MANILA, Philippines—Eugene Torre has left an indelible mark on the sport of chess not just in the Philippines, but also around the world.

Torre, the first-ever Asian Grandmaster, has done what he could during his prime in the mental discipline. Now, it’s time to hone the skills of those who could potentially follow his footsteps.

“I’m assigned as the head coach of Philippine Chess for Men’s but aside from that, in the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, [we] have many tournaments [as well],” Torre said during the shoot for Look Through–Inquirer’s documentary series.

Torre, who continues to share his journey through his own chess museum in Marikina, has seen, faced, and accomplished it all in the sport.

But with sport evolving over the years, today’s young aspirants need to score momentous victories to match the legacy of the veteran Grandmaster.

Based on Torre’s resume, though, that will be easier said than done.

Eugene Torre’s rise to the Grandmaster title

Torre achieved the historical Grandmaster title back in 1974  when he announced his arrival to the sport during the World Chess Olympiad in Nice, France.

There, Torre recalls, lay some of the toughest battles Torre had faced.

“My toughest wins or games for me to become Grandmaster were in the Nice Olympiad,” he said.

“[It was a] big deal because, it’s not only a first for the Philippines, but also the first in Asia. That’s what made me really want to become a Grandmaster because there was no Grandmaster in Asia yet.”

On his path to history, Torre faced top-level Grandmasters like Vlastimil Hort of Germany, Lajos Portisch of Hungary, and Lothar Schmid of West German.

However, it was his bout with legendary chess tactician Anatoly Karpov that catapulted him to stardom.

“The one with Anatoly Karpov. That time, he was the world champion. It was a tournament called the King’s Challenge, they called it because I represented Asia. That was way back in 1976,” said a beaming Torre.

“Surprise of all surprises, I came out the winner. That event was very close to my heart. The game I won against Karpov, I treasure it very much,” he added, smiling all the while.

Eugene Torre’s enduring love for the game

Eugene Torre–Asia’s first Grandmaster–with a young fan. –ARNEL TACSON

Torre is in a race with Father Time. Yet, despite being 73, the Grandmaster still has the heart for the sport that shaped his life.

So When the idea of joining the World Seniors Championship was brought up, there were almost no second thoughts.

“As long as my time would allow it, I can play maybe in the near future in the World Senior,” Torre said, seemingly keeping the door open for one more run.

“That’s the beauty of chess. We have tournaments for very young, very young players… and we also have tournaments for very old players,” he added in jest.

The multi-awarded Southeast Asian Games medalist occasionally gives pointers to young aspirants who want to reach the pinnacle of the sport like he has.

Dwyane Torres, a 14-year-old chess player from Mandaluyong, felt firsthand what it was like to play against and learn from the legendary chess savant.

“[He’s] one of my biggest idols. When I was watching his games, I hoped I could play like that because he has moves that are really good,” the young aspirant said. “His moves are really brilliant.”

For now, Torre remains committed to developing Filipino talents who dream of conquering the chessboard. Fans and aspiring players can visit the Eugene Torre Chess Museum in Marikina to learn more about his storied career.