December Tournaments: WIO

The Western Idaho Open is one of the earliest tournaments in December and draws all the usual Boise suspects, and of course, the Porth's.  This time however, there were some new faces.  I counted eight that have never played in a tournament that I have attended.  It was of great interest to everyone that David Lucky attended as he is rated upwards near a master (2375).  The next highest rated player was Caleb Kircher (1882), Boise and H.G. Pitre (1879), of Seattle.

One of the coolest chess names ever - Dave Lucky!

 This is a great tournament for us because we can complete our Christmas shopping and Darwin can spend time in the pool as we stay overnight near the mall every year before Chrismas.  With Desmond, Dylan, Darwin, and me possessing ratings under 1400, we all qualified for the Reserve, which we happily entered.  I would like to play up, however, 'tis the season that demands lot's of cash and the lure of the prize money stopped me.

Could someone please make a decision?  Looks a bit tied up to me,

Twenty-two players were in the open section and I was surprised when the tournament commenced and there were only 7 players in the reserve section - more than half are the Porth's.  I was expecting the four more U1400 players in the open section to go for the cash, but some players prefer harder games and the chance at increasing their rating significantly, so they played up. Jeff Roland was an outstanding tournament director and also played at or near the top boards in the open section.  It is very difficult to be a director and a player at the same time.  Time trouble is usually common.

Miss Carmen

In fact, I was impressed with the performance of #4, 5, 6 (Carmen Pemsler, Jeff Roland, and Shane Taylor).  As I walked around in between my moves, their games looked great and there moves very solid.  I suspect that any of these players might enjoy the State Championship coming up in February as they are capable of earning the title.  It is clear that they can beat anyone in the state.

In the last round, Caleb Kircher earned a point from an early blunder by James Inman on move 11!  James and Caleb both usually play at a much higher level in tournaments, so I suspect that they were distracted . . .or something.

Caleb's nasty pin against veteran player, James Inman.

cxd5??

It was a group effort with the Porth's that brought home for the first time 1st - 3rd place.  Also, there were three teachers battling with 2 being of the math persuasion and one of science. After driving from 5 am and arriving just in time for round 1 to start, I played a miserable game that resulted in a draw between Mike Healy and myself (see below).  4. ..Qa5+ would have won a piece!  6. ..Qa5+?  What's wrong with Kxf7?  N...O...THING!!  As the competition neared a close, it was with great joy that I collected money (prize winnings) that paid for our entry fee and our hotel.

Aerial from the Goodyear Blimp

Crosstable

Open Section
##	Player	Residence	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	Score	Prize
1	David Lucky	Eagle	2375	W19	W21	W9	W3	W5	5	$180.00
2	Graeme K. Faulkner	Boise	1329	L10	W6	W11	W12	W9	4	$90.00
3	H.G. Pitre	Seattle, WA	1879	W6	W10	W5	L1	D4	3½	$33.75
4	Carmen Pemsler	Eagle	1610	W18	-H-	W15	D9	D3	3½	$33.75
5	Jeffrey T. Roland	Boise	1703	W17	W15	L3	W16	L1	3
6	Shane Taylor	Boise	1473	L3	L2	W19	W15	W17	3
7	Chris Amen	Boise	1594	W20	L12	D13	D14	W16	3
8	Dale R. Bowden	Boise	1621	W22	L9	-H-	D18	W10	3
9	Eric Woro	Ontario, OR	1761	W14	W8	L1	D4	L2	2½
10	Jarod N. Buus	Nampa	1671	W2	L3	-H-	W13	L8	2½
11	Kevin Yang	Boise	1487	L15	W17	L2	W21	D14	2½
12	John Carr	Victor	1745	D16	W7	-N-	L2	W20	2½
13	Corey Kenneth Longhurst	Boise	1410	L21	W20	D7	L10	W18	2½
14	Jamie Lang	Meridian	1470	L9	W22	-H-	D7	D11	2½
15	Caleb Paul Kircher	Nampa	1882	W11	L5	L4	L6	W21	2
16	David Allen Zaklan	Twin Falls	1442	D12	D19	W21	L5	L7	2
17	Jacob Ari Nathan	Idaho Falls	1391	L5	L11	W22	W19	L6	2
18	Justin Siek	Boise	925	L4	-B-	-H-	D8	L13	2
19	Kenneth Sanderson	Boise	1577	L1	D16	L6	L17	W22	1½
20	Joetta Faulkner	Boise	847	L7	L13	-H-	W22	L12	1½
21	James Inman	Nampa	1724	W13	L1	L16	L11	L15	1
22	Matthew William White	Boise	1203	L8	L14	L17	L20	L19	0

Reserve (U1400) Section
##	Player	Residence	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	Score	Prize
1	Desmond Porth	Bellevue	1308	W3	W4	L2	W5	W6	4	$78.75
2	Adam Porth	Bellevue	1363	D5	W7	W1	W4	D3	4	$78.75
3	Dylan Porth	Bellevue	818	L1	W5	W6	-B-	D2	3½	$45.00
4	Roger Hunter	Nyssa, OR	1112	W6	L1	W7	L2	-B-	3
5	Michael Healy	Boise	833	D2	L3	-B-	L1	W7	2½
6	Oliver Eli Nathan	Idaho Falls	462	L4	-B-	L3	W7	L1	2
7	Darwin Albert Porth	Bellevue	432	-B-	L2	L4	L6	L5	1

Standings

Open Section
##	Player	Rating	Score	Solk	Med	MMed	CumOp
1	David Lucky	2375	5	11½	7	10½	41½
2	Graeme K. Faulkner	1329	4	13½	8	11	38
3	H.G. Pitre	1879	3½	17	9½	14½	51
4	Carmen Pemsler	1610	3½	9½	6	9½	33½
5	Jeffrey T. Roland	1703	3	14½	7½	12½	46
6	Shane Taylor	1473	3	13	7½	11½	36½
7	Chris Amen	1594	3	11½	7	10	31
8	Dale R. Bowden	1621	3	6½	4	6½	23
9	Eric Woro	1761	2½	18	10½	10½	50½
10	Jarod N. Buus	1671	2½	13	9	9	37
11	Kevin Yang	1487	2½	11½	6½	6½	32½
12	John Carr	1745	2½	10½	6½	6½	29
13	Corey Kenneth Longhurst	1410	2½	9½	5½	5½	29½
14	Jamie Lang	1470	2½	8	5	5	25
15	Caleb Paul Kircher	1882	2	13	8½	9½	39½
16	David Allen Zaklan	1442	2	11½	7½	8½	35
17	Jacob Ari Nathan	1391	2	10	7	7	26½
18	Justin Siek	925	2	9	5½	5½	25½
19	Kenneth Sanderson	1577	1½	12	7	7	33½
20	Joetta Faulkner	847	1½	8½	5½	5½	22½
21	James Inman	1724	1	14	7	9	41½
22	Matthew William White	1203	0	10½	6	7½	25½

Reserve (U1400) Section
##	Player	Rating	Score	Solk	Med	MMed	CumOp
1	Desmond Porth	1308	4	13	7½	11½	39
2	Adam Porth	1363	4	12	7½	11½	38
3	Dylan Porth	818	3½	11½	7½	11½	34½
4	Roger Hunter	1112	3	10	6	10	33
5	Michael Healy	833	2½	11½	7½	7½	36½
6	Oliver Eli Nathan	462	2	10	6	6	32½
7	Darwin Albert Porth	432	1	10	6	6	30½

I always thought Jamie Lang looked like a beardless me.

2014 Turkey Shoot Results

  

This is the third year that the BCSD has sponsored a turkey shoot the weekend before Thanksgiving and it becomes more successful each year.  This tournament included 19 competitors from Kindergarden to 12th grade and was a nice way to spend the weekend during transition from Fall to Ski Season! 

River Shepard finishes with a perfect tournament - 5.0!

Levi Catangcatang was the oldest student in the tournament (12th grade) and he thoroughly enjoyed every moment.  Levi is from Silver Creek High School and is our club Vice President. He exemplifies characteristics that we want all our teenagers to show.  He helps set up and tear down tournaments, and during the tournament he is my left hand, running back to my classroom to get things I forgot; helps players understand how they lost the game; analyzes games, ensures that tournament rules are followed, helps re-set clocks, and he shares his knowledge of openings with all the youngsters.  Levi scored 4 points and enjoyed staying on Board 1 the whole day while playing intense and interesting tactical games.  During the last round, River Shepard capitalized on a blunder by Levi and moved in to 1st place.  This is River's first time in first place.  

During Round 5, River Shepard plays Levi Catangcatang for the turkey!

As we approach the holiday season, I like to have prizes for contestants rather than trophies. It is a tradition that the winner takes home a turkey, and second place  earns stuffing, and third gets a yam.  River's family showed up for the awards ceremony and were surprised to learn that they don't have to go shopping for their turkey dinner!  I also include drawings which are the kids love because they all can go home with a prize, potentially, despite their placement.  Today, Levi Renner won a chess set and Bayro Llandoy won a cornish game hen (mini-turkey!).

The games today were G/30 d5, however,  as usual games were completed way before the official end time.  Round 1 was like a blitz round with the last game finishing up after 35 minutes.  So each round and occasionally during the round I kept reminding players to "keep playing slow. . .look for at least three candidate moves before you move . . .sit on your hands . . . which squares are being attacked?"  I consider tournaments, which draw kids that normally don't come to chess club to learn openings, strategy, and etiquette, an opportunity to spread the wealth of the game.  Chess clubbers and non-chess clubbers all benefit because  the non-chess clubbers will play better and challenge the experienced regular players more.  Also, it encourages the kids to not open up with trap-lines that they learned in chess club for quick victories.  

"BooYa!  Beat that move!"  says Asher Stouffer (white) against Carter Thompson who casually winked at me.  (Asher's pawn storm came a little too early!)

This tournament will be remembered as the big brother tournament.  Desmond (whom did not play) stayed and encouraged Darwin during his first game, but left before the round was over.  Stouffer's had four brothers at the tournament with two actually playing and the oldest hanging around to pat his bro's on the back after the games.  Thompson's came with their three boys and they also would congratulate and console one another after each round.  Quentin Van Law was always in proximity to his younger brother, Leam unless his game demanded more attention.  Chess is a great sport for families to participate in together.

Garrett gives Asher a hug of encouragement.

Quentin observes his little bro, Leam (black) play against Renner (white).

The next tournament is Thursday, Dec. 11, during chess club. The Christmas Blitzkrieg!  This will name our Blitz Champion.  Also, the following week is Santa's Bughouse.   During Winter Break, the Family & Friends Tournament is a relaxed way to enter the chess tournament life.  Hope to see you there!

Froilan loves playing chess and looking at chess problems.

Darwin always takes good chess pictures (although he didn't like his hair!).

Owen Stouffer. 

Offda, Quentin socks it to his opponent.

Leam Van Law.

One of the best Chess Pictures I have taken - the eagerness and enthusiasm for playing in a tournament is sweet! 

Results

Place	Name	Rate	Score	Solk	CumOp	Cum	MMed
1	Shepard, River (5)	982	5	17	54	15	14
2	Catangcatang, Levi (1)	1119	4	15	48	14	14
3	Barkholtz, Zane (3)	1001	4	12.5	43	12	11.5
4	Stouffer, Owen (17)	nnnn	3	16.5	46	10	14.5
5	Porth, Darwin (4)	985	3	15.5	54	10	14
6	Van Law, Quentin (6)	969	3	13	44	8	11.5
7	Thompson, Hunter (9)	883	3	13	37	12	12.5
8	Hall, Joe (12)	nnnn	3	11.5	36	8	11
9	Cross, Kaiden (7)	900	2.5	10	35	5	6
10	Renner, Levi (14)	nnnn	2.5	9	24	5	5
11	Lladoy, Bayro (13)	nnnn	2	13.5	41	8	9.5
12	Enriquez, Froilan (8)	900	2	11.5	36	6	8.5
13	Van Law, Leam (10)	817	2	6	18	2	3.5
14	Gaudreau, Spencer (2)	1035	2	1.5	5	3	0.5
15	Stouffer, Emmett (16)	nnnn	1.5	12.5	32	5	8.5
16	Thompson, Carter (18)	nnnn	1.5	10	26	5	7
17	Thompson, Porter (19)	nnnn	1	14	31	5	10
18	Grimes, Xavier (11)	nnnn	1	12	31	3	8
19	Stouffer, Asher (15)	nnnn	1	11	28	0	7.5

Crosstable

No.	Name	Rate	Pts	Rnd1	Rnd2	Rnd3	Rnd4	Rnd5
1	Shepard, River	982	5	W7	W8	W3	W4	W2
2	Catangcatang, Levi	1119	4	W17	W5	W4	W6	L1
3	Barkholtz, Zane	1001	4	W15	W19	L1	W14	W8
4	Porth, Darwin	985	3	W16	W14	L2	L1	W6
5	Van Law, Quentin	969	3	W10	L2	L6	W16	W14
6	Thompson, Hunter	883	3	W18	W9	W5	L2	L4
7	Hall, Joe		3	L1	W18	W19	L8	W12
8	Stouffer, Owen		3	W9	L1	W12	W7	L3
9	Cross, Kaiden	900	2.5	L8	L6	W17	D15	W16
10	Renner, Levi		2.5	L5	L12	W13	D17	W15
11	Gaudreau, Spencer	1035	2	-U-	-U-	-U-	W18	W19
12	Enriquez, Froilan	900	2	L14	W10	L8	W19	L7
13	Van Law, Leam	817	2	L19	L15	L10	-B-	W17
14	Lladoy, Bayro		2	W12	L4	W15	L3	L5
15	Stouffer, Emmett		1.5	L3	W13	L14	D9	L10
16	Thompson, Carter		1.5	L4	D17	W18	L5	L9
17	Grimes, Xavier		1	L2	D16	L9	D10	L13
18	Stouffer, Asher		1	L6	L7	L16	L11	-B-
19	Thompson, Porter		1	W13	L3	L7	L12	L11