"The strength that is accumulated should result in progress, and as a consequence, our continuous and growing effort will help improve our ability in advanced reason."

click for larger view

Torre played 1.Rd6!!

a) 1… Rxd6 2.g8=Q+ Kd7 (2…Rd8 3.Qxd8+ Kxd8 4.f7) 3.Qf7+ Kc6 4.Qe8+ Kb6 5.Qe3!

Thought that looked familiar somehow... it's on Tim Krabbé's ultimate blunder page, where he claims Torre missed Rd6 and resigned instead.

Here is live film footage of <Torre> and <Frank Marshall> from the Moscow International Tournament of 1925.

It should be noted that they are acting for a film "Chess Fever" in the scenes shown in this video:

In fact, the complete game score is given by Edward Winter in his Chess Notes. White was a man called F. Parker (former champion of the Marshall chess club), and the game was played in a simultaneous exhibition on 16 September 1924. See http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

<He lacks technique and for the sake of his chess future, I hope that he will not hasten too much in cultivating it. Acquired naturally and as a result of the experience of play, technique is a valuable asset but the attempt to acquire it before one’s ability to combine has been fully developed has stopped permanently the improvement of a good many young players.>

Source: Edward Winter 's 'Chess in 1924' from 1999

<There have been rumors that [Torre's] breakdown occurred as a result of being jilted by his fiancée.

Whether this is true or not is unclear, but it's not generally accepted. Dr Carlos Fruvas Gárnica, who treated Torre and seemed to be very close to him, reports that Torre, in fact, became a victim of his own success:

"In 1926 there was no Mexican politician, generale, or rich retailer, or monopolistic millionaire that did not want Torre [attending] their social gatherings."

It's his contention that Torre was used by political, military and financial leaders to augment their social standings.

They had no interest and little involvement in chess, yet they invited (strongly) Torre to appear at their constant stream of social gatherings.

They wined him and dined him, faking interest in a subject they knew nothing about.

He felt like a rope in some tug-of-war.

So incessant were the invitations that he often had to refuse one to attend another.

The political climate in Mexico of that time made refusing a dangerous thing.

In short, the doctor believes Torre was a victim of stress and found the only way to escape this stress was to escape the reality of his existence, that is, to not be a famous chess player.

I also remember been told that it was actually a present, so his name would be on all chess books, and it is, from a chess master last named Torres in New Orleans to this patron who had been very friendly and generous with him.

Maybe one of you erudites of chess can clear that up.