Jose Elementary.

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. The two seemed destined to clash in the coming rounds. If this occurs, it will be the most difficult experience of the tournament for the players and their coach.

2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championship: Brilliancy Prize

Second grader Edward Liu is the winner of the Torres Chess and Music Academy Day One Brilliancy Prize at the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships. Edward (Eddie) Liu attends Mission San Jose Elementary School in Fremont, California. His rating is currently 852.

[Event “Calchess Scholastic State Championships”]
[Site “Santa Clara, Ca”]
[Date “2011.04.02”]
[Round “3”]
[White “Liu, Edward”]
[Black “Wong, Estella”]
[Result “1-0”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Nge7 8.
Bg5 O-O 9. Nc3 b6 10. Qd6 Re8 11. Rad1 Rb8 12. Bb5 a6 13. Bxc6 h6 14. Qxb8 hxg5
15. Ba4 g4 16. Ng5 f6 17. Nxe6 dxe6 18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Qxb6 f5 20. Qxd8+ Kf7 21.
Qe8+ Kf6 22. e5+ Kxe5 23. Qxe7 Bf6 24. Qc5+ Kf4 25. Qe3# 1-0

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 day one in the same section. I am extremely proud to have spent time training all three of these super talents.
   For more information on Milind Maiti, Chenyi Zhao and Ben Rood please see visit “On the Eve of Greatness.”

Calchess Scholastic State Championships

The best scholastic chess players from Northern California will be competing in the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championship this weekend in Santa Clara, California. For the last 36 years, children from kindergarten through grade 12 have had an opportunity to demonstrate their chess skills, make friends and battle for championship titles at this prestigious event. It is now quite common for Calchess Scholastic State Champions to out perform the opposition at National and World Championship events. So for many, the road to becoming a world famous chess player has its first hurdle in Santa Clara, California.

Still need to sign up?
Visit http://www.calchess.org