Idaho is a big state with a
low population
(pop. 1,595,728 & 19.0people/sq. mile) meaning
that there are less opportunities to play tournament chess than elsewhere.
The ICA State Scholastic Chess Championship is practically the only
venue to play a formal chess game for scholastic students and the size of the
state precludes most from traveling far to play. In addition, Idaho is
also one of the leaders in poverty with 15.8% living in poverty with incomes
well below national averages
(Idaho averages $43,259/person). The cost of a chess tournament is a luxury that many people will choose
not to participate in. For example, the cost of registration ($30),
travel ($100), hotels (average $90), USCF membership ($22), food and other
incidentals, add up fast. Consequently, nearly all the scholastic chess
players are from the Boise area excepting a few individuals from other parts of
the state like Savanna Naccarato from Sandpoint (way up north) and Jacob Nathan
from Idaho Falls (far eastern part of the state). Fortunately, my school
district supports the chess team by supplying bus transportation and we use
fundraisers to help with other fees. Seven of our ten person team paid
for their trip through fundraising, and they would not have attended otherwise.
(Game Faces at bottom
of post.)
Despite the difficulties,
274 students participated in the annual event and got their yearly fill of
chess on March 16 during St. Patrick's weekend. When my team all went up
for the team award, I overheard one mother gasp and say "holy cow!"
I think she was surprised at how many out-of-towners we brought. I
think I can safely say that the WRHS Chess Team is the largest in attendance
with ten participants in the 41 person Championship Section. In all, we
had 23
Blaine County School District players in the tournament in the K-12, 8th, 7th,
5th, 3rd, 2nd, K sections. I hope we can increase that number next year.
This was one of the first times that we also had a contingent of parents
including the Van Law's, Bakers, Stouffer's, and the Barckhotlz's.
Usually it is only me and my wife cheering and encouraging players and I
appreciated the extra support (and sympathies!).
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| Jay Simonson, ICA President, welcomes everyone to the tournament. |
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| One of the best TD staffs. |
I was very pleased by the quality and pageantry of the event, and as the newly elected Vice President of the
Idaho Chess Association, I felt that the location, awards, and the TD staff reflected that mission of the ICA. It also boded well for the cost of the trip for the kids and made them all feel very special to participate. The Boise School District charges an enormous fee to rent their facilities and does not recognize that chess is an academic pursuit despite our Department of Education State Superintendent and Board of Trustees support of First Move! in the Kindergarten - 3rd grade. The ICA Scholastic
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| This was one of the best venues I have seen in Idaho. |
Committee found the
Vineyard which offered a comfortable playing room for the championship section (carpet, stage for board 101, paintings, adequate lighting and heating, and a large TD staff) and a large gymnasium for the elementary sections. The playing rooms were even protected from noise by having double doors (like an airlock!) from the "playpen" (skittles room). The championship room was virtually a silent room of concentration! The other amenities included a nicely decorated parents waiting area with enough tables and chairs for all, a sun porch, and a top-notch PA
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| The "Playpen" (skittles room) |
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| Experienced TDs that put kids first before chess. |
system. We could actually hear announcements! Plus, for people like me, a Moxie Java just one block away.
In contrast to Girl's State, I heard no complaints from parents or players this time around. I just hope the venue will allow us to return.
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| Scholastic State Champion, Nathan Jiang |
(Keep going for Game Faces )
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Pairing sheets were easier to get to this year for Anna Murphy
Wesley Brimstein |
Our successes reflected the quality of the event. I was very pleased with the results given that virtually everyone on our team were beginners. Five trophies and three medals were added to the past
accomplishments of the WRHS Chess Club. The WRHS Chess Club earned
second place behind a rival chess club, Borah High School, and Megan Jones
won the 12th grade State Champion title. We also earned other trophies and medals, however, the quality of the games and the enthusiasm of my players were my pleasures.
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| Megan is a thinker, an artist, a writer, and a renaissance woman. |
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| Megan and Desmond |
Desmond and Megan were instrumental in helping their team
earn 2nd place against eight other schools.
The last round, called "the Money Round" was critical for with
team results depending on the outcome of three games.
See earlier post on team play.
(Keep going for Game Faces )
The WRMS 7th grade team earned third place
with only two players, Dylan Porth and Victor Saldivia. Teams consisted of the top three boards from
each school. In addition, Dylan Porth
earned a fourth place trophy, as well as eighth grader, Nathan Stouffer.
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| Kathy Baker and Lynnet Porth try to see the action from the parents area. |
The second grade team included Darwin Porth, Luke Baker, and
Owen Stouffer. Their exciting ending
resulted in another third place for Wood River.
Owen also won a medal for his 3.5 point score and brother Garrett
Stouffer also earned a medal in 6th grade.
Zane Barckholtz won a medal in the 5th grade section and all of the
players worked with each other to produce the outstanding results.
(Keep going for Game Faces )
Fun with Chess Pics
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| One of my favorite handshake pictures - "I don't have to shake your hand again!" |
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| Liam Van Law has fun playing chess. |
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| Colby Castle, our team Leprechaun, attends his first tournament for WRHS Chess Club. |
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| The 7th grade prize winners. |
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| The 8th grade prize winners. |
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| Waiting for results, Kory/Tyler vs. Colby/Matt in Bughouse. |
Game Faces
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| Darwin getting his game face on. |
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| Wyatt Caccia Game Face. |
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| Tyler Avila (left) Game Face. |
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| Game Face of Anna Murphy. |
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| Keegan Crowson Game Face. |
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| Dylan Porth Game Face. |
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| Matt Reidy Game Face. |
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| Alex Baker Game Face. |
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| Colby Castle Game Face (right). |
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| Mom and Owen's game face |
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| Wesley Brimstein Game Face |
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| Van Law Game Face |
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| Another Van Law game face |
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| Victor Saldivia Game Face |
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| Zane Barckholtz Game Face |
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| WRHS Chess Club Game Face (see Tyler's game face upper right) |
Dylan and Desmond Porth will participate in the
USCFSuper Nationals this next week in Nashville, Tennessee - the largest tournament in the world attracting nearly 5000 scholastic participants, 16 from Idaho. On April 13, the
3rd Annual Elementary ChessChampionship for area students, Kindergarten through 5th grade, will be held at the high school and the top elementary school will be crowned. Contact Adam Porth,
aporth1@cox.net to participate. Stay
tuned for more chess successes from Idaho.
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| The bus ride home (Post-game face). |
Megan Jones (provisionally 1200) was the talk of the club. Megan is a high school senior at WRHS and learned how to
play chess last semester in the Integrating
Chess and Critical Thinking class taught by me. She swiftly moved up the ranks
within the class and played primarily in informal classroom tournaments until her recent success at the ICA Scholastic Novice tournament for beginners
where she scored 4.0 out of 5 points.
Megan is referred to as the secret Grand Master by her fellow chess
players and she scored 4.0 of 5 points in the championship. As Megan left the tournament room, fatigue
and surprise graced her features as she told her teammates, "I
won!" Her only loss was to
teammate, Desmond Porth who earned 2nd place 10th grader.
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