MANILA---Eugene Torre of the Philippines Becomes the First Asian Male Player inducted to the World Chess Hall of Fame by the World Chess Federation for the 2020.
Thus, Torre, Asia's First GM, duplicated the feat of former World women's champion Xie Jun of China who got the prestigious award in 2019.
" Very proud tayo kasi tayo ang kauna-unahang Asian Male Player na nominated ng FIDE (World Chess Federation) sa World Chess Hall of Fame," said Torre, who will turn 70 in November.
" Si dating World women's champion Xie Jun ng China ang unang nakatangap ng award noong 2019," added Torre, who joins Polish-Argentine Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf and GM Judit Polgar of Hungary as 2020 nominees of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) were chosen by the FIDE historical committee.
"Ang mahalaga nabibigyan na din ng pagkilala ang mga Asyano sa chess lalu na't baby pa tayu sa chess kung ikukumpara sa Russians, Americans and Europeans. May mga nag world champion na din galing sa Asya gaya nina Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand ng India, Xie Jun ng China at maging si Filipino US based Wesley So (World Fischer Random Champion).
Three per year are nominated according to Mr. Casto "Toti" Abundo of the World Chess Federation/ Asian Chess Federation.
"Congratulations to Philippines. FIDE Council met yesterday and nominated Asia's 1st Grandmaster to the World Chess Hall of Fame."said Abundo, who is also member of the FIDE Historical Committee that includes chairman Willy Iclicki of Belgium, Andrzej of Poland and Berik Balgabaev of Kazakhstan.
The FIDE Council which met online April 19, 2021, inducted three legends into the World Chess Hall of Fame: Miguel Najdorf, Judit Polgar and Asia's 1st GM Eugene Torre.
Induction into the World Chess Hall of Fame will be in the U.S. but due the global pandemic may not allow.
Since 2001 , there have been 37 names in the list, including former Chinese World women's champion Xie Jun, Akiba Rubinstein and Mark Taimanov in 2019.
Among the legends in the list are Tigran Petrosian, Vasily Smyslov, Mikhail Botvinik, Boris Spassky, Mikhail Tal, Alexander Alekhine, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov.
The World Chess Hall of Fame was established in 1984 in St. Louis MIssouri, but it was in only 2001 when it inducted the first five players nominated by FIDE namely Jose Raul Capablanca of Cuba, Wilhem Steinitz of Austria, Robert James "Bobby" Fischer and Paul Morphy of the USA and Emmanuel Lasker of Germany.
It shall be recalled that Torre, who became Asia’s first grandmaster in 1974 at age 22, inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame by the Philippine Sports Commission in 2016.