FILE–Filipino chess great Eugene Torre. File photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Asia’s first grandmaster Eugene Torre has been immortalized in the World Chess Hall of Fame.
The 70-year-old chess icon was officially inducted as a Hall of Famer on Wednesday in Missouri, USA.
Torre became the first Asian grandmaster in 1974 when he earned a silver medal at age 22 in the 21st Chess Olympiad in Nice, France at age.
Torre was accompanied by his wife, Maria Lina, and Philippine-born American Grand Master Wesley So, whom he both acknowledged during his acceptance speech.
His name was included by the World Chess Federation last April with Judit Polgar and Miguel Najdorf.
Torre was the first to defeat reigning world champion Anatoly Karpov in 1976.
He also brought home a silver medal in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, and copped bronze medals in 1980, 1986, and the 2016 Chess Olympiad.
Torre won four golds in the Asian Team Chess Championships in 1977, 1979, 1981, and 1983 before settling for bronze in Dubai in 1986. He got gold and bronze medals in the Asian Cities Chess Championship in 2002 and 2004, respectively.