Posts Tagged ‘chess master’
January 24, 2018

Chris Torres teaching chess (summer 2017)
Chris Torres
(209) 323-0197
chesslessons@aol.com · chessmusings.wordpress.com |
Chris Torres is a nationally renowned scholastic chess coach working in the San Francisco Bay Area. His classes have attracted players of strengths ranging from rank beginners to world champions. A chess professional since 1998, Chris is widely recognized as one of the main driving forces behind the explosion in popularity and sudden rise in quality of scholastic chess in California. |
Experience
1998 – 2000
Chess Coach, Weibel Elementary School
During his first year as a chess coach, Chris Torres helped Weibel to win the state championship and also coached his first state champion student. |
2000 – 2005
Director of Instruction/Vice President, Success Chess Schools
At Success Chess, Chris Torres designed curriculum for all levels of chess players, trained over 50 instructors, established programs at 60 Bay Area schools. Chris established a strong coaching reputation by training several individual state champions each year. |
2005 – Present
President, Torres Chess and Music Academy
Through the Torres Chess and Music Academy, Chris Torres has brought world class instruction to California’s most talented young chess minds. Some of his accomplishments included running a “Chess Study” with the Kern County Superintendent of the Schools and U.C. Berkeley from 2006-2008. In addition to the study, Chris was able to educate the children in Kern County’s migrant farm worker community in chess and even coach them to prestigious Southern California regional chess titles. In the Bay Area, Chris was able to instruct several individual National Chess Champions as well as coach for the Mission San Jose Elementary School chess team, which in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018 took first place at the USCF National Elementary Chess Championship. Before 2009, no school from California had ever won the Elementary Championship section at the USCF Nationals. In 2015 and 2016, the Torres Chess and Music Academy organized the Susan Polgar Foundation’s National Open for Girls and Boys which awarded over $100,000 in scholarships and prizes to the top youth chess players in the United States. In 2016, the Torres Chess and Music Academy accomplishments were officially recognized by FIDE (the world chess organization) and the TCAMA was awarded the title of FIDE Academy. |
Chess Titles
2015
Correspondence Chess Master, United States Chess Federation
|
2015
Arena International Master, FIDE
|
Skills
· Event Planning
· Individualized Curriculum Development
· Program Management |
· Tournament Game Analysis
· Tournament Selection and Preparation
· Using Chess as a Confidence Building Tool |
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Tags:Bay Area chess, Bay Area chess teachers, california chess coach, california state chess champions, chess master, chess master in california, chess master in fremont, chess resume, chess teacher in california, Chris Torres, Chris Torres chess, Chris Torres chess coach, Chris Torres chess teacher, FIDE, Fremont Chess, Mission San Jose Elementary School, MSJE, MSJE chess, national chess champions, Success Chess, Susan Polgar Foundation, TCAMA, Torres Chess and Music Academy, uscf, weibel elementary school chess
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, Chris Torres, Fremont Chess, Mission San Jose Elementary School, Torres Chess and Music Academy | 1 Comment »
December 24, 2015
24 December 2015
Hi, Chris !
Congratulations on attaining the rating of Master in USCF Correspondence Chess. This is an excellent accomplishment and the attached certificate honors your success.
.
Pax, Alex Dunne
USCF CC Director
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Tags:Alex Dunne, chess, chess master, Chris Torres, Chris Torres chess, Correspondence Chess, correspondence chess master, Torres chess, us chess correspondence chess
Posted in chess, Chris Torres, Correspondence Chess | Leave a Comment »
June 9, 2014

Front cover of the classic chess book, Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur
“Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur” is one of the best books I have read on the subject of crime and punishment in chess. The author, former World Chess Champion Max Euwe, elucidates common mistakes of “amateur” chess players with great authority. The layout of “Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur” progresses from analyses of games in which the amateur player is fish, continues through games with tournament calibre amateurs and finishes with games of a chess master facing expert chess players. Throughout the book the Max Euwe teaches the reader how the amateur’s chess crimes were punished by the master player. “Chess Master vs Chess Amateur” is an excellent treatise on chess that belongs on the shelf in any serious chess library.
Often times, after reading a great chess book I continue to find examples that would fit well within its pages. Below is a more modern game between (chess master) Eric Schiller and (chess amateur) Ted Castro that would fit well in the beginning of “Chess Master vs Chess Amateur.” National Master Eric Schiller PhD is a prolific chess author and incredible chess coach. Ted Castro has won amateur chess titles, instructed many beginner chess players and runs fairly popular chess classes at the Norcal House of Chess.
When playing through the chess game below, pay attention to the occasions where chess amateur Ted Castro violates the opening guidelines in the “Thirty Rules of Chess” and how Eric Schiller is able to easily punish these mistakes.
TEN OPENING RULES
1. Open with a center pawn.
2. Develop with threats.
3. Knights before Bishops.
4. Don’t move the same piece twice.
5. Make as few pawn moves as possible in the opening.
6. Don’t bring your Queen out too early.
7. Castle as soon as possible, preferably on the Kingside.
8. Always play to gain control, of the center.
9. Try to maintain at least one pawn in the center.
10. Don’t sacrifice without a clear and adequate reason.
For a sacrificed pawn you must :
a) Gain three tempo, or
b) Deflect the enemy Queen, or
c) Prevent castling, or
d) Build up a strong attack.
[Event “St. Amant Memorial”]
[Site “San Francisco CA USA”]
[Date “2003.11.22”]
[Round “2”]
[White “Eric Schiller (Chess Master)”]
[Black “Ted Castro (Chess Amateur”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “E14”]
[Opening “Queen’s Indian”]
[Variation “4.e3”]

Chess Master Eric Schiller “Opens with a center pawn.”

Chess Amateur Ted Castro does not.

“Knights Before Bishops.”

Still no center pawn for Chess Amateur Ted Castro.

Chess Master Eric Schiller has written books about this line!

Chess Amateur Ted Castro makes another pawn move. “Try and make as few pawn moves as possible in the opening.”

Chess Master Eric Schiller plays a useful pawn move which grabs more space in the center of the board. “Always play to gain control of the center.”

Chess Amateur Ted Castro finally moves a pawn to the center on his third pawn move in just four moves. Some players may be successful employing chess openings such as Ted’s, but the vast majority of amateur chess players would do better to simply follow the Ten Opening Rules.

Chess Master Eric Schiller now leads in piece development and space.

The adage, “Knight’s before bishops,” means that the amateur chess player should bring out a knight on a particular side of the board before he places a bishop on that same side. Here, Chess Amateur Ted Castro places an undefended bishop where it can fall victim to a fork. Mistakes like these are very common among amateur chess players.

The rule of not bringing the queen out too early is ignored for the purpose of punishing Ted Castro’s mistake. There is now nothing Chess Amateur Ted Castro can do to avoid losing a piece in the opening phase of the game.
Of course, Chess Master Eric Schiller went on to win this game easily.

Eric Schiller is a fantastic chess coach and respected author.
National Master Eric Schiller PhD will be teaching at the Fremont Summer Chess Camp at MSJE this summer. To sign up, Please visit the Torres Chess and Music Academy’s web page.
Ted Castro, multi-winner of the Amateur Team West Championship, also will be teaching at a summer camp in Fremont this summer.
For more on choosing a good chess camp for your child please read:
“Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur” by Max Euwe and Walter Meiden is available anywhere chess books are sold.
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Tags:best chess coaches in fremont, california chess, chess, chess book review, chess game analysis, chess master, chess master vs. chess amateur, Eric Schiller chess, Fremont Chess, fremont chess coaches, Max Euwe chess book, norcal chess, summer chess camps, summer chess camps in fremont, Ted Castro, Ted Castro Amateur, Ted Castro Amateur team, Ted Castro chess, Ted Castro chess games, Ted Castro pgn, Ted Castro USAT
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, chess and music, Chess Books, chess lessons, Children's Chess, Chris Torres, Eric Schiller, Fremont Chess, Fremont Chess Camp, Fremont Summer Chess Camp, Fremont Summer Chess Camp 2014, Mission San Jose Elementary School, Parent's Guide to Chess, San Jose chess, scholastic chess, Silicon Valley Chess, Ted Castro, Torres Chess and Music Academy | 1 Comment »
February 8, 2010
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 three chess games a child in are winnable and instructive. All Torres Chess and Music Academy tournaments have a group of outstanding master chess teachers on hand to review the child’s game as soon as he/she finishes it. At Torres Chess and Music Academy tournaments a loss is never just a loss. Instead a loss is a unique opportunity to grow as a chess player under the supervision of the very best chess coaches.
Today the Torres Chess and Music Academy ran a children’s chess quad tournament in Sunnyvale, California. Our tournament was hosted at the beautiful South Peninsula Hebrew Day School site. On hand were scores of enthusiastic young chess players as well as TCAMA coaches Chris Torres, Tans Hylkema, Kenneth Kirkland and Saurabh Gupta. Plenty of children left with trophies while even more left with consolation prize medals. All children who attended left with a better understanding of chess than they arrived with. Below are the cross tables from todays event. I will provide some games and photographs in a future post.
Q# |
FIRST NAME |
LAST NAME |
SCHOOL |
USCF ID |
RATING |
PLAYER 1 |
PLAYER 2 |
PLAYER 3 |
PLAYER 4 |
TOTAL |
Q1 |
SERGEY |
GASPARYAN |
LWS |
13708417 |
1292 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
TRUMAN |
LEUNG |
|
13520267 |
1210 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
ALBERT |
SUI |
CHADBOURNE |
13590730 |
754 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
OJAS |
ARUN |
MSJES |
14192020 |
683 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q2 |
SOORYA |
KUPPAM |
MSJES |
14267883 |
689 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SABRINA |
LEUNG |
|
13545068 |
898 |
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
2 |
KEVIN |
MAO |
HIRSCH |
14137754 |
534 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
2 |
LUKE |
ZHAO |
MSJES |
14282042 |
500 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q3 |
DANIEL |
HU |
ALMOND |
14137733 |
455 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
SEAN |
CROFUT |
COLLINS |
14135537 |
424 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
RHYS |
GIROUARD |
JOHN MUIR SB |
14207710 |
390 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
ALBERT |
QIU |
COLLINS |
14137775 |
388 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q4 |
MARSHAL |
HATFIELD |
PARKMONT |
14212354 |
283 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
VIVEK |
POKALA |
COLLINS |
14137905 |
204 |
0 |
|
0.5 |
1 |
1.5 |
ADITYA |
MENON |
COLLINS |
14176302 |
112 |
0 |
0.5 |
|
0.5 |
1 |
RAVI |
VARMA |
MUIR |
14176240 |
114 |
0 |
0 |
0.5 |
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q5 |
RUSHABH |
SHAH |
COLLINS |
14204003 |
105 |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
SHREYASH |
GUPTA |
GARDEN GATE |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
ANOOP |
BHAT |
COLLINS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
JAMIN |
CHEN |
MONTESSORI |
14298006 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q6 |
WILLIAM |
QIU |
COLLINS |
NEW |
0 |
|
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
0.5 |
RIO |
VAZQUEZ |
ST. NICHOLAS |
NEW |
0 |
0.5 |
|
0 |
0 |
0.5 |
ANEESH |
BHAT |
COLLINS |
NEW |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
X |
2 |
PRATIK |
MULPURY |
LOYOLA |
NEW |
0 |
1 |
1 |
F |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q7 |
ALVIN |
CAI |
DELPHI |
NEW |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
FAVEO |
HOEROLD |
COLLINS |
14346836 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
DANILA |
KARABELNIKAU |
MUIR |
14349967 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
ASHWIN |
NATHAN |
MUIR |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q8 |
RYAN |
SU |
LACS |
NEW |
0 |
|
0.5 |
1 |
1 |
2.5 |
NIVEN |
JAYANTHI |
JOHN MUIR SB |
NEW |
0 |
0.5 |
|
1 |
0.5 |
2 |
JOSEPH |
YOON |
LACS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
KEITH |
ANDREWS |
CRESTMOOR |
14339447 |
0 |
0 |
0.5 |
0 |
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q9 |
HARRISON |
CHEN |
STOCKLMEIR |
NEW |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
ZACHARY |
CHEN |
LOYOLA |
NEW |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
MORIAH |
ELDAR |
SPHDS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
VICTOR |
LEE |
DELPHI |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q10 |
ANISH |
SUNDAR |
COLLINS |
NEW |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
AMRITA |
MENON |
COLLINS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
BEN |
FERREL |
ST. NICHOLAS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
X |
1 |
DERRON |
MENDEL |
SPHDS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
1 |
F |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q11 |
ORI |
SHANI |
|
14298012 |
0 |
|
0.5 |
1 |
1 |
2.5 |
JESSE |
CHEN |
MONTESSORI |
NEW |
0 |
0.5 |
|
1 |
1 |
2.5 |
PHILIP |
CULBERTSON |
LACS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.5 |
0.5 |
GABRIEL |
GELLER |
SPHDS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.5 |
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q12 |
ANTHONY |
LIU |
DELPHI |
NEW |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
CHEZKY |
FELSEN |
|
NEW |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
RONIT |
PATTANAYAK |
DELPHI |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
COLE |
RINENBACH |
LACS |
NEW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
Standings. SPHDS QUAD 13 FEB 10: QUAD 13 |
Name |
ID |
Rtng |
Team |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Tot |
1 |
MOSHE FELSEN |
|
unr. |
SPHDS |
W2 |
W3 |
W5 |
3 |
2 |
SHARV UTPAT |
|
unr. |
DELPHI |
L1 |
W5 |
W4 |
2 |
3 |
MORGAN STOLPMAN |
|
unr. |
LACS |
W4 |
L1 |
B— |
2 |
4 |
SHION TAKIGUCHI |
|
unr. |
MUIRC |
L3 |
B— |
L2 |
1 |
5 |
RAI MADHAV |
|
unr. |
|
B— |
L2 |
L1 |
1 |
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Posted in Bay Area chess, california chess tournaments, chess, Children's Chess, scholastic chess, Scholastic Chess Business Matters, Silicon Valley Chess, World Chess News | 1 Comment »