Posts Tagged ‘San Francisco chess’
July 28, 2014
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.
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
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Tags:Bay Area chess, best chess camp, best chess coach, best chess trainer, Calchess, california chess, chess, chess camp, chess camp in Fremont, Chris Torres, Emory Tate, Francisco Anchondo, Fremont Chess, Fremont chess camp, James Paquette, Joe Lonsdale, Mission San Jose Elementary School, MSJE, norcal chess, San Francisco chess, San Jose chess, Steve and Kate's camp, Susan Polgar, Tans Hylkema, the wildcat education and conservation fund, Torres Chess and Music Academy, uscf chess
Posted in Bay Area chess, calchess, California chess, california chess tournaments, chess, chess and music, chess class, chess news, Children's Chess, Chris Torres, Emory Tate, Francisco Anchondo, Fremont Chess, Fremont Chess Camp, Fremont Summer Chess Camp, Fremont Summer Chess Camp 2014, James Paquette, Joe Lonsdale, Mission San Jose Elementary School, Norcal Chess, Parent's Guide to Chess, San Francisco Chess, San Jose chess, scholastic chess, Silicon Valley Chess, Summer Chess Camp, Susan Polgar, Tans Hylkema, Torres Chess and Music Academy, USCF Chess, World Chess News, Youth Chess | Leave a Comment »
October 3, 2011
Eric Schiller had a rough time of it at this year’s U.S.C.F. National G/30 Chess Championship. Because he is a gentleman and a scholar, I felt bad about publishing one of his losses. I hope reposting this win over Ted Castro will improve his mood.
[Event “St. Amant Memorial”] [Site “San Francisco CA USA”] [Date “2003.11.22”] [EventDate “?”] [Round “2”] [Result “1-0”] [White “Eric Schiller”] [Black “Ted Castro”] [ECO “E14”] [WhiteElo “?”] [BlackElo “?”] [PlyCount “34”]
1.d4 {Notes by Eric Schiller.} Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.c4 d5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.cxd5 {?! 7.Qxc6+ Bd7 8.Qb7 Ne4 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nxc3 11.Ne5 O-O 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 13.Qa6 1-0, Baumann Claude SUI 2070 – Parigini L, Ticino Switzerland 1993 7.Ne5 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Bb7 9.Nxc6 Qd7 } Qxd5 8.Ne5 Bd7 9.Nxd7 Nxd7 10.Bb5 Ndb8 {? 10…Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Ndb8 12.O-O } 11.Qxb4 Qxg2 12.Rf1 a6 13.Bxc6+ Nxc6 14.Qa3 Qxh2 15.Bd2 Qd6 16.Qxd6 cxd6 17.Rc1 {White eventually won.} 1-0
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Tags:Bay Area chess, chess, Eric Schiller, Eric Schiller chess, g/30 chess, San Francisco chess, Ted Castro, Ted Castro chess, uscf
Posted in Bay Area chess, california chess, california chess tournaments, chess, chess lessons, National G/30 Chess Championship, San Francisco Chess, Silicon Valley Chess | Leave a Comment »
July 6, 2010
Gavin Newsom has problems with chess players.
Charles Dickens penned “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” as his opening line in his masterpiece A Tale of Two Cities. I found myself pondering Dickens work and applying the opening line to the plight of the poor chess players in two Bay Area cities.
As many of my reader are aware, San Francisco has recently closed down the traditional street chess games on Market Street near the BART station. It seems that the city government of San Francisco is playing a gambit against the city’s homeless and the removal of the chess games is yet another move to sacrifice the lowest of pawns. My “Open Letter to Gavin Newsom” remains unanswered and I am getting the feeling that Mr. Newsom has no intention of addressing San Francisco’s attack on one of the most harmless activities that the “street people” amuse themselves with. Perhaps the city has justifiable reasons for its removal of the chess games on Market Street. The fact that I have received no response from the mayor leads me to believe otherwise.
Across the bay there is another city called Oakley. It was here, on July 3, that I was given permission to set up chess tables for the annual cityhood celebration. Oakleys Mayor, Pat Anderson, made the many chess players feel welcome and took the time to steer us into the right avenues toward finding a regular place to hold a city chess club. Chess is a new addition to the young city but based on the response it received on July third, I imagine it will soon be another Bay Area chess success story.
If you are one of the many disenfranchised chess players in San Francisco, please take the time to contact Gavin Newsom and suggest that he should take a lesson from Pat Anderson on how to run a city that is fair to all its citizens… even its chess players.
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Tags:attack homeless, Bay Area chess, chess, chess Charles Dickens, chess city, chess games, chess Oakley, chess on Market Street, chess players, chess San Fancisco, disenfranchised chess players, Gavin Newsom, Gavin Newsom chess, Gavin Newsom homeless, Gavin Newsom problems, homeless attack, homeless chess, homeless chess players, homeless Gavin Newsom, homeless San Francisco, Market Street chess, mayor Gavin Newsom, mayor Pat Anderson, Oakley chess, Oakley mayor, Pat Anderson, Pat anderson chess, San Francisco attacks homeless, San Francisco chess, San Francisco chess players, San Francisco homeless, street chess, street people
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, Oakley Chess, San Francisco Chess, Silicon Valley Chess, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
June 23, 2010
I was very pleased to find that NBC Bay Area has run a story on San Francisco’s decision to close down the famous chess games on Market Street. Here is the link to the article entitled “Chess Games a Pawn in San Francisco Redevelopment. Perhaps with more attention being focused on this issue from main stream news sources, San Francisco will see that their ban has made chess players and citizens angry. I hope some of my readers take the time to leave comments on the NBC Bay Area page and also email Gavin Newsom about the need for San Francisco to reverse this decision. Mayor Newsom’s email is gavin.newsom@sfgov.org. I have yet to receive response from him in regards to the open letter I sent last week.
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Tags:chess, chess ban, chess closed down, chess games San Francisco, chess players, chess players San Francisco, chess San Francisco, close down chess, email Gavin Newsom, Gavin Newsom, Gavin Newsom chess, Gavin Newsom email, Market Street chess, Mayor Newsom, NBC chess, newsom chess, San Francisco, San Francisco chess, San Francisco chess ban, San Francisco chess games, San Francisco chess players, street chess, urban chess
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, San Francisco Chess, Silicon Valley Chess, World Chess News | Leave a Comment »
June 22, 2010
A Parent’s Guide to Chess in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Bay Area chess parents have many resources available to help establish their children’s chess calendar. Two of my favorite Northern California chess websites are listed below.
1) SiliconValleyChess.com
This is the web site to visit to get all the latest information on children’s chess events in Norther California. SiliconValleyChess.com features an easy to use Bay Area scholastic chess calendar that offers links to the top children’s chess events in the Silicon Valley Area. Rated tournaments listed on SiliconValleyChess.com are a part of a yearly scholastic chess grand prix which awards special prizes to the Bay Area’s top young chess players. A regularly updated scholastic chess leader board allows all competing children to view their position in relation to the other young chess players in Northern California.
2) FremontChess.com
The best website to find out information on scholastic chess in Fremont, California. FremontChess.com enables parents to easily find chess coaches teaching in Fremont. This website also features stories on the top scholastic chess players in Fremont including Fremont’s National Champion Elementary Chess Teams. Also, included on FremontChess.com is a calendar which depicts many of the best scholastic chess opportunities in Fremont, California.
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Tags:Bay Area chess, Bay area chess coaches, Bay Area chess events, Bay Area chess lessons, Bay Area chess teachers, Bay Area scholastic chess, California, california chess, California chess schools, california chess tournaments, California chess websites, chess, chess Bay Area, chess calendar, chess children, chess classes, chess coach, chess elementary, chess events, chess fremont, chess grand prix, chess lessons, chess national champion, chess parents, chess schools, chess schools california, chess teacher, chess tournament, chess tournaments for children, Children's Chess, children's chess bay area, children's chess calendar, children's chess tournaments, elementary chess team, fremont, Fremont Chess, fremont chess classes, FremontChess.com, national champion chess, Northern California chess, Parent's Guide to Chess, rated chess california, rated chess children, San Francisco chess, scholastic chess, Silicon Valley Chess, SiliconValleyChess.com, top chess players, young chess players
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, california chess tournaments, chess, chess class, chess lessons, Children's Chess, Fremont Chess, national chess champion, national chess champions, Parent's Guide to Chess, San Francisco Chess, San Jose chess, scholastic chess, Scholastic Chess Business Matters, Silicon Valley Chess, Summer Chess Camp, World Chess News | Leave a Comment »
June 19, 2010
Since my initial letter to Gavin Newsom expressing concern over San Francisco’s Market Street chess ban, a web-based movement has quickly developed and caused growing concern among chess players internationally. It is our belief that San Francisco’s anti-chess stance was made without regard for the scores of individuals who have benefited from the chess games on Market Street over the last three decades. Below is a list of articles written on the matter:
A man in wheelchair looks for a chess game on Market Street.
Market Street Chess Games Shut
An Open Letter to Gavin Newsom
Chess Disappears from Market Street
Market Street Chess: San Francisco
Chess Under Attack In Bay Area
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Tags:An Open Letter to Gavin Newsom, Bay Area chess, chess, chess benefits, chess closed down, chess games, chess shut down, Chess Under Attack In Bay Area, Gavin Newsom, Market Street chess, Market Street Chess Games, Market Street Chess: San Francisco, newsom, San Francisco, San Francisco chess, street chess, wheelchair chess
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, San Francisco Chess, Silicon Valley Chess, World Chess News | Leave a Comment »
June 18, 2010
Chess on Market Street in San Francisco.
Many large cities have a special place for chess enthusiasts to play outdoors. For example in Boston chess players play at Harvard Square. New Yorkers can always find a good chess game at Washington Square Park. For San Francisco, we used to play on Market Street near the Bart Station. Sadly, this San Francisco claim to fame has been shut down by the city. Please see “An Open Letter to Gavin Newsom” for my response to this recent tragedy. Below is a blitz chess game I played against Sam on Market Street in San Francisco.
[Event “Market Street Chess”]
[Site “San Francisco”]
[Date “2009”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Chris Torres”]
[Black “Sam ?”]
[Result “1-0”]
[Opening “Bishop’s Opening”]
[TimeControl “5 Minutes”]
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 {This is a good “street chess opening.”} Nxe4?
{Black needed to play exd4.} 4. dxe5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+! {This is my method for
punishing players who play 3…Nxe4. 5. Qd5 also would have worked fine for
white.} Kf8 {If 5…Kxf7 then I would continue 6. Qd5+ Kf8 and then 7.
Qxe4.} 6. Qf3 d5?? {A terrible blunder. 6…Ng5 would have been black’s
best choice. Of course I would have continued 7. Bxg5 Qxg5 8.Bd5+} 7. Bxd5+
Nf6 {This move looks bad but is objectively best.} 8. exf6 Qxf6 9. Qxf6+
{It is good to trade while ahead.} gxf6 10. Bh6+ Ke7 11. Nf3 Bg4? {11…
Nc6 is better.} 12. Bxb7 Bxf3 13. gxf3 Nd7 14. Bxa8 Rxa8 15. Nc3 Bd4 16.
Nd5+ Kd6 17. O-O-O Kxd5 18. c3 c5 19. cxd4 cxd4 20. Be3 Rc8+ 21. Kb1 Ke6
22. Bxd4 Kf7 23. Rhg1 Rc4 24. Bxa7 Rc7 25. Be3 Ne5 26. Bf4 Ke6 27. Bxe5
fxe5 28. Rg4 Rf7 29. f4 exf4 30. Rd4 Ke5 31. Rgxf4 Rg7 32. Rde4+ Kd5 33.
Rg4 Rf7 34. Rgf4 Rg7 35. Rd4+ Ke5 36. Rfe4+ Kf5 37. f3 Rg1+ 38. Kc2 Rg2+
39. Rd2 Rg1 40. Rd5+ Kf6 41. f4 Rg2+ 42. Rd2 Rg1 43. Re5 Rg4 44. Rd6+ Kf7
45. Rf5+ Ke7 46. Rh6 Rg2+ 47. Kc3 Rg4 48. Rxh7+ Ke6 49. Re5+ Kf6 50. Rh6+
Kf7 51. f5 Rf4 52. f6 Kf8 53. Re7 *
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Tags:Bishop's Opening, blitz chess, chess, chess closed, chess shut down, Chris Torres chess, city chess, Gavin Newsom, Harvard Square chess, Market Street chess, Market street chess closes, market street chess shut down, Mayor Newsom, outdoor chess, San Francisco chess, San Francisco Market Street, San Francisco outdoor chess, street chess, Washington Square Park chess
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, chess lessons, San Francisco Chess, Silicon Valley Chess | 2 Comments »
June 16, 2010
Mayor Newsom,
San Francisco has lost one of its more charming attractions. It used to be that pedestrians strolling down Market Street near the Powell BART station would be treated to lively blitz games played by eclectic groups of chess enthusiasts. When in the area, I would frequently find myself battling wits with investment bankers, street merchants, tourists, and homeless persons. Unfortunately, this exposition of culture has been shut down by the city.
I launched an informal investigation as to why chess players were being targeted unfairly while street performers, panhandlers, and artists are still allowed to continue their practices in the area. Apparently an order was given by a high-ranking city official to the SFPD to shut down the games on the basis of poor behavior on the part of the chess players. Indeed, I would witness some money changing hands and the occasional intoxicated chess player. But are these behaviors being caused by the chess games or the urban environment?
I believe in the positive impact the game of chess can have on individuals who are struggling do the fact that their decision-making skills are sub par. With funding for various organizations that help the homeless population being hit hard by the financial meltdown, I feel it is irresponsible if not mean-spirited for the city of San Francisco to take away one of the few possibilities left for free and legal entertainment. Furthermore, for a city that entices tourists to come on the basis of its many cultural opportunities, it does not seem fitting for San Francisco to be shutting down harmless attractions such as chess.
Sincerely,
Chris Torres
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Tags:chess, chess games, chess players, Chris Torres, City of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, homeless chess, Mayor Newsom, Open Letter to Gavin Newsom, San Francisco, San Francisco blitz, San Francisco chess, San Francisco homeless, SFPD, Torres chess, urban chess
Posted in Bay Area chess, California chess, chess, San Francisco Chess, Silicon Valley Chess | 5 Comments »
February 10, 2010
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 National Elementary Chess Champions, will be providing one hour of instruction followed by a rated USCF chess tournament. All children who participate will see rapid improvement in their chess abilities. The application for this chess class is below.
WORLD JOURNAL CHESS TEAM
Sundays beginning February 21st
The World Journal Chess Team is brought to you by the World Journal Newspaper and the Torres Chess and Music Academy, a non-profit organization.
The World Journal Chess Team chess program meets every Sunday from 4:00 until 6:30, beginning February 21, 2010.
The World Journal Chess Team has a very special chess program designed and taught by nationally renowned chess instructor Chris Torres. This class will provide experienced tournament players with instruction that will quickly increase their ability and understanding of chess. Participants will begin their evening by participating in an hour long chess class taught by Chris Torres. Students will then play 1 USCF rated chess game as part of the ongoing tournament and receive analysis of their play. 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, or by going to uschess.org/
A USCF ID number is required in order to participate in the tournament.
For more information on the Torres Chess and Music Academy please visit chessandmusic.com.
The tuition for this program is $250 for ten weeks.
Checks should be made payable to The World Journal.
201 Adrian Road Millbrae, CA 94030
650-259-2098，650-259-2063
The chess program will be offered every Sunday. If we will be missing a Sunday due to a tournament or unscheduled absence, we will notify you in advance. Make up classes will be scheduled.
No refund will be given for unscheduled student absences.
There will be no class on 4/4 and 4/18.
PLEASE KEEP THESE DATES FOR YOUR RECORDS!!
WORLD JOURNAL CHESS TEAM
Name of child: ___________________________________________
Parents (Guardian) name(s): ________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________
City: ___________________________ California Zip: __________
Telephone: (___)_________ E-mail: __________________________
School: ________________________________
Date of birth: ___/___/_____ Grade: _________________
USCF ID: _________________ EXP: ___/___/_____
This program is designed for tournament chess players.
1 $250.00 TOTAL PAID for ten weeks
1 $30.00 to drop in for one week
$_______ TOTAL PAID
I, hereby, as a Parent/Guardian of ___________________________ have read all the requirements and give my child permission to participate in the TCAMA Program held at the World Journal Newspaper Activities Center. I recognize that this program is under the direction of the TCAMA and is no way connected to the World Journal Newspaper and only the TCAMA can be held legally responsible for this program.
Signature of parent/guardian: ______________ Date: __/__/____
Please contact Chris Torres at (661) 699-8348 or at chesslessons@aol.com if you have any questions.
Please make the checks out to the World Journal and mail them to:
The World Journal Newspaper
201 Adrian Road
Millbrae, CA 94030
650-259-2098，650-259-2063
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Tags:Bay Area ches lessons, Bay Area ches school, Bay Area chess children, Bay Area chess classes, Bay Area chess lessons, Bay area chess lessons children, Bay area chess school, Bay Area Chess Tournaments, california chess lessons, chess, chess class, chess classes Bay Area, chess classes San Francisco, chess improvement, chess instruction, chess lesons, chess Millbrae, chess rating, chess teachers, chess The World Journal, children chess california, children chess rating, Chris Torres, Chris Torres chess, Millbrae chess, national chess champions, Peninsula chess, play chess san francisco, San Francisco chess, San Francisco chess class, San Francisco chess classes, San Francisco chess lessons, San Francisco chess school, San Francisco chess tournament, san francisco play chess, scholastic chess, TCAMA chess, The World Journal, The World Journal chess, top chess children, Torres chess, uscf, uscf chess tournaments, World Journal, World Journal Chess Team
Posted in Bay Area chess, california chess tournaments, chess, chess lessons, Children's Chess, national chess champions, scholastic chess, Scholastic Chess Business Matters, Silicon Valley Chess, World Chess News | Leave a Comment »
October 16, 2008
Know Chess has recently cancelled chess classes at a number of schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you work for or your child attends one of these schools, the Torres Chess and Music Academy can help you get another chess club set up immediately. Please contact us if your school is located in one of the cities below:
Peninsula: Atherton, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo, Stanford, Woodside
Northern Peninsula: Belmont, Hillsborough, Pacifica, San Francisco
South Bay: Morgan Hill, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale
East Bay: Alameda, Castro Valley, Danville, Dublin, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Milpitas, Newark, Oakland, Pleasanton, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, San Ramon, Union City
Information about our program can be found at www.ChessandMusic.com
Chris Torres
President of the Torres Chess and Music Academy a 501(c3) nonprofit organization
chesslessons@aol.com
(510) 789-9641
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Berkeley area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Cupertino area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Fremont area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Los Altos area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Milpitas area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Oakland area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Palo Alto area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the San Bruno area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the San Francisco area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the San Jose area.
A great page detailing the chess news and events in the Walnut Creek area.
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Posted in Bay Area chess, Scholastic Chess Business Matters | 1 Comment »
Chess Musings 