Ilonggo Eugene Torre inducted into World Chess Hall of Fame

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Chess icon and Ilonggo pride Eugene Torre finally received his formal induction into the World Chess Hall of Fame.

A year after the World Chess Federation’s online selection of Torre’s name in the list of nominees, the Filipino legend went to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, Missouri, United States to attend the ceremony.

The 70-year-old chess wizard was accompanied by his wife Maria Lina during the induction ceremony which was also attended by former Philippine team member Wesley So.

It was a nostalgic program after the organizing committee announced all of Torre’s achievements since entering the sport of chess way back in 1969 when he joined the Junior World Chess Championship.

“It’s a great honor to be included in the revered list of names who I hold in high esteem. This I share with my countrymen,” said Torre.

Torre joined women’s Grandmaster Judit Polgar of Hungary and Polish-Argentine Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf during the recently concluded Hall of Fame induction.

Torre, Polgar, and Najdorf will be joining the 37 legendary chess players who were already inducted into the hall of fame in the sport of chess.

Among the notable names who were included in the 37 hall of famers were Jose Raul Capablanca, Emmanuel Lasker, Paul Morphy, Wilhelm Steinitz, and Robert ‘Bobby’ Fischer.

The Ilonggo icon became Asia’s first-ever grandmaster way back in 1974 and was one of the most successful chess players in the world.

One of Torre’s biggest achievements in Filipino chess history was beating the legendary World champion Anatoly Karpov in 1976.