Lone Pine

[Hans Jung]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-...ents-lone-pine Does anyone remember these tournaments? The article is very informative and a great trip down memory lane. I drove through and visited the tournament site in 1983, just two years after the last tournament. Although I was too late I really enjoyed the tournament hall and the nostalgia. And I got a great deal on a cowboy hat and boots.

[Frank Dixon]

This is a terrific article! The Lone Pine events in many respects paved the way of the future for large Open events in North America with strong international fields, such as the New York Opens and World Opens, which got going by the late 1970s (and the 1974 Canadian Open in Montreal, with a field of over 600 players, including many world-class GMs. Just looking at the one cross-table provided in this article shows more than ten GMs, as well as many other players who earned GM and IM titles in the years ahead. So these events were tremendous development opportunities for dozens of upcoming players. Their prize funds were among the largest in the world at the time.

GM Andrew Soltis, in his amazing book 'Soviet Chess 1917-1991' devotes a section to the Lone Pine events which saw Soviet participation, often with careful fencing by the Soviet federation to avoid having to play in the same fields with the former Soviet GM Viktor Korchnoi, a world championship challenger in both 1978 and 1981. GM Korchnoi faced a Soviet boycott in events he played, following his 1976 defection!! One year, GM Korchnoi entered Lone Pine quietly at the last minute, after GM Artur Yusupov had already arrived, and the two met, with both having strong scores, and with high placement on the line; GM Korchnoi won a very fine game!

With the eleven Lone Pine Opens put together by Mr. Statham, between 1971 and 1981, there is certainly material aplenty for a full-length book to cover the many great games and stories which all happened in a small, out-of-the-way California town!! Mr. Statham, who died in 1983, deserves certainly greater recognition for his exceptional contributions as a chess supporter and patron, such as a place in the USA Chess Hall of Fame!!

[Hans Jung]

Excellent post Frank.

The list of Canadians who played was led by Peter Biyiasas who played 8 times! followed by Lawrence Day at 3 times. The rest only played once: in alphabetical order: George Berner, Jonathan Berry, John Burstow, Camille Coudari, Walter Dobrich, Jean Hebert, Igor Ivanov, Bryon Nickoloff, Duncan Suttles, Zvonko Vranesic, Abe Yanofsky.

On another note John Fedorowicz (the Fed) played in the last six in a row that were held. At some point I would like to get some reminiscences from him as he is an excellent story teller.

Nobody played in all eleven. Walter Browne holds the record with 10 out of 11!