The official publication of the Idaho Chess Association.

President

R.K. Hart
Box 547
Pocatello, Idaho

Editor & Treasurer

Dick Vandenburg
2316 Regan Ave.
Boise, Idaho

Games Editor

Eugene Cowan
Box 431
Driggs, Idaho

Committeemen

Sterling Vaughn
1187 Morningside Dr.
Twin Falls, Idaho

Roy Parker
Box 137
Nampa, Idaho

Charles Buttcane
Box 595
Rupert, Idaho

Sven Gridseth
Box 363
Idaho Falls, Idaho

Where to play chess!

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

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

Idaho Falls -- meets Friday nights 7:30 next to Masonic Temple.

Rupert -- reorganizing, meetings being held, contact committeeman.

Twin Falls -- meets Tuesday nights 8:00 at Harry Barry Park Building.

Pocatello -- meets Wednesday nights at Y.M.C.A. building.

Events during the next quarter!

IDAHO OPEN -- in Boise, Memorial Day weekend, May 30-31, Y.M.C.A. Class A -- U.S.C.F. RATINGS, West Coast Ratings, $3.00 entry fee, $25.00 guaranteed 1st prize, $10 for second, other prizes to plus scores, entries from several states. Class B -- West Coast Ratings, B and Junior prizes, $2.00 entry fee including Juniors, trophies for B winners and Junior winner. Tournament starts promptly at 10:00 Saturday, May 30. Three rounds Saturday, two Sunday. 50 moves in 2 hours. Class A entries must belong to or join U.S.C.F., Class B entries need not join to play.

Idaho Chess Bulletin -- price $1.00 per year, 5 issues, send money to Editor.

Washington Chess Letter -- price $2.00 per year, 12 issues, send money to W.H. Raleigh, 4312 Woodland Park Ave., Seattle 3, Washington

Gaston Chappuis, playing the tournament of his life, tied Laverl Kimpton for first place in the 1959 Nevada State Chess Tournament played in Reno, April 8-11. Kimpton, who repeats as Nevada State Champion, again proved to be the toast of Nevada Chess. He scored 1½ points more than the next highest Nevada finisher, Ken Jones, himself a Nevada Champion in past years. Third place went to Farrell Clark who garnered his second third of the year in strong competition. The junior players couldn't quite repeat their Utah triumph. Richard Owen placed 4th, John Freeman, nationally ranked Expert from El Paso, Texas, placed 5th, and Ilmari Tuomainen, Utah winner, could do only 11th. The real shocker of the tournament was the showing of Ben Greenwald who really had his troubles and placed 15th! All in all, it must be said that the competition was very keen. It is amazing that the top two players were able to place a full point ahead of such a strong field.

A sad point of the tournament was the car accident involving tournament director, Harold Lundstrom. He was injured shortly after the return of the Utah players and suffered a broken leg and pelvis. The report is that he is now recuperating and out of danger. All chess players in the area wish Harold a speedy recovery and hope he will soon be out doing his usual fine promotional job for chess.

Incomplete results show Ben Greenwald winning the annual Salt Lake Tourney held recently. There were 14 players. The first five placers were Greenwald, 4½-½; Tuomainen, 4-1; Chappuis, 3½-1½; Clark, 3½-1½; and Dick Heilbut, 3½-1½. Greenwald drew with Tuomainen. It seems that the complete records have been misplaced. If they can be found we will print the news in the next issue for West Coast Ratings.

In a match played Saturday, May 9 at Twin Falls, Boise defeated Pocatello in a close match, 7½-6½, to regain the State Team Title. Boise had eliminated Canyon County earlier while Pocatello had eliminated Idaho Falls and Twin Falls. At the conclusion of the first round Boise led 5-2 and had the advantage of playing the White pieces the second round. It looked as if it was all over but the wins for Pocatello kept piling up until it was all tied up with only one game remaining -- Schubert vs. Vandenburg. This game went to Vandenburg after a long and tricky end game and the match was decided in Boise's favor. John Anderson of Pocatello continued his unbeaten match play to win 1½ points. Pocatello also had two other plus score finishers in R.K. Hart (1½), and Glen Peck (1½) who topped the State class B champion. Boise's plus scores were made by Vandenburg (2) and Phil Dolph (2). Boise gets custody of the traveling team trophy for 1 year.

An open letter to the Idaho Chess Bulletin -- by Eugene Cowan

Organized chess in the United States on the national level is in deplorable condition. And that is very encouraging! -- for in the not very past past its condition was horrible. Originally organized in 1938, by 1952 the Federation was heavily in debt, badly managed, torn by dissension -- and about to collapse. Several vigorous measures were adopted at that time including a balanced budget and the hiring of a business manager (Kenneth Harkness). Several hard, but not hopeless, years followed until, in 1957, a new regime under Jerry Spann began an energetic campaign to revitalize the Federation. A fair degree of harmony was at last attained, both within the ranks and with other organizations devoted to chess, such as the National Chess foundation, regional chess associations, and Chess Review. Old debts are beginning to be paid off, membership is growing, the national chess team returned to the Chess Olympics, and our stars have new support. Our condition is deplorable, but the future looks good.

An example of this improvement: the U.S. Championship Tournament, once held every two years, had been discontinued. In desperation, the Rosenwald Trophy Tournament had been instituted to give practice to our best masters. This was combined after some negotiations with the U.S. Championship, which has been won last year and this year by our own Bobby Fischer, the teen-ager from New York City.

In the big nation-wide drive for at least 1,000 new members for a broadened basis to national chess, Idaho is looking bad -- near the bottom of the list, although far from being the worst organized. For our population we would be high on the organizational list but not in U.S.C.F. support. We had three whole members last summer, dropping to two last fall. Since then, one or two have joined.

But surely, there are a half-dozen or more Idaho chess devotees who are not desperately poor, who have a little extra generosity, patriotism, and enthusiasm who will help improve this record. The cost is not prohibitive -- $5.00, of which only $2.00 (or less) can be considered a contribution. Three dollars of the five go to pay for the twice monthly newspaper of chess, Chess Life. For the other two, you get a. membership, b. your contribution to national chess and prestige, c. the opportunity to buy books, sets, and other items at reduced rates (no small item!), and d. national ratings. The membership advantage can be used by clubs who have one member, at least, to buy sets, boards, and books at savings for club prizes.

To join, send checks made out to the U.S. Chess Federation to U.S.C.F. membership Secretary, 80 East 11th St., New York 3, N.Y. Don't leave it to the other fellow -- they won't do it! ---- E.L. COWAN

Recently the U.S.C.F. embarked upon a new policy that in order to have a tournament rated by them all competitors would have to be members. This has caused considerable turmoil in various parts of the country but it seems that the majority favor the plan.--it may have been the only way to stay solvent and still issue national ratings. I have recently been appointed Director for Idaho by the U.S.C.F. and to rate (nationally) the Class A section of this year's Open on a trial basis to see if it helped attract more out of state players while not reducing the participation of Idaho players. We feel the Class B division cannot be rated as the vast majority of those players are not yet interested in national ratings and probably wouldn't wish to join. (Of course, the whole tournament will receive West Coast Ratings!) The State Tournaments of Utah and Nevada are both nationally rated and we hope to get several players from each state to enter. It is also hoped that representatives from other Western states will make the trip to Idaho -- partly because of this added incentive. We are going to give the new system a fair try and are hopeful of a large turnout and increased Idaho membership in the national organization. -- THE EDITOR

NEW ADDITIONS

With this edition we are embarking on several new ideas. You will notice the name has been changed to the "Idaho Chess Bulletin". This change has been made because we are no longer a Quarterly -- from now on we will publish bi-monthly, that is once every other month except for the August issue which will be skipped. Publications will come out in October, December, February, April, and June. This is an attempted response to inquiries from several sources.

We are also adding, on a trial basis, a chess problem corner. These are currently being received courtesy of Isaac Kashdan of Los Angeles. We will have one problem each issue and, depending upon the response, we will give a prize to the winner or winners once each year. Answers should be sent to the Editor for verification.

I am also interested in starting a small section on National and International chess but need someone who has access to several publications to take care of this part. If any of you readers (inside Idaho or out) would like to help out with this phase or any other, please get in touch with me. The job of getting out this material is a big one and I would like to distribute a little of the work to other interested players -- who might have a little composing ability.

No. 1, by H.L. Musante, courtesy of Isaac Kashdan.

White to play, mates in two. Solution next issue.

Send solutions to Dick Vandenburg, 2316 Regan Ave., Boise, Idaho.

A new five game minimum has come out for these quarterly lists. Unless a player plays in at least 5 rated games during one quarter, his name will not appear on the list. This is to simplify the terrific job of getting the ratings out. This does not mean that matches of one and two games aren't rated. It only means that you would have to play in three two game matches to be able to see your rating more often than once a year. If you play in three different matches, when the number accumulates to at least five games, your rating will appear. I was hoping to be able to publish ratings of all our players but you fellows who have only played in one match will have to enter a city or state tournament, or play in another couple of matches to see your name in print! Other than this new innovation, the ratings remain the same. Everything possible is rated (except speed events) as long as it is published in one of these periodicals -- THE IDAHO CHESS BULLETIN to January, 1959 inclusive; THE WASHINGTON CHESS LETTER to March 1959 inclusive; THE PACIFIC COAST CHESS HERALD, and THE CALIFORNIA CHESS REPORTER. This list is alphabetical and contains names of all Idaho, Utah, and Nevada players with a good sampling of Oregon, Montana, and Washington. Remember, this is a performance list, not a reputation list! All that can be measured here is actual performance in organized competition since these ratings started, April, 1957.

Richard Schultz of Seattle scored a win against Ivars Dalbergs and drew with Duane Meador to win the Pacific Northwest Open held in Portland on March 28-29. Schultz' record was 5½-½. Dalbergs was second, 5-1 and Meador with three draws was third, 4½-1½. Deane Moore of Portland also had three draws and 4½-1½. Harold Hughart had some trouble and finished 12th with 3½-2½ as did Clark Harmon, 16 year old Portland Junior who won the recent Oregon Centennial Open. Other plus score finishers were Jack Strong, Charles Geary, Gary Feuerberg, and Richard Fauber, 4-2; Harmon, Gregory Kern, John Bell, Hughart, Gary Singer, and Visvaldis Smits, 3½-2½. There were 34 players in all.

Sixteen year old Clark Harmon won the Oregon Centennial Open played in Portland on February 21-22. Harmon scored 5-1 (two draws) as did another 16 year old, John Bill (also two draws). Another Portlander, James McNeese, placed third with three draws, 4½-1½. Harold Hughart missed a chance to cop the tourney by losing to Harmon in the last round and placing 4th, 4½-1½. Robert Walker, now of Newport, California, placed 5th, 4½-1½, and Duane Meador of Vancouver, Washington placed 6th. As in the Pacific Northwest Open above, there were 34 entrants.

Olaf Ulvestad won the Inland Empire Open held in Spokane April 25-26 with a perfect score of six wins and no losses. He won from just about all of the strong players including Dr. Dave Groenig of Spokane who finished second, 5-1. Dr. Groenig is right up there with the best of them. Donald Eilmes of Seattle placed third, 4½-1½ and Richard Schultz placed fourth (we think), 4-2. John Barto was the highest placing Montana player at 4-2. Several Idaho players also entered including Bob Quass, Bruce Fredstrom, Steve Sala, and Horton Thompson, all of North Idaho. Harold Hughart, currently residing in Boise, slipped enough to win the Class B crown and the $5 that went with it! At that, Harold was the highest Idaho placer, 3-3. Ric Jerome won the Junior prize.

We must apologize for the sketchy report on this tournament. However, tournament officials might examine their publicity program as neither an invitation or notice of the tournament nor a report of the results was received here. It is pretty hard to get representation when you don't advertise. In contrast, the Montana people sent notices out a couple of months in advance. We hope to hear about the tournament next time. This report is what Harold Hughart remembered after leaving early.

Pocatello won the right to play Boise in the finals of the State Team Tournament by convincingly beating Twin Falls, 9½-½! Don Murphy managed to get ½ point from the strong Pocatello club. Twin Falls was without the services of State Champion, Glen Buckendorf, but the strength shown by Pocatello was truly amazing. Hartwell reports that he thinks Pocatello is invincible in Pocatello, where this match was played, and that it seems like Schubert has a jinks over Lloyd in team play. Of course, the loss of Buckendorf, who was sick with the flu, hurt the Twin Falls team tremendously. All in all, though, it was a brilliant win for Pocatello.

WITH THE CLUBS

Boise is winding up its 1959 City Tournament but the report won't be ready until the next issue. C.H. Stewart is currently leading the Class A, Nick Skirmants and A.L. Harle are ahead in Class B, and Bob Funderburg is leading Class C.

On May 7 a match was played between Boise and Canyon County at Canyon County's regular meeting in Nampa. Boise came out on top, 4½-3½.

Canyon County completed their 9th Annual Canyon County Tournament with A.B. Ellis convincingly winning the Class A section, 21-1! Jerry Stanke was second, 14½-5½ and Roy Parker was third, 15-7. Carl Solts placed first in the Class C with John A. Williamson second.

In the above games, substitute the following: Parker won one game for Horstman against Solts, Williamson played for McKellip in four games -- lost two to Ellis and won one and lost one to Waterman.

In other Canyon County games played, not enough for the Tournament but for West Coast Ratings -- Gary Bray won from McKellip and Waterman, lost to Waterman, and lost two to Horstman. Bill Cleveland split two games with Carl Solts, Williamson, McKellip, and Richard Stanke, and lost two games to Roy Parker. John P. English won one game from Garry Waterman. Garry Waterman lost two games each to Solts, Williamson and McKellip.

The Idaho Falls club held a $100 tournament March 20, 21, and 22, sponsored by local merchants, which enabled them to present several prizes of chess clocks, sets, books etc. to winners of the A, B, and Jr. divisions. The Class A was won by Sven Gridseth, 5-0. Class B was won by J. Davidson with W.A. Lynch second and F. Barker third. L. Bamer won the Junior prize. Round by round totals were received thus far for only the Class A division. All participants were members of the Idaho Falls Chess Club.

The new Teton Valley Club played the new Idaho Falls Club a friendly match (not for ratings) and surprisingly won, 4-1 after getting two games on pure blunders. The win made Eugene Cowan and his boys feel pretty good and should put them in line for play in the state team tourney next year. Bernice Millar was the only winner for Idaho Falls while Eugene Cowan, Alma Kunz, Ed Schiess, and Darrell Dalley won for Teton Valley. Losers were Carlos Lauritzen for Teton and Gridseth, Robinson, Haynes, and J. Davidson for Idaho Falls.

Teton Valley also had a Club Tournament (this for ratings) with Cowan and Ed Schiess winning, 7-3. These two will play off their tie at a later date.

In addition to the match with Pocatello, Twin Falls played a match with a group of players in Gooding. It is hoped that these fellows can unite to revive the Gooding club. Twin Falls won, 8-2 using 5 boards and 2 games. The Gooding players traveled to Twin for the Match(!), so their interest must be picking up.

The Inland Empire Junior Chess League organized this year has finished its play with the Wallace High School team coming out on top, seven wins and no losses! Coeur d'Alene was second, 3-3, Lewis & Clark of Spokane third, 1-3, Sandpoint 4th, 1-1, and Spirit Lake 5th, 0-5. The Wallace team, headed by Steve Sala, should be congratulated on its victory and also because it completed more games than any other school. Steve is a senior this year. Someone will have to come forth next year to lead the way for a continuance of this excellent competitive league. In this year's league, Wallace beat all their opponents except Lewis & Clark quite handily -- they even beat Lewis & Clark 6½-3½, which was the closest score they played.

The Wallace High School held its second single-round-robin school tournament with Steve coming out on top, 11-2. Don Britt was second, 10-3. Third and fourth were Fred Pettit and Loren Solum, 9-4. Jim Williams was 5th, 8½-4½.

U.S.C.F. ratings for Class A. $25.00 guaranteed first prize. Prizes for all plus scores. Trophies for Class A and Juniors. West Coast Ratings! See you in Boise, Y.M.C.A. May 30-31.

Dr. Peter Lapiken of Missoula proved again his mastery over Montana chess players with a 5-0 sweep of the Montana Open, played in Missoula on May 2-3. Idaho's Dick Vandenburg placed second, 4-1, losing only to Montana Expert Adam Smith. Harold Hughart, now of Boise also, placed third, 4-1, losing to 4th place Ellak Papp of Billings and winning from Smith in the final round. Luckily? for the Idaho players, they didn't draw Lapiken in the last round. That unfortunate task went to James Felt who played gallantly but lost. John Barto gave Lapiken his best test in the first round but couldn't quite hold on to a draw. Next year's tourney will be in Billings.

The tournament had a total of 46 players, including four juniors. Winner of the round robin junior class was Robert Hollibaugh of Missoula with 3 wins. Second was Ellen Shiere, 2-1, Everett Lajoie, Jr. was third, 1-2, and Richard Southern was fourth, 0-3.

Montana always has a large turnout to its annual tournaments. This year's Class A section had 26 entries with good competition all the way. Ted Salverson and Larry McKay both scored 4½ while John Reddy and Wally Albert scored 4 wins. North Idaho's Steve Sala placed 6th scoring 3½. It is the Editor's opinion that many of the class A players could do very well in the AA Class. The final results of the Class A is as follows:

SICILIAN DEFENSE

White: Gaston Chappuis
Black: John Freeman

Notes by Chappuis.

(a) Six pawn moves out of the first seven? (But Black's development is only one piece down, ELC).

(b) Perhaps premature. White relinquishes control of K5 to increase the pressure on K6, a calculated risk. Of course if 11...P-K4, Black's Q4 is controlled by White and the QP is backward.

(c) A sound sacrifice which nets three pawns and maintains the attack.

(d) The Knight is immune to capture as 23...QxN would bring Q-Q8ch (the idea behind White's 19th move) then K-N2; Q-B6ch, K-any; and 26 NxBP.

(e) 24...NxR and 25 QxQ!

SICILIAN DEFENSE

White: Ben Greenwald
Black: Richard Owen

Notes by Owen.

(a) This N move is mysterious but adds to the complications later on.

(b) Black must beat White to the attack.

(c) With this move White admits that Black's attack is apt to be more powerful than his, so he trades hoping to win the end game.

(d) After PxP, B-R4 dch, 25 N-B3, BxN Black ends up with a piece to the good.

(e) Now White's pieces are tied down to the defense of each other and of pawns.

(f) This move wins the exchange and with it the game.

POLISH OPENING

White: Richard Owen
Black: Richard Bryan

And White wins move 43.

Notes by Owen.

(a) Black had 15 minutes on his clock. White played this opening which is full of traps because he knew his opponent would be unfamiliar with it and require much time.

(b) This move ties up the center but allows P-Q5 for Black (which he didn't take advantage of). White also tries to prevent P-K4 for Black.

(c) The N on R3 discourages Black from trading his QP for the BP, and doesn't block the diagonal.

(d) White takes full advantage of the awkward position of Black's Queen.

(e) Played in order to stop Black's P-K4 and to support White's N at K5 on his way to QB6. If 12...BPxP; 13 BPxP wins a pawn and weakens Black's position.

(f) White wants to trade off his N for the Bishop by 19 N-B6, and then win a pawn with an easy game.

(g) Black is now under severe time pressure.

Dr. Groenig tries to take the old Maestro -- from scores sent in by Horton Thompson.

RETI IRREGULAR

White: Dave Groenig
Black: Olaf Ulvestad

(a) A courageous and cold-blooded move.

(b) Horton's note suggested P-KR4.

ENGLISH OPENING

White: R. Schultz
Black: D. Groenig

Notes by Thompson. This game was very important to each. It looked like Groenig was sunk but that 32nd move changed things. Schultz grew up in New York's Marshall Chess Club.

COLLE SYSTEM

White: Eugene Cowan
Black: Ed Schiess

This is supposed to be a good variation against inexperienced players but Ed defends well against it to a point -- he doesn't see the King side storm coming. Then the blunder ends it.

PETROFF DEFENSE

White: Carlos Lauritzen
Black: Eugene Cowan

And Black wins, move 31.

My apologies for a hastily put together Games Section this time -- and thanks to Owen, Chappuis, and Thompson for their hot scores.

ATTEND THE IDAHO OPEN -- BOISE YMCA
MAY 30-31 -- 5 rounds, good competition