Fremont Chess Quads this Saturday (1/19/19)

Rated Scholastic Chess Tournament

Saturday, January 19th 2019

11:00 am – 3:00 pm

@ Learning Bee Learning Center in Fremont

$25 entry fee

Trophies are awarded to top player in each quad. All other players will receive pins for participating.

USCF Rated QUAD Format: All players must be USCF members. All players must understand USCF tournament rules. USCF Membership fee is $17, per year. QUAD Format – The players in each quad play a round robin, one game against each of the players in their section, for a total of three games each. Quads are by grade and experience. All quads will be Game in 30 min (each player). Sets and boards provided. Clocks will be provided, but players are encouraged to bring their own.

 

Register online: http://www.fremontchess.com/upcoming-events/

Chris Torres’ Chess Résumé

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

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!

USCF Ban on Music

On November 16, 2012 the United States Chess Federation announced updated scholastic regulations that prohibit the use of personal music players and headphones. This move was made in order to defend against perceived threats to the integrity of over-the -board chess caused by electronic devices being used as a tool for cheating.  In a bold contradiction of logic, the USCF still sanctions the use of electronic score keeping devices which, in my opinion, have a much greater chance of being used nefariously. I believe that this rule change will result in USCF national events becoming more like a detention halls. It doesn’t take a chess master to understand that by making the tournament experience less pleasant for players, the USCF should expect to see fewer players participating and consequently less membership renewals.

United States G/30 National Chess Championship: Francisco Anchondo

Francisco Anchondo demonstratated his usual tactical bravado in the fourth round of the 2011 National G/30 Chess Championship. His opponent, Eric Schiller, attempted to play a rather dull carro-kann but Francisco steered the game into a violent fantasy variation. I was glad to see such an exciting game take place in the open section and believe that Francisco Anchondo’s overall tournament performance should provide adequate proof that dynamic chess can be very successful at national championship events.

 [Event “U.S. G/30 Championship”]
[Site “Santa Clara, Ca”]
[Date “2011.10.02”]
[Round “4”]
[White “Anchondo, Francisco”]
[Black “Schiller, Eric”]
[Result “1-0”]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e5 Nfd7 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3
Qa5 9. Bd2 Qa4 10. Nh3 c5 11. Qb1 a6 12. Nf2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Qxd4 14. f4 Nc6 15.
c3 Qb6 16. Qc2 Qd8 17. Bd3 h6 18. O-O b5 19. Rae1 Bb7 20. f5 Nc5 21. fxe6 Nxe6
22. Ng4 Qe7 23. Be3 Qxa3 24. Bg6 Ncd8 25. Nf6+ gxf6 26. exf6 Qa4 27. Qb1 Rc8
28. Bd4 b4 29. Qf5 Qd7 30. Bh5 bxc3 31. Qg4 Kf8 32. Qg7+ *

Eric Schiller vs Ted Castro

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

United States G/30 National Chess Championship

California is set to host the U.S. G/30 Chess Championship on October Second, 2011. Having a U.S.C.F. National Championship in the Bay Area is a rare treat and many of my chess students are eager to win another national title. I will report live from the Santa Clara Convention Center and provide complete coverage of this exciting chess tournament.

United States G/60 National Chess Championship

The Bay Area will be hosting the U.S. G/60 Chess Championship on October First, 2011. It is a rare pleasure to have a U.S.C.F. National Championship located in Northern California and many of my students look forward to this extra opportunity to add to their credentials. Tomorrow, I will report live from the Santa Clara Convention Center with a special emphasis on Northern California’s best chess juniors.

Joseph Wan is a National Chess Champion

Joseph Wan of Nebraska won the k-3 Championship section at the 2011 National Elementary Chess Championships in Dallas, Texas. Joseph scored 6.5/7 and finished a half point ahead of his former California rival Rayan Taghizadeh. Joseph Wan’s championship is a rare win for the state of Nebraska at a United States Chess Federation national tournament.
   In 2009, Joseph Wan was a first grader at Mission San Jose Elementary School in Fremont, California. It was here that Joseph met chess coach Chris Torres and quickly became one of the top chess players his age in the state. Joseph Wan went on to become a State Chess Champion but narrowly missed winning the National Elementary k-1 Championship by committing a rare blunder in the endgame of his final round. With his championship run in 2011, Joseph has finally achieved the level of success coach Chris Torres always knew he was capable of.

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.

-End-