The official publication of the Idaho Chess Association.

President and Editor

Dick Vandenburg
913 N. 22nd St.
Boise, Idaho

Secretary-Treasurer

Jerry E. Stanke
612 17th Ave. S.
Nampa, Idaho

Committeemen

John Kurdeka
Box 412
Twin Falls, Idaho

Bob Campbell
708 11th St.
Rupert, Idaho

Where to play chess!

Boise -- meets 8:00 Wednesday nights at Y.M.C.A. building.

Nampa -- meets 8:00 Thursday nights at Lakeview Parkhouse.

Rupert -- meets 8:00 Wednesday nights at Chamber of Commerce Office.

Twin Falls -- meets 8:00 Thursday nights at Rogerson Hotel.

Pocatello -- generally meets Wednesday nights. Contact R.K. Hart for information.

Others -- players are scattered all over the state. For information on any town, contact the Editor.

STATEWIDE FUNCTIONS

Statewide fall activity was centered around the newly organized "State Team Tournament". Preliminary rounds were played between Boise and Nampa and between Twin Falls and Rupert. A Semi-final round was played between Twin Falls and Pocatello, who went without a preliminary round opponent.

Teams met on two different nights and played one round each night. The first was played in Boise with Nampa taking the white pieces and the match resulted in a draw.

The second round was played in Nampa two weeks later with Boise playing the white pieces. Boise took this round 4½-2½ and won the right to represent Boise Valley in the finals.

Two matches were played between these clubs. The first was played on Nov. 4 at Twin Falls and resulted in a 5-5 draw. It seems that two of Rupert's best players couldn't make it so Twin Falls let two of its best players (Blair & Kimpton) play each other to fill in since Twin had more players than Rupert. When the games were all finished both teams decided (at length) that they should play another match in order to fairly determine the winner.

The second match was played at Rupert on Nov. 18 and Twin Falls won it 6½-5½ and the right to play in the finals.

In the semi-final round, Twin Falls played Pocatello at Rupert on Dec. 30. Much to everyone's amazement (at least those in the Boise club), Pocatello won the match 6½-3½ -- a decisive win over one of the best clubs in the state by an almost unheralded Pocatello team. This certainly demonstrates the power present in the Pocatello area and prompts every player in Idaho to hope for the growth of the Eastern Idaho clubs and the increased participation by their players in our State tournament and other functions. This win gave Pocatello the right to play Boise in the finals of the first State Team Tournament.

Boise and Pocatello are tentatively scheduled to play their finals match at Rupert on Sunday, January 27. All players are cordially invited to attend the match in what should be quite a chess pow-wow. The winner of the match, which will consist of two games between each opponent, will be awarded a perpetual trophy inscribed with the winner and the year.

LOCAL CLUB ACTIVITIES

Winter is the season for city tournaments and a number of them are in progress or are just starting. These tournaments certainly help the general quality of play and are excellent preparatories for the State Tournament.

Boise played host to another visit to Idaho by George Koltanowski, the World's Blindfold Chess Champion. Kolty is one of the very best at simultaneous play and did quite a convincing job of beating the best we could offer.

He began the exhibition by playing Bob Campbell and then John Kurdeka blindfolded (Kolty was blindfolded, that is, and it is his specialty) and beating them both after two interesting games. Then he proceeded to take on the crowd and played 14 players 20 games, winning every one. Several players had excellent games at different points but were finally over-powered. Seven Boise, three Nampa, three Twin Falls, and one Rupert player took part.

Boise's 1957 City Tournament is scheduled to start on January 16 and will be a single round robin affair for all players with prizes to be awarded on a Class A and Class B basis. From 10 to 12 players are expected to enter.

Ladder standings of the top ten players (at present) are as follows:

These positions can change 100 points or more with each game played so the competition is pretty keen.

Three old faces are not present on the above list -- Don Crawford left for Washington, A.L. Harle left for Texas, and Harold Hughart left for parts unknown. They will be missed by many Idaho players.

The Nampa club is well under way in its 1956-57 winter tournament. Players compete in a qualifying tournament and on the basis of their scores are placed in either Class A or Class B. 14 players are taking part in the tournament and it is turning out to be an excellent one with good competition.

Dr. David Groenig and A.B. Ellis are currently leading the pack with identical scores of 7½-½. The only blemish in their records so far is a draw with each other. Jerry Stanke holds down third position with 5-3. Roy Parker and Ralph Batie are tied for fourth -- Roy has a 4-4 record and Ralph 3-3. Other entrants having at least two wins are E.H. Horstman, Frank O'Brien, and John Williamson.

1956 officers of the Club are C.E. Harris, President; Carl E. Solts, Vice President; Jerry E. Stanke, Tournament Director; and Roy S. Parker, Secretary-Treasurer.

The Rupert club held its 1957 elections on January 9 and Larry Walton of Burley was re-elected President. I.E. Pattie was elected Vice President and Bob Campbell was re-elected Secretary-Treasurer.

The club is starting its round robin City Tournament on Wednesday, January 16 and a good turnout is expected.

Rupert maintains a ladder tournament. Present standings of the top ten are as follows:

These ratings are really close, especially when you figure a player can lose or gain as much as 100 points a night.

Bob Campbell informs me that Dr. George T. Cox of Pocatello had his picture on the front page of the Minidoka County News following the Twin Falls -- Pocatello match. It seems he was the only player photogenic enough to take a good picture so he received top billing in the write-up.

The Pocatello club has held several meetings this fall and has had a fairly good turnout of players. A "round robin of sorts" is in progress with 13 players taking part thus far. A few good players haven't been able to play yet but will probably do so this winter. Present standings in games played of all those winning at least two contests are as follows:

EVENTS IN NEIGHBORING STATES

In the Utah Open held recently, three Reno, Nevada players took all the honors. K.R. Jones took first place, Bill Taber placed second and Dr. H.B. Joseph placed third. Laverl Kimpton, formerly of Twin Falls and now of Reno came out of hiding and placed sixth. The following were the top 12 placers.

It was a very tough tournament as evidenced by the placings of Taylor and Clark. There were 22 players in all -- 2 from Wyoming, 2 from Idaho, 6 from Nevada, and 12 from Utah. Bob Campbell attended from Idaho (Rupert) and Ray Wheeler, President of the Reno Chess Club, tells me that Fred Docekal is also from Idaho although I am not acquainted with him. Someone let me know about him. He did alright to place 12th in that company.

In his only loss, Jones overlooked a mate in one! It is ironical that the tournament champion should lose his only game through an outright "boner". In tournament chess anything can happen! Ken should really be congratulated for defeating such a fine field.

In the recent Washington Open held in Spokane, George Bishop of Seattle took top honors with four wins and two draws. Gordon Cornelius, Spokane was second, Robert Edberg, Tieton, third, and Viktors Pupols, Tacoma, fourth -- all with 4½-1½. George attributed most of his success to "no-doze pills".

There were 24 contestants in all including two from Idaho (that I know of) -- Horton Thompson of Kendrick and Tom Ball of Mullen. They placed 12th and 13th respectively which was very good in that tough tournament. Both had 3-3 scores.

It was very interesting for me to find out that there are several strong players in North Idaho. Horton Thompson wrote that he was very interested in attending our State tournament and I hope he and Tom and possibly Bob Simon of Twin Lakes (Rathdrum P.O.) and Kermit Bird of Moscow, or some other Moscow players, can get together and come down. it would be very nice to have some Northern players at the tournament. Anyone interested in coming to Boise contact Horton, get a car to go in, and get those wheels rolling!

That also applies to Eastern Idaho players! Eugene Cowan of Driggs is looking for a ride at least part way. We in Boise would certainly like to see a group from Pocatello and Blackfoot, etc. arrive to play. Anyone with a car who is planning on coming might contact Eugene and/or R. Kay Hart, Box 344, Pocatello to try and organize a pay load.

COMING EVENTS

I have mentioned the State tournament several times so it is pretty obvious that it is the big event of the next quarter. The Tournament will take place in Boise on February 15, 16, and 17. Three games will be played Friday the 15th, two Saturday, and one Sunday morning. A banquet will be held Sunday afternoon early leaving plenty of time for contestants to get home Sunday late afternoon or evening -- or maybe further wear themselves out at "rapid". Accompanying this Quarterly is your invitation to the Tournament and the host clubs of Boise and Nampa hope to see as many of you as possible. Take a couple of days off work and come to Boise for a lot of fun and some good chess. Bring the family, they'll enjoy the trip too. We'll see you all then!!

NEW PROJECTS

Many players have been discussing lately the possibility of organizing an Idaho Correspondence Chess League. The idea sounds like a good one since correspondence chess is fun and very helpful in improving your game. There are national correspondence leagues you can enter but it might be fun to have our own so that we could play people we know and are in competition with in the state. In order to start such a league we need considerable initial interest. I am sure it would build up after once started since players would receive ratings and results, and these figures could be published in the Quarterly giving us a statewide rating system which would be very nice to have.

I think to start with we should have 10 or 15 players. Anyone interested in playing in such a league drop me a card to that effect. Please make this effort! If enough people write in, we can organize the play and start a section or two.

In case anyone is interested in National correspondence chess, which is very good for your game and a good hobby, contact Dick Rees (816 S. Cocelia St., Siuox City 6, Iowa) who represents the CCLA (Correspondence Chess League of America). I have played in it for several very enjoyable years.

That concludes this Quarterly except for a few thoughts.

1. I had planned to use a few practice games in this Quarterly and have some from Idaho players but ran out of room. if you have any you would like to see printed, annotate them and send them in. We can work a few in another issue.

2. If anyone is interested in operating our Correspondence League in case we get one started let me know. It wouldn't be a big job but one I would like to be rid of.

3. If you know any player that didn't receive one of these Quarterlies let me know and I will put him on the list. The list has grown considerably now and has about 130 names on it!

4. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions concerning this paper or Idaho chess in general, please drop me a note. Letters to the Editor will be appreciated.

5. Plan on attending the State tournament if you possibly can. It is the one big function we have every year and one well worth attending. Try it and see for yourself. If we could get a big enough turnout we might even be able to work out something along Class B section lines. It is something to think about but we haven't had enough players before to think about it. Last year there were 20 players. I hope we can have 30 or more this year!

Dick (signed)
Dick Vandenburg, President
Idaho Chess Association
913 N. 22nd St.
Boise, Idaho