by Jay Simonson
Tournament Director

Sean Manross, officially rated 1805 before the tournament, from Yosemite, California, was the clear winner of the Eastern Idaho Open Chess Tournament with a score of 4½. Our Idaho Open Co-Champion, Idaho Girl's Champion, and Idaho Scholastic Champion, Katie Abderhalden, who recently returned to Meridian, Idaho from Maine, won clear second with 3½ points. Third place was a tie between David Stewart of Payette, Idaho, and Paul Edvalson, of Boise, Idaho, with 3 points each.

Jamie Lang of Boise, Idaho, won clear 1st place in the Reserve (under1400) Section with 4 points while young Vishwa Shrinivasan of Salt Lake City, Utah, who garnered 3½ points earned 2nd Place. ICA Trustee for Tournament Development, Kevin Patterson tied for 3rd Place in the Reserve Section with previously unrated ISU student Gary Hollingsworth. Gary and Kevin each earned 3 points.

18 players showed up, representing Idaho, California, Wyoming, and Utah. The Open section had 10 players and the reserve had 8. Because of the scores, Katie and Ricky Abderhalden had to play against each other, Caleb Kircher and Caleb Abernathy were paired in round four and Katie Rae Patterson had to play her dad in the reserve section. The victors showed no mercy on their family members as they each wanted their chance at 15 minutes of fame and glory, not to mention the cash they potentially could win. Because of players who dropped out, Gina Mason, of Park City, Utah, graciously consented to playing as a house player 1st, in the Reserve Section, then, in the open section against her son Sam. Tournament Director, Jay Simonson played in the last round of the Reserve section to avoid giving a bye to an unrated player. Nicholas (Marc) Harrison dispatched Jay in 15 moves.

The local newspaper, the Idaho State Journal, showed up to do an article on the tournament, and decided instead to do a feature on Jay Simonson. It was a good and complimentary article which was published on Monday, September 20, 2010.

Please make plans to attend the upcoming tournaments: The Wood River Weekend Progressive, on National Chess Day, October 9, 2010, at Wood River High School, in Hailey, Idaho; The Southern Idaho Open, at the Obenchain Insurance Building in Twin Falls, Idaho, on November 13th; and the Western Idaho Open, changed to December 11th and 12th, at the Ameritel Inn, by the Mall in Boise.