DEAR ISCA MEMBERS:
Because my blogs are the most recent, blogs published earlier are hidden on the ISCA webpage.
You can see all ISCA blogs at this link: Blogs - Indiana State Chess Association (clubexpress.com).
--Les Kistler
Here is a listing of available blogs for you to read on the ISCA website:
𝕳𝖔𝖓𝖔𝖗 𝕽𝖔𝖑𝖑
Elkhart County Chess Club Champions
1980-2010
Thanks to Roger Blaine for providing the
list of club champions from 1983-2010.
ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB
PHOTOS 1980-1989
NOTE TO READERS:
Earlier this year, Roger Blaine, Les Kistler (this writer), and Dan Watson came into possession of a large photo album entitled ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB, 1980-1989. All three of these players have a longstanding connection to chess in Elkhart, so perusing this album was a pleasant trip down memory lane. Soon thereafter I obtained a desktop scanner from Dan Watson and started saving these photos in digital form, with the aim of sharing them with ISCA members on this website.
While looking at the photos was enjoyable, I soon ran into difficulties. Those who assembled the album left out key details about numerous photographs. For example, in some photographs there is no information written down about who is pictured, where or when the photo was taken, or what event was shown. This is understandable—and excusable—since the Elkhart County Chess Club elected its officers (once a year, I believe), so the responsibility for this book rotated among several different individuals. Although I don't know who compiled the album, I have a pretty good idea that the job was shared by Thomas R. Smith (whose distinctive handwriting appears on some photo captions), Edward G. Dovey, Allan C. Sluder, Franklin T. Wike, and Ronnie R. Yoder, Sr. as well as others who may remain unknown. Years later, I got to know Tom, Ed, and Ron, but I am indebted to Allan and Franklin as well for the roles they played in preserving the Elkhart County Chess Club's history.
Special thanks go to former Elkhart County Chess Club members Dennis R. Miller and Vivian Schmucker, both of whom were present for many chess battles of the 1980s. Originally from Ohio, Vivian came to Goshen in 1975 to attend college and has remained in the Maple City ever since. She has had a front-row seat to the many events sponsored by the ECCC and its predecessor clubs. Dennis spent his youth in Goshen but then moved away to Illinois where he had a successful career as a mathematics professor before his retirement in 2020. Both of them graciously helped me fill in missing information by identifying players in photos, providing copies of old crosstables, sharing articles, and retelling tales of almost-forgotten tournaments. (The reader is encouraged to enjoy the epic adventures of four out-of-town chess players who were stranded by a blizzard on their way home from a two-day Elkhart tournament; see January 9-10, 1982, below.) Thanks also to Lester VanMeter (our current ISCA President) who suggested I locate old issues of the Hoosier Chess Journal and its successor, Chess in Indiana, online.
The photos I post here will tell only part of the Elkhart County Chess Club's story. To flesh out the narrative, I took the liberty of looking up tournament announcements online on the USCF's archive page (Chess Life and Chess Review Archives | US Chess.org) where a diligent researcher can browse the digital archives of Chess Life (1946-2022), Chess Review (1933-1969), and Chess Life Kids (1983-2022). The ECCC was quite active from 1980 to 1989, and I have screen-snipped all the tournament announcements from Chess Life during this period and placed them here. (Fair warning: If you intend to download the PDF file for an individual year from this website, it will take a long time. Chess Life magazine for the year 1982, for example, consists of 828 pages. However, you can download one individual magazine from a particular month if you wish.)
One major reason a chess club obtains U.S. Chess Federation affiliation is to conduct rated tournaments, but USCF-rated events are for players who already are committed to competitive tournament play. The ECCC went "above and beyond" sponsoring rated tournaments; the club strove to increase membership with community outreach by staging chess exhibitions at Elkhart's two malls (two events at Concord Mall and one at Pierre Moran Mall). In the photos below, you'll see the club's members giving simuls, organizing mini-tournaments, playing speed chess with mall patrons, and setting out numerous chess computers for people to play. This not only gave the club public visibility but also served as a recruiting tool for new members.
At the bottom of this blog, I explain my personal connection to Elkhart city, its chess players, and its club.
--Les Kistler
October 14, 2023
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Initially I intended to present the photographs with captions--and nothing else. But the further I got into the project, I got more interested in the backstory behind the photos. Who is shown in the photo? Where was it taken? What chess event was happening? I started adding crosstables, USCF tournament announcements, tournament notices in the Hoosier Chess Journal (and its successor, Chess in Indiana), newspaper clippings, and any other details that I found interesting. This blog is an ongoing project, and I expect it will be a long time before I can say "Finally, it's finished." As of December 2023, I have scanned all the photos in the photo album, but I intend to add other items as I find them.
Many of the photographs in the album are unlabeled or labeled with insufficient information (for example, a photo might be labeled simply "Tournament at Concord Mall"). Some photos were placed out of chronological order within the book, while others were placed improperly with photos from an entirely different chess event. Only by careful observations and detective work was I able to put them in (what I think is) the correct sequence. As a former Elkhartan, my prior knowledge of players and locales was a big help.
Initially I intended to cover only the Elkhart County Chess Club and its photo album. However, several other chess events conducted in Elkhart County were not run by the ECCC. As a former resident of Elkhart and an active chessplayer in tournaments there, I decided to include those non-ECCC happenings because I want, as much as possible, to preserve the full chess history of Elkhart County.
A number of pictures in the photo album appeared to be original prints by a photographer from The Elkhart Truth. Some of them had this stamp on the back:↓
I wrote to the current Managing Editor, Mr. Jon Gard, who kindly granted me permission to publish those old photos. (Sometimes it just pays to have connections; an ex-pupil of mine from Penn High School, Josh Howsam, is the Circulation Director for The Elkhart Truth.)
USEFUL LINKS:
USCF magazine archives: (Chess Life and Chess Review Archives | US Chess.org)
Hoosier Chess Journal and Chess in Indiana magazine repository: (Bob Banta (bob_banta_2) | Scribd)
INTRODUCTION
This blog was originally intended to include only the photos from the Elkhart County Chess Club from 1980-1989. On reflection, I realized that there was precious little known about what happened on the chess scene in Elkhart before 1980 or after 1989. Since I lived in Elkhart from 1971-1975 and 1978-1980, I took it upon myself fill in some of my own chess history. However, after working about 10 months on this blog, I discovered that it was no longer possible to add content because I had filled up the available space for this blog [see photo below].
To free up space, I have split the information into three separate blogs:
❶ ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB HISTORY 1973-1979
❷ ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB HISTORY 1980-1989 [this blog]
❸ ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB HISTORY 1990-2012
As of October 2024, all the material is still in this blog, but I will create blogs ❶ and ❸ when time permits.
--Les Kistler
Mishawaka, Indiana
October 2024
1980
GOSHEN WINTER TORNADO
Newcomer Center, Goshen College*
1700 South Main Street
Goshen, Indiana
January 26, 1980
Advertisement for Goshen Winter Tornado, January 26, 1980
(Chess Life, January 1980, page 65)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1980/1980_All.pdf PDF page 69
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable below.
(page reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
GOSHEN WINTER TORNADO
January 26, 1980
In round 2, Garry Champ (playing White, left) ponders his move against Lester Bridenthal (playing Black, right).
In the background is Ken Barrett.
*According to Dennis Miller and Vivian Schmucker, this is the only chess
tournament conducted on the campus of Goshen College.
GOSHEN TORNADO
Goshen Public Library
601 South 5th Street
Goshen, Indiana
June 7, 1980
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, VOL. II, NO. 6; JULY-OCTOBER 1980; page 27
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-2-no-4-5-jul-oct-1980.html?page=13
This library has been friendly to chess tournaments for many years. In 2022 and 2023,
the Goshen Public Library has hosted Joe Riegsecker's "Library" Futurity tournaments.
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable below.
1980 GOSHEN SUMMER TORNADO
Goshen Public Library
601 South 5th Street
Goshen, Indiana
August 16, 1980
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the
crosstable and newspaper clipping below.
(heading added; page reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
Second crosstable retyped by Les Kistler.
Scenes from the Goshen Summer Tornado, round 1
at the Goshen Public Library on August 16, 1980
Goshen News (no date provided)
(second image recolored)
According to Dennis Miller, the players pictured in the photo are (clockwise from left front):
Lester Bridenthal, Ronnie Yoder (striped shirt), Bill Breidenthal (reaching to make a move),
Eddie Thomas (face resting on palm), Kenney Simcoe, and Donald Stout (right front).
ISCA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
YWCA
721 East Madison Street
Goshen, Indiana
November 22-23, 1980
Advertisement for ISCA Team Championship, November 22-23, 1980
(Chess Life, December 1980, page 61)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1980/1980_All.pdf PDF page 714
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, VOL. II, NO. 4-5; JULY-OCTOBER 1980; page 28
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-2-no-4-5-jul-oct-1980.html
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, Vol. II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1980; pages 1-3
(pages 1-2 are the magazine's front cover)
(pages reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, Vol. II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1980; page 2
(pages reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
(second image recolored)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, Vol. II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1980; pages 5-7
(pages reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, Vol. II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1980; pages 8-9
(pages reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, Vol. II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1980; pages 26-27, 31
(pages reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT 1980
(dates, location and details unknown)
ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT 1980
LEFT PHOTO: Brian Daub, 1st Class E
RIGHT PHOTO: Lester VanMeter, 1st Class A & up
1981
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 1 JAN-FEB 1981; page 21
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 3, No. 1 Jan-Feb 1981 - [PDF Document] (vdocument.in)
NOTE: I discovered that two different links go to this copy of the Hoosier Chess Journal:
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-3-no-1-jan-feb-1981.html
https://vdocuments.mx/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-3-no-1-jan-feb-1981.html
INDIANA STATE CHESS ASSOCIATION (ISCA)
ISCA Reserve tournament
1981
Sambo's Restaurant
(now Callahan's Restaurant)
2917 Cassopolis Street
Elkhart, Indiana
(date and details unknown)
ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB
SPEED CHESS TOURNEY 1981
Sambo's Restaurant
(now Callahan's Restaurant)
2917 Cassopolis Street
Elkhart, Indiana
(date and details unknown)
ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB
SPEED CHESS TOURNEY 1981
FRONT ROW: Ed Dovey (14½ points), W. Bontrager, Franklin Wike
BACK ROW: Robert Collyer (14 points), Allan Sluder, Phil Lahr
MICHIANA OPEN
YWCA
721 East Madison Street
Goshen, Indiana
April 25-26, 1981
Advertisement for Michiana Open, April 25-26, 1981
(Chess Life, April 1981, page 46; May 1981, page 49)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1981/1981_All.pdf PDF pages 254 and 317
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 1 JAN-FEB 1981; page 15
https://vdocuments.mx/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-3-no-1-jan-feb-1981.html
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 3 MAY-JUN 1981; page 21
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 3, No. 3 May - Jun 1981 - [PDF Document] (vdocument.in)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 3 MAY-JUN 1981; page 31 (second image reassembled and recolored)
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 3, No. 3 May - Jun 1981 - [PDF Document] (vdocument.in)
ELKHART OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 15, 1981
Advertisement for Elkhart Open, August 15, 1981
(Chess Life, September 1981, page 55)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1981/1981_All.pdf PDF page 529
The crosstable below was provided by this writer (Les Kistler).
Round 2 games from the Elkhart Open
at Concord Mall on August 15, 1981
The Elkhart Truth (no date provided)
(second image recolored)
ELKHART QUADS
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
October 24, 1981
Advertisement for Elkhart Quads, October 24, 1981
(Chess Life, October 1981, page 54; November 1981, page 87)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1981/1981_All.pdf PDF page 660 and PDF page 757
ELKHART I
November 21-22, 1981
This tournament is listed in Hoosier Chess Journal,
but no details are found in Chess Life.
The Elkhart I tournament coincides with the ISCA Team
Championship on November 21-22 in Indianapolis.
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 4, JUL-AUG 1981; page 35
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 5, SEP-OCT 1981; page 27
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-3-no-4-jul-aug-1981.html
CONCORD MALL CHESS EXHIBITION
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
Evan Bontrager (left) and Gary Bontrager (right)
(not related)
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
LEFT PHOTO: Phil Lahr (far right) tries his hand at playing a desktop computer (apparently a Fidelity Chess Challenger).
The other players are unidentified.
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
LEFT PHOTO: Robert Collyer (seated) plays against a computer. Looking on are Allan Sluder (center) and Rhea Kirk (right).
RIGHT PHOTO: Robert Collyer (seated) plays against a computer. An unidentified spectator watches from the far end of the table.
Standing are Allan Sluder (center right), and Shawn Hartman (far right).
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
LEFT PHOTO: Ed Dovey (left, playing Black) vs. an unidentified player
RIGHT PHOTO: unidentified player possibly Brian Daub (left, playing White) – Evan Bontrager (right, playing Black)
ALTERED PHOTO: Note the yellow arrow.
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
The Elkhart County Chess Club's photo album (indicated by the yellow arrow) shows
pictures which appear in THIS BLOG. Visible in this view are the black & white photos
of Lester VanMeter and Brian Daub (see above, ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB
CHAMPIONSHIP 1980), plus the Polaroid photos of Joe Castenando and Allan Sluder
(see above, 1981 ISCA RESERVE TOURNAMENT).
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
Elkhart County Chess Club President Franklin Wike participated in the chess
exhibition wearing a well-tailored shirt advertising the Elkhart County Chess Club.
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
Club President Franklin Wike participated in the chess
exhibition wearing a well-tailored shirt with the Elkhart
County Chess Club logo on the back.
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
Elkhart County Chess Club President Franklin Wike (left)
speaks with a member of the public.
Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
December 11, 1981
(recolored)
Robert Collyer (white collar) is seated at right; other players unidentified.
1981 MAPLE CITY OPEN
Goshen Public Library
601 South 5th Street
Goshen, Indiana
December 19, 1981
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
Original unaltered crosstable below.
SOUTH BEND vs. ELKHART MATCH, 1981 or 1982
(date, location and details unknown)
SOUTH BEND vs. ELKHART MATCH
Bill Breidenthal (left) and an unidentified player (possibly Kenneth VanCleve)
(undated photo, c. 1981 or 1982)
SOUTH BEND vs. ELKHART MATCH
Left side of table (front to back): Dan Jones, unidentified (possibly Kenneth VanCleve),
unidentified, Bill Breidenthal
Right side of table (front to back): Sylvester ("Red") Turner, Jerry D. Watson
(undated photo, c. 1981 or 1982)
SOUTH BEND vs. ELKHART MATCH
Left side of table (front to back): unidentified, Phil Smeltzer
Right side of table (front to back): Larry Holdren, Charles Stewart
The crosstable from the 28th USA Championship and World Championship Zonal
(July 9-30, 1981; South Bend, Indiana) is posted on the board behind the bicycle.
See next photo.
(undated photo, c. 1981 or 1982)
SOUTH BEND vs. ELKHART MATCH
foreground: South Bend's Bill Ristow (playing White, left) – Elkhart's Allan Sluder (playing Black, right)
other players unidentified
The crosstable from the 28th USA Championship and World Championship Zonal
(July 9-30, 1981; South Bend, Indiana) is posted on the board behind the bicycle.
See previous photo.
(undated photo, c. 1981 or 1982)
ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Elkhart, Indiana
1981
(dates and details unknown)
Richard (Rich) Robison
Elkhart County Chess Club Champion, 1981
1982
ELKHART WINTER OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
January 9, January 23, 1982
Advertisement for Elkhart Winter Open, January 9-10, 1982
(Chess Life, December 1981, p. 60 and January 1982, p. 70)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1981/1981_All.pdf PDF page 822
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1982/1982_All.pdf PDF page 70
The Elkhart Truth
Tuesday, January 12, 1982
(second image recolored and headline retyped)
The Elkhart Winter Open, scheduled for January 9-10, 1982, was arguably the most unusual tournament ever played in Elkhart, Indiana. As indicated by the Elkhart Truth article [see above], four players from West Lafayette, Indiana were stranded Sunday (January 10, 1982) after the second day of the tournament was cancelled due to the blizzard in Elkhart. A quick internet search of weather records for Elkhart city indicates that temperatures plummeted to -15° F on January 10. Tournament participants Vivian Schmucker and Dennis Miller kindly responded to my e-mail questions on October 4, 2023 with additional details about this unusual chess event. The tournament was resumed two weeks later on Saturday, January 23, 1982. Indeed, 7 individuals (plus an eighth who had the BYE) did not play in the last round. Photos from the tournament and the official USCF crosstable printout appear below. Thanks to both Dennis Miller and Vivian Schmucker for providing details and the crosstable from this memorable chess tournament.
--Les Kistler
October 5, 2023
Elkhart Winter Open, Elkhart, Indiana
January 9 and January 23, 1982
Round 5 on board 1 (possibly a post-mortem analysis taking place):
Bernard Parham, Sr. (left, playing White) — Richard (Rich) Robison (right, playing Black)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Elkhart Winter Open, Elkhart, Indiana
January 9 and January 23, 1982
Action in round 5: Dennis Miller (left, playing White) — Ed Dovey (right, playing Black)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Elkhart Winter Open, Elkhart, Indiana
January 9 and January 23, 1982
Last round action on the top two boards.
Clockwise from lower left: Ed Dovey, Richard (Rich) Robison, Sylvester
(Red) Turner (standing), Vivian Schmucker (reading wallchart), and Bernard Parham, Sr.
Dennis Miller (see previous photo) is not visible in this view.
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Thanks to both Dennis Miller and Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable below.
ELKHART OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
March 6, 1982
Advertisement for Elkhart Open, March 6, 1982
(Chess Life, March 1982, page 51)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1982/1982_All.pdf PDF page 187
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
Indiana State Chess Association
1980 Postal Tourney
Cover of Hoosier Chess Journal, Vol. 4. No. 2, March-April 1982, page 1 (second image recolored)
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 4, No. 2 Mar-Apr 1982 | PDF (scribd.com)
Hoosier Chess Journal, Vol. 4. No. 2, March-April 1982; pages 3-4 (some text retyped for clarity)
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 4, No. 2 Mar-Apr 1982 | PDF (scribd.com)
ELKHART QUADS
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
May 8, 1982
Advertisement for Elkhart Quads, May 8, 1982
(Chess Life, April 1982, page 56; May 1982, page 58)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1982/1982_All.pdf PDF page 326
CHESS EXHIBITION
Pierre Moran Mall
2426 Benham Avenue
Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
The Elkhart Truth
Friday, June 25, 1982
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Allan Sluder
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Neal Hall (left), Tammy O'Brien (right).
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Clockwise from left front: unidentified (playing White), Allan Sluder (playing Black),
unidentified (center), Neal Hall (playing White), Tammy O'Brien (playing Black).
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
An unidentified player faces the computer.
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Robert Collyer, observed by an unidentified spectator.
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Foreground: Sylvester (Red) Turner (left, playing Black) vs. unidentified player (right, playing White)
Background: Robert Collyer, observed by an unidentified spectator.
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
UPPER RIGHT: Sylvester (Red) Turner; three other players unidentified
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Sylvester (Red) Turner, playing Black against an unidentified opponent.
Art Lange is seen in the upper right corner.
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Art Lange
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Dan Jones (White, left) – Art Lange (Black, right)
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
clockwise from left: Allan Sluder, Dennis Miller, Robert Collyer (center), Jerry D. Watson, Franklin Wike
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
clockwise from lower left: Allan Sluder, Dennis Miller, Robert Collyer (center), Jerry D. Watson, Franklin Wike
Chess Exhibition at Pierre Moran Mall; Elkhart, Indiana
June 26, 1982
Foreground: Joe Castenando (Black, left) vs. Frank Wike (White, right)
Background: Dennis Miller (White, left) – Jerry D. Watson (Black, right)
ELKHART OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 14, 1982
Advertisement for Elkhart Open, August 14, 1982
(Chess Life, July 1982, page 54; August 1982, page 53)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1982/1982_All.pdf PDF page 521
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
While tournament director Allan Sluder counts up the entry fee money,
Sam Shapiro looks up ratings in the USCF rating supplement.
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
Franklin Wike (left, playing White) — John Kindley (right, playing Black)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
Richard (Rich) Robison (left, playing Black) vs. Tom Byers (right, playing White)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
See unaltered photo below. Based on the crosstable and help from different individuals, I have been able to identify the following players: ① Jerry D. Watson, ② Allan Sluder (tournament director), ③ Samuel Shapiro (assisting Sluder), ④ Franklin T. (Frank) Wike, ⑤ John Kindley, ⑥ Sylvester (Red) Turner, ⑦ Lester Bridenthal, ⑧ Dan E. Jones, ⑨ Bill Butner, ⑩ Neal Hall (hidden, playing Bridenthal), ⑪ James T. (Jim) Wood, ⑫ Evan J. Bontrager, ⑬ Edward G. Dovey, ⑭ Steven Livingston (facing empty chair), ⑮ Daniel Steininger, ⑯ Thomas J. Harris (partially hidden, glasses on forehead), ⑰ Tom R. Smith, ⑱ Phillip L. Duff, ⑲ Thomas E. Byers [hidden from view; see photo of Byers playing Rich Robison in the photo above].
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
Players identified by number in preceding photo.
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
GAME 1: Lester Bridenthal (left, playing Black) vs. Neal Hall (right, playing White)
GAME 2: Dan E. Jones (left, playing White) — Bill Butner (right, playing Black)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
GAME 1: Ed Dovey (left, playing Black) vs. Evan J. Bontrager (right, playing White)
GAME 2: Sam Shapiro (left, playing White, partly hidden) — Steven Livingston (right, playing Black)
GAME 3 (both players hidden): H. William Newsom (left, playing White) — Daniel Steininger (right, playing Black)
GAME 4 (both players hidden): Tom R. Smith (left, playing Black) vs. Thomas J. Harris (right, playing White)
See GAME 4 in next photo.
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
ELKHART OPEN, August 14, 1982; round 1
Elkhart's Tom Smith (left, playing Black) vs. Fort Wayne's Tom Harris (right, playing White)
other players unidentified
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
(heading text retyped for clarity)
See also: HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL, Vol. 4, No. 2, November-December 1982, page 7
https://www.scribd.com/doc/223287203/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-4-No-5-Nov-Dec-1982
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 4, No. 5 Nov-Dec 1982 | PDF (scribd.com)
MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOS
c. 1982
Ed Dovey
(undated photo, c. 1982)
Besides being one of the highest-rated players in Elkhart County,
Goshenite Dennis Miller also directed USCF-rated tournaments.
(undated photo, c. 1982)
Allan Sluder, a resident of Millersburg, has directed
numerous rated events for the Elkhart County Chess Club.
(undated photo, c. 1982)
The Elkhart Truth
(undated newspaper article, c. 1982)
1983
Elkhart County Chess Club vs. South Bend Chess Club
team match
February 16 & 22, 1983
SPRING INTO SPRING-ELKHART OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
April 9, 1983
Advertisement for Spring into Spring-Elkhart Open
(Chess Life, April 1983, page 78)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 266
ELKHART SPRING QUAD No. 2
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
May 14, 1983
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Quad No. 2
(Chess Life, May 1983, page 53)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 333
SPRING INTO SUMMER-ELKHART OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
June 11, 25, 1983
Advertisement for Spring into Summer-Elkhart Open
(Chess Life, June 1983, page 60)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 404
1983 ISCA SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP
YWCA
721 East Madison
Goshen, Indiana
June 18, 1983
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL Vol 5, No 1, May-June 1983; page 8
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL Vol 5, No 2, July 1983; page 22
https://www.scribd.com/doc/227507888/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-5-No-2-Jul-1983
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL Vol 5, No 2, July 1983; page 1 (page recolored, "vol 5 no 2" added)
https://www.scribd.com/doc/227507888/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-5-No-2-Jul-1983
NORTHERN INDIANA OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 13-14, 1983
Advertisement for Northern Indiana Open
(Chess Life, August 1983, page 51)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 523
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL Vol 5, No 2, July 1983; page 26
https://www.scribd.com/doc/227507888/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-5-No-2-Jul-1983
NORTHERN INDIANA OPEN, Elkhart, Indiana; August 14-15, 1983
Benjamin Dillon (On the margin of this photo, someone misspelled it as "Ben Dillion".)
August 16, 1983 (date stamped on back)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
NORTHERN INDIANA OPEN, Elkhart, Indiana; August 14-15, 1983
Michael Timmons tried to imitate an evil villain by twirling his moustache, but he found it easier to twirl his pen instead.
August 16, 1983 (date stamped on back)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
NORTHERN INDIANA OPEN, Elkhart, Indiana; August 14-15, 1983
Tom R. Smith; Vivian Schmucker is playing next to Tom on the adjacent board.
August 16, 1983 (date stamped on back)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
ELKHART AUTUMN QUAD
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
September 24-25, 1983
Advertisement for Elkhart Autumn Quad
(Chess Life, September 1983, page 43)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 575
INDIAN SUMMER CHESSTIVAL
(Swiss)
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
October 22, 1983
Advertisement for Indian Summer Chesstival (Swiss)
(Chess Life, October 1983, page 47)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 647
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
INDIAN SUMMER CHESSTIVAL
(Round Robin)
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
October 23, 1983
Advertisement for Indian Summer Chesstival (Round Robin)
(Chess Life, October 1983, page 47)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 647
MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOS 1983
(no exact date or tournament name provided)
Tom R. Smith
February 26, 1983 (date stamped on back)
Location: Concord Mall, Community room
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Tom R. Smith (White, left) – Mike Timmons (Black, right)
February 26, 1983 (date stamped on back)
Location: Concord Mall, Community room
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Mike Timmons (Black, left) vs. Tom R. Smith (White, right)
February 26, 1983 (date stamped on back)
Location: Concord Mall, Community room
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
1983 ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
trophy presentation, December 1983
(date and details unknown)
Table display of Elkhart County Chess Club trophies
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents trophy to Larry Holdren (right)
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
Left to right: Marty Baldwin, Larry Holdren, Allan Sluder, Richard (Rich) Robison, Rhea Kirk, Tom Smith (hidden), Lawrence Scholl
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
Left to right: Marty Baldwin, Larry Holdren, Allan Sluder, Richard (Rich) Robison, Rhea Kirk, Tom Smith, Lawrence Scholl
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents Rhea Kirk with his trophy.
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (right) presents Allan Sluder with his trophy.
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents Tom Smith with his trophy.
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents Richard (Rich) Robison with his trophy.
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents Marty Baldwin with his trophy.
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
1983 Elkhart County Chess Club championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents Lawrence Scholl with his trophy.
December 1983
(date and details unknown)
INSTRUMENT CITY OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
December 10, 1983
Advertisement for Instrument City Open
(Chess Life, December 1983, page 55)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1983/1983_All.pdf PDF page 795
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 6, No. 3 MAY 1984; page 23
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-6-no-3-may-1984.html
1984
MICHIANA DOUBLES OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
January 14-15, 1984
Advertisement for Michiana Doubles Open
(Chess Life, January 1984, page 79)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 81
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
See also: HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 6, NO. 3 MAY 1984; page 4
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-6-no-3-may-1984.html
Dennis Miller also provided the breakdown
of teams and team results.
ELKHART SPRING OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
March 3, 1984
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
(Chess Life, March 1984, page 50)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 204
Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
far left: Larry Quigley (playing White)
Quigley's opponent is possibly Ron Powell.
center (hidden): Richard (Rich) Robison
far right: possibly Rhea Kirk
Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
Front: Ron Yoder (playing Black, left) vs. an unidentified opponent
Back: Ed Dovey (playing Black, left) vs. Mike Timmons (playing White, right)
Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
near table: probably Neil Ruzic of Michigan City, Indiana (playing Black, left) vs. Richard Robison (playing White, right)
center: Larry Quigley (playing Black, white shirt)
Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
unidentified players
center: Ron Yoder (back to camera)
Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
Opposite side of table: unidentified (far left), Richard Neely, Bill Ristow (chin on palm),
Tom Harris (white jacket & yellow shirt, glasses on forehead)
Elkhart Spring Open, March 3, 1984
Larry Quigley (Black, left) vs. Richard (Rich) Robison (White, right)
The Elkhart Truth
Saturday, March 3, 1984
ELKHART SPRING QUAD No. 1
Elkhart Public Library
300 South Second Street
Elkhart, IN
March 31, 1984
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Quad No. 1, March 31, 1984
(Chess Life, March 1984, page 50)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 280
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
(page reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
ELKHART SPRING QUAD No. 2
Elkhart Public Library
300 South Second Street
Elkhart, IN
April 28, 1984
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Quad No. 2, April 28, 1984
(Chess Life, May 1984, page 48)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 340
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
(top line retyped for clarity)
NORTHERN INDIANA OPEN
Atlas Steel Rule Die, Inc.
2000 Middlebury Street
Elkhart, Indiana
June 2-3, 1984
Advertisement for Northern Indiana Open, June 2-3, 1984
(Chess Life, June 1984, page 68)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 420
MICHIANA OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 11, 1984
Advertisement for Michiana Open, August 11, 1984
(Chess Life, August 1984, page 49)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 541
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
1984 ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
September 4-November 8, 1984
(Page reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 7, NO. 1 MARCH 1985; page 29
https://www.scribd.com/doc/231750672/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-7-No-1-Mar-1985?doc_id=231750672&orde
1984 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
FRONT: Jim Short, Richard (Rich) Robison, Charles Van Winkle
BACK: Ron Yoder, Marty Baldwin, Steven Penrose, Larry Holdren
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
1984 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
FRONT: Jim Short, Richard (Rich) Robison, Charles Van Winkle
BACK: Ron Yoder, Marty Baldwin, Steven Penrose, Larry Holdren
1984 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
FRONT: Jim Short, Richard (Rich) Robison, Charles Van Winkle
BACK: Ron Yoder, Marty Baldwin, Steven Penrose, Larry Holdren
OLYMPIAD TEAM SUPPORT TORNADO
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
October 13, 1984
Advertisement for Olympic Team Support Tornado, October 13, 1984
(Chess Life, November 1984, page 72)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 760
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
See also: HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 7, NO. 1 MARCH 1985; page 32
https://www.scribd.com/doc/231750672/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-7-No-1-Mar-1985?doc_id=231750672&orde
INSTRUMENT CITY OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
November 10, 1984
Advertisement for Instrument City Open November 10, 1984
(Chess Life, November 1984, page 76)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1984/1984_All.pdf PDF page 764
(Page reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity.)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 7, No. 1 MARCH 1985; page 31
https://www.scribd.com/doc/231750672/Hoosier-Chess-Journal-Vol-7-No-1-Mar-1985?doc_id=231750672&orde
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH 1984
University of Notre Dame?
PHOTOGRAPHER: possibly Sam Shapiro (South Bend)
(date, location and details unknown)
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
South Bend's Ed Thomas (playing Black, left) vs. Elkhart's Robert Collyer (playing White, right)
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
Elkhart's Allan Sluder (Black, left) vs. unidentified South Bend opponent
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
LEFT SIDE (farthest, by curtains): Elkhart's Richard (Rich) Robison
RIGHT SIDE (farthest, by curtains): South Bend's Larry Quigley, with thermos
RIGHT (three games from camera): Elkhart's Allan Sluder
all other players unidentified
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
FOREGROUND: South Bend's Phil Smeltzer – unidentified player (possibly Ben Dillon)
STANDING (center, with hand on hip): South Bend's Bill Ristow
all other players unidentified
The Elkhart vs. South Bend match was probably a two-game event. In this photo
Phil Smeltzer is wearing a blue shirt while in photo #9 (below), he is wearing a
brown and white plaid shirt. He is also playing two different opponents.
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
FOREGROUND (seated): possibly Thomas A. Garvin
all other players unidentified
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
Elkhart's Larry Holdren (left, playing White) – unidentified South Bend opponent
FAR RIGHT: South Bend's Phil Smeltzer (far end of the table)
all other players unidentified
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
unidentified players
At right playing Black: possibly Richard Neely.
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
THIRD GAME FROM CAMERA: Elkhart's Neal Hall (at left, playing White) – South Bend's Phil Smeltzer (at right, playing Black)
BACKGROUND (next to curtains): South Bend's Ed Thomas
RIGHT SIDE (4th game): Elkhart's Ed Dovey
all other players unidentified
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
Elkhart's Neal Hall (left, playing White) – South Bend's Phil Smeltzer (right, playing Black)
CENTER possibly Elkhart's Joe Castenando (with beard)
BACKGROUND (far left): Dan Bryant, wearing brown, back to camera
BACKGROUND (near center): Elkhart's Richard Robison (left, playing ) – South Bend's Larry Quigley (right, light shirt)
The Elkhart vs. South Bend match was probably a two-game event. In this photo
Phil Smeltzer is wearing a brown and white plaid shirt while in photo #4 (above),
he is wearing a blue shirt. He is also playing two different opponents.
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND TEAM MATCH, 1984
FOREGROUND: Dan Bryant (Black, left) vs. unidentified player
(Dan Bryant lived in Mishawaka, a city between South Bend and Elkhart; he could have played for either team.)
SECOND GAME: Elkhart's Allan Sluder (White, left) – possibly South Bend's Thomas A. Garvin (Black, right)
HOBBY DAYS
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
December 1984
(exact date unknown)
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Elkhart County Chess Club member Lawrence Scholl listens to a question
from one of the simul participants during Hobby Days at Concord Mall.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Elkhart County Chess Club member Allan Sluder takes on
opponents in a simultaneous exhibition.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Ed Dovey (leaning, right) thinks over his move during one of the simuls.
Club member Lawrence Scholl is seated at left (foreground).
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Ed Dovey ponders his move against the computer (and he is winning!).
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Elkhart County Chess Club member Robert Collyer thinks over his move during
one of the simuls at Hobby Days.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Tom Smith ponders his move as he takes on Ron Yoder in one of the simuls at Hobby Days.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Elkhart Chess Club expert Ron Yoder plays a move during one of the simuls at Concord Mall's Hobby Days.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Ron Yoder thinks over a move while giving a simul. Phil Smeltzer is seated at
left. On the other table, Tom Smith (white shirt) and Mike Timmons
(red sweater vest) wait for Ron to return to the board.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Ron Yoder stands in front of Tom Smith (white shirt) and Mike Timmons (red sweater vest).
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Tom Smith (white shirt, seated) is one of the strong players who faced
Ron Yoder during the simul.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Elkhart County Chess Club member Mike Timmons strikes a contemplative
pose while he ponders his move against Ron Yoder in the simul.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
A youngster enjoys playing chess at Hobby Days.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
A youngster enjoys Hobby Days at Concord Mall (December 1984).
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Expert Ron Yoder faces several USCF-rated opponents in his simul. At far left is
Phil Smeltzer. Seated at right are Michael Timmons (red sweater vest) and Tom
Smith (white shirt).
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
Ed Dovey gains a winning position (Q vs. R+P) as he upholds
the human race in the "Carbon vs. Silicon" showdown
against the computer.
Hobby Days Chess Exhibition at Concord Mall
Elkhart, Indiana; December 1984
A youngster takes on the chess computer at Concord Mall's Hobby Days (December 1984).
1985
JANUARY MINI SWISS
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
January 12, 1985
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
FEBRUARY MINI SWISS
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
February 16, 1985
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
2nd ANNUAL MICHIANA DOUBLES
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
March 22-23, 1985(?)
(This appears erroneous since March 22, 1985 was a Friday.)
Advertisement for 2nd Annual Michiana Doubles
(Chess Life, April 1985, page 61)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1985/1985_All.pdf PDF page 285
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
(page reassembled and repaired; heading added)
CHARLEY TRUMPHAUR MEMORIAL OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
May 4, 1985
Advertisement for Charley Trumphaur Memorial Open
(Chess Life, May 1985, page 51)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1985/1985_All.pdf PDF page 343
The crosstable below was provided by this writer (Les Kistler).
INDIANA STATE SPEED CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
June 22, 1985
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the
tournament notice and crosstable below.
NORTHERN INDIANA OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 24, 1985
Advertisement for Northern Indiana Open
(Chess Life, September 1985, page 53)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1985/1985_All.pdf PDF page 617
ELKHART NATIONAL CHESS DAY OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
October 5, 1985
Advertisement for Elkhart National Chess Day Open
(Chess Life, October 1985, page 53)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1985/1985_All.pdf PDF page 687
1986
ELKHART OCTO-PLUS
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
January 18, 1986
Advertisement for Elkhart Octo-Plus, January 18, 1986
(Chess Life, February 1986, page 60)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1986/1986_All.pdf PDF page 150
ELKHART SPRING OPEN
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
March 22, 1986
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Open, March 22, 1986
(Chess Life, April 1986, page 59)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1986/1986_All.pdf PDF page 309
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
(heading added)
3rd ANNUAL MICHIANA DOUBLES
The Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
May 17-18, 1986
Right side of image distorted by magazine fold.
Advertisement for 3rd Annual Michiana Doubles, May 17-18, 1986
(Chess Life, June 1986, page 68)
See archives at USCF website:
https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1986/1986_All.pdf PDF page 470
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
Note the tournament name in the Chess Life ad above and the
tournament name atop the crosstable below do not match.
ELKHART SUMMER CLASSIC
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 23, 1986
Advertisement for Elkhart Summer Classic, August 23, 1986
(Chess Life, September 1986, page 52)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1986/1986_All.pdf PDF page 650
The crosstable below was provided by Les Kistler.
1986 ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
(tournament dates and details unknown)
1986 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1986
(tournament dates and details unknown)
SEATED (left to right): Ed Dovey, Richard (Rich) Robison
STANDING (left to right): Zbigniew Jurkowski, Marty Baldwin, Daniel J. Bryant, Phil Hiatt
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
1986 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1986
(tournament dates and details unknown)
Zbigniew Jurkowski (left) receives his trophy from Ron Yoder.
1986 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1986
(tournament dates and details unknown)
SEATED (left to right): Ed Dovey, Richard (Rich) Robison
STANDING (left to right): Zbigniew Jurkowski, Marty Baldwin, Daniel J. Bryant, Phil Hiatt
1986 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1986
(tournament dates and details unknown)
Dan Bryant (right) receives his trophy from Ron Yoder.
1986 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1986
(tournament dates and details unknown)
Marty Baldwin (left) receives his trophy from Ron Yoder.
1986 Elkhart County Chess Club championship trophy winners
December 1986
(tournament dates and details unknown)
Marty Baldwin (left) receives his trophy from Ron Yoder.
ELKHART vs. FORT WAYNE TEAM MATCH 1986
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
(date and details unknown)
Elkhart vs. Fort Wayne Team Match, 1986 (date unknown)
LEFT PHOTO: Vivian Schmucker (foreground at left, playing White)
RIGHT PHOTO: unidentified players (taken to the right of previous photo)
Elkhart vs. Fort Wayne Team Match, 1986 (date unknown)
LEFT PHOTO: Top boards.
FOREGROUND: Fort Wayne's Mike Fetcho (Black, left) vs. Elkhart's Ron Yoder (White, right)
BACKGROUND (partially hidden): Elkhart's Rich Robison (Black, left) vs. Fort Wayne's Tom Harris (White, right)
RIGHT PHOTO: Fort Wayne's Tom Harris (standing); Elkhart's Dan Bryant (seated, dark blue shirt). Other players unidentified
Elkhart vs. Fort Wayne Team Match, 1986 (date unknown)
LEFT PHOTO: RIGHT SIDE OF TABLE (front to back): Elkhart's Mike Timmons, Allan Sluder (hidden), and Vivian Schmucker (hidden)
RIGHT PHOTO: RIGHT SIDE OF TABLE (front to back): Elkhart's Mike Timmons, Allan Sluder (hidden), and Vivian Schmucker (hidden)
Other players unidentified
1987
ELKHART WINTER SWISS
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
February 28, 1987
Advertisement for Elkhart Winter Swiss, February 28, 1987
(Chess Life, March 1987, page 59)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1987/1987_All.pdf PDF page 245
DENNIS MILLER MEMORIAL
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
May 9, 1987
Advertisement for Dennis Miller Memorial, May 9, 1987
(Chess Life, May 1987, page 60)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1987/1987_All.pdf PDF page 398
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable below.
(page reassembled and repaired with some text retyped for clarity)
MICHIANA DOUBLES CLASSIC REVIVED
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
June 27-28, 1987
Right side of image distorted by magazine fold.
Advertisement for Michiana Doubles Classic Revived, June 27-28, 1987
(Chess Life, July 1987, page 58)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1987/1987_All.pdf PDF page 556
2nd ANNUAL ELKHART SUMMER CLASSIC
The Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 22, 1987
Advertisement for 2nd Annual Elkhart Summer Classic, August 22, 1987
(Chess Life, September 1987, page 61)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1987/1987_All.pdf PDF page 697
ELKHART AUTUMN SWISS
Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
November 7, 1987
Left side of image distorted by magazine fold.
Advertisement for Elkhart Autumn Swiss, November 7, 1987
(Chess Life, November 1987, page 59)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1987/1987_All.pdf PDF page 863
1987 ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
(dates and details unknown)
PHOTOS TAKEN c. December 15, 1987
1987 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
FRONT (left to right): Rhea Kirk, Ken Barrett, Jim Wood
BACK (left to right): Don Hinsdale, Randy Brill
(date and details unknown)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
1987 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
FRONT (left to right): Ron Yoder, Richard (Rich) Robison, Dan Jones
BACK (left to right): Ken Barrett, Rhea Kirk, Jim Wood
(date and details unknown)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
1987 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
left to right: Ron Yoder, Richard (Rich) Robison, Dan Jones
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Stamp on the back of the photos:↓
1988
SOUTH BEND-ELKHART CLASSIC
St. Joseph Bank Community Room
19730 Darden Road
South Bend (Roseland), Indiana
January 23-24, 1988
Advertisement for South Bend-Elkhart Classic, January 23-24, 1988
(Chess Life, February 1988, page 68)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1988/1988_All.pdf PDF page 192
MICHIANA DOUBLE SWISS ACTION
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
March 26, 1988
Left side of image distorted by magazine fold.
Advertisement for Michiana Double Swiss Action, March 26, 1988
(Chess Life, April 1988, page 67)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1988/1988_All.pdf PDF page 377
5th ANNUAL MICHIANA DOUBLES
Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
April 16, 1988
Advertisement for 5th Annual Michiana Doubles, April 16, 1988
(Chess Life, May 1988, page 68)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1988/1988_All.pdf PDF page 454
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable below.
ELKHART SPRING INTO SUMMER TORNADO
Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
June 18, 1988
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring into Summer Tornado, June 18, 1988
(Chess Life, July 1988, page 60)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1988/1988_All.pdf PDF page 590
The crosstable below was provided by Les Kistler.
3rd ANNUAL ELKHART SUMMER CLASSIC
Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
August 27, 1988
Advertisement for 3rd Annual Elkhart Summer Classic, August 27, 1988
(Chess Life, September 1988, page 51)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1988/1988_All.pdf PDF page 717
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable below.
When Vivian forwarded this crosstable to me, it was sharp, focused, and in excellent condition. To fit the
entire crosstable into an 8½ x 11 frame, I reassembled TOURNAMENT NO. and DATE RECV: on the right
side of the page.
A PUZZLING QUESTION: Who is the mysterious Frank A. Doonan from Beckley, West Virginia,
and why was this tournament sponsored by the affiliate named "DRAGON MASTERS"? --L.K.
1988 ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
(dates and details unknown)
1988 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents a trophy to Marty Baldwin (right).
1988 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents a trophy to Tom Smith (right).
1988 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship
Tom Smith (left) presents a trophy to Ed Dovey (right).
1988 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship
Tom Smith (left) presents a trophy to Richard (Rich) Robison (right).
1988 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship
Tom Smith (left) presents a trophy to Ron Yoder (right).
1988 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship
Ed Dovey (left) presents a trophy to Phil Hiatt (right).
This photo below was incorrectly grouped with photos taken at the Indiana State
Action Championship (see June 24, 1989). Since there are coats on the rack
and another hanging on the chair at center, I believe this photo was taken at the 1988
Elkhart County Chess Club Championship. The player wearing the yellow shirt with a white
stripe (below the EXIT sign) is apparently Phil Hiatt (he did not play in the Indiana State
Action tournament). Mr. Hiatt is wearing the same shirt in the "trophy photo" shown above.
In the last game at right, Phil Smeltzer, wearing a dark blue shirt, is facing the camera.
1989
ELKHART BLIZZARD (?)
Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
January 21, 1989
Advertisement for Elkhart Blizzard (?), January 21, 1989
(Chess Life, February 1989, page 59)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1989/1989_All.pdf PDF page 159
In the state chess magazine Chess in Indiana, ISCA President and Editor Roger Blaine (who moved to Elkhart in 1989) lauded the efforts
of Dan Shenk and Ron Yoder, co-writers of the bi-weekly chess column "Chess for Fun" in The Elkhart Truth. Later, Blaine replaced Yoder
as co-writer for "Chess for Fun". Roger's presence in Elkhart was a boon to chess in Elkhart County. In 1996, Blaine moved to Mishawaka
where he continued to officiate at USCF-rated tournaments in our area for many years. As of this writing (December 2023), he is the current
Historian for ISCA, and his assistance with this blog has been beneficial.
ELKHART vs. SOUTH BEND MATCH
May 1989
(date, location and details unknown)
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
foreground: unidentified South Bend player (Black, left) vs. Elkhart's Allan Sluder (White, right)
hidden players (background): South Bend's Sylvester (Red) Turner (Black, left) vs. Elkhart's Dan Shenk (White, right)
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
foreground: South Bend's Olaf (Peter) Kuhr (Black) vs. unidentified Elkhart player (White, right)
background: Elkhart's Marty Baldwin (White, left) – South Bend's Phil Smeltzer (Black, right)
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
foreground: Elkhart's Dan Shenk (White, left) – South Bend's Sylvester (Red) Turner (Black, right)
background: Elkhart's Allan Sluder (hidden: White, left) – unidentified South Bend player
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
Board 2 (center): Elkhart's Ed Dovey (White, left) – South Bend's Bill Breidenthal (Black, right)
background: Players unidentified (see photo 3 places below)
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
foreground: South Bend's Phil Smeltzer (Black, left) vs. Elkhart's Marty Baldwin (White, right)
background: unidentified Elkhart player (White, left) – South Bend's Olaf (Peter) Kuhr (Black, right)
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
Tom Smith (White, left) shakes hands with unidentified South Bend opponent.
In the background (farther): Sylvester (Red) Turner (South Bend, left) vs. Dan Shenk (Elkhart, right)
In the background (nearer): unidentified South Bend player (Black, left) vs. Elkhart's Allan Sluder (White, right)
extreme right: South Bend's Larry Quigley (red & black shirt) and South Bend's Bill Breidenthal (white shirt)
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
Two unidentified players
Bill Breidenthal (South Bend) is at center.
Elkhart vs. South Bend team match, May 1989
Board 1 (foreground): Elkhart's Ron Yoder (White, left) – South Bend's Larry Quigley (Black, right)
Board 2 (background): Elkhart's Ed Dovey (White, left) – South Bend's Bill Breidenthal (Black, right)
1989
ELKHART SPRING TORNADO
Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
April 22, 1989
Right side of image distorted by magazine fold.
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Tornado, April 22, 1989
(Chess Life, May 1989, page 52)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1989/1989_All.pdf PDF page 380
CHESS IN INDIANA, VOL. II, NO. 3, JULY 1989; page 9
INDIANA STATE ACTION CHAMPIONSHIP
(USCF rated)
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Saturday, June 24, 1989
Advertisement for Indiana State Action Championship, June 24, 1989
(Chess Life, July 1989, page 59)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1989/1989_All.pdf PDF page 531
The crosstable below was provided by Les Kistler.
Round 5 in the Indiana State Action Championship
Elkhart, Indiana
June 24, 1989
LEFT TABLE: On the near board, Robin Henderson (white shirt) is playing John Bray.
On the adjacent game, Sam Shapiro (partially hidden) lost this round to Sylvester (Red) Turner (red shirt).
MIDDLE TABLE: On the near board, Harold Henderson (white shirt) lost to Jeffrey Britt (blue shirt). Next to the wooden post,
Jim Hoover (striped shirt, covering his face) defeated Lawrence Scholl (white shirt).
RIGHT TABLE: Phil Smeltzer defeated Olaf (Peter) Kuhr (not visible).
Information reconstructed from the crosstable
Round 5 in the Indiana State Action Championship
Elkhart, Indiana
June 24, 1989
LEFT TABLE: Richard Robison (far left) drew with Ron Yoder (partially hidden). On the
adjacent board, Bill Breidenthal (left, pale blue shirt) lost playing White against Les Kistler.
MIDDLE TABLE: Next to the wall, Phil Meyers (blue shirt) drew against John McPherson
(partially hidden). Next to them, Tim McEntee (white shirt) defeated Josh Bousum (blue shirt).
RIGHT TABLE: In the far corner, John Roush won against Craig Amacker (not visible).
Information reconstructed from the crosstable
Indiana State Action Championship
Elkhart, Indiana
June 24, 1989
Tom Smith (L) presents the Indiana State Action Championship trophy to Tim McEntee (R).
INDIANA STATE BLITZ CHAMPIONSHIP
(not USCF rated)
Concord Mall, Community Room
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Sunday, June 25, 1989
Advertisement for Indiana State Blitz Chess Championship, June 24, 1989
(Chess Life, July 1989, page 59)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1989/1989_All.pdf PDF page 531
CHESS IN INDIANA, VOL. II, NO. 3, JULY 1989; page 5
Indiana State Blitz Championship
Elkhart, Indiana
June 25, 1989
Tom Smith (L) presents the Blitz championship trophy to Les Kistler (R).
Thanks to Roger Blaine for providing the newspaper article below.
INDIANA STATE CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Randall's New Century Inn
130 Dixie Way South (now SR 933)
South Bend, Indiana
September 30-October 1, 1989
Advertisement for Indiana State Class Championship, September 30-October 1, 1989
(Chess Life, September 89, page 51 and October 1989, page 60)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1989/1989_All.pdf PDF page 675 and PDF page 752
1989 ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
(tournament dates and details unknown)
1989 Elkhart County Chess Club Championship trophy winners
(tournament dates and details unknown)
FRONT: Sylvester (Red) Turner, Rhea Kirk
BACK: Ron Yoder, Tom Smith
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Thanks to Roger Blaine for providing the newspaper clipping below.
The Elkhart Truth
Thursday, December 21, 1989
(second image recolored)
1991
ELKHART OCTO-PLUS
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
January 19, 1991
Yes, I know the photo album clearly says 1980-1989 on its cover. Even so, the three photos at the bottom appeared in the back of the album. Vivian Schmucker quickly identified the event (which I happened to play in) and sent me the article below.
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the newspaper article below.
The crosstable below was provided by Les Kistler.
Although the Elkhart County Chess Club's photo book says the photos are from 1980-1989, the three photos below (which appear to be proofs by a Goshen News photographer) were near the back of the album. Vivian Schmucker recognized them from the article she kept [see above]. The tournament was called the Elkhart Octo Plus Blizzard, with sections for players of various rating classes. Instead of four-player quads, each section was intended to have as many as 8 players.
With gratitude and thanks:
Thomas R. Smith
(12 June 1926 — 11 September 2012)
(Thomas Raymond Smith obituary photo)
Obituary: Thomas R. "Tom" Smith
In the class C section, Tom Smith (playing White, lower left) prepares to begin play against Tom Byers of Logansport.
Indiana Class Championships, 2007
August 18, 2007
2761 North County Road 50 E
Kokomo, Indiana
photo provided by Les Kistler
(The automatic time stamp on this camera would default to January 1, 1994 anytime a battery went dead. See lower-right corner.)
Ronnie Ray Yoder, Sr.
(19 November 1955 — 16 December 2018)
(Ronnie Ray Yoder obituary photo)
Obituary: Ronnie Ray Yoder
Paying respects to Ronnie Ray Yoder, Sr.
January 4, 2019
Standing: Joseph A. Riegsecker, Robert C. Lewis, Daniel C. Watson, Vivian S. Schmucker, Dennis R. Miller, Roger E. Blaine
Kneeling: Leslie C. Kistler, Dan W. Shenk
Walley Mills Zimmerman Funeral Home
700 East Jackson Boulevard
Elkhart, IN
photo provided by Les Kistler
AFTERWORD
My formative years as a serious chess player took place when I was a youngster in Elkhart, so having access to this photo archive brings back a lot of memories for me. My father, Rev. Richard Kistler, was a United Methodist Church pastor (North Indiana Conference), so our family moved to numerous towns in the north half of the state when I was a youngster. Although I lived only six years in Elkhart (1971-1975 and 1978-1980), I spent more years in school here than anywhere else. Fond memories of church, friends, and school from those long-ago days make Elkhart more of a home to me than anyplace else.
It was during my years in Elkhart that I, along with the whole country, got swept up in the chess fever that followed Bobby Fischer's victory over Boris Spassky in the World Championship match at Reykjavík, Iceland in 1972. Other memorable chess events from those days were two simultaneous exhibitions at Concord Mall by master Jude Acers (1973 and 1974); the short-lived Elkhart Chess & Checker Club at Studebaker Park pavilion (1973); joining the USCF and playing in my first rated tournament (The First Nappanee Open, December 8, 1973); winning my first chess trophy; and joining the Elkhart Chess Federation (ECF), my first official chess club. I carefully saved every crosstable from my early tournaments: The Great Elkhart Square-Off (March 30, 1974), Maroczy Bind (Elkhart, September 21, 1974), Dr. John Hartigan Memorial (Elkhart, November 16-17, 1974), Elkhart Chess Federation Club Championship (January 18, 1975), The Great Elkhart Square-Off II (March 29, 1975), and the Elkhart City Championship (May 31, 1975). (The crosstables for these ancient tournaments are presented below. In this blog, see the section below entitled ASSORTED CROSSTABLES: chess tournaments played in Elkhart County, Indiana 1973-1975. In addition, the [nearly] monthly ECF Newsletters from October 1974 to October 1975 are also presented below; see ELKHART CHESS FEDERATION NEWSLETTERS, 1974-1975.)
Notable ECF members from those days included Harold E. Smith, Richard J. Robison, Timothy P. Lewis, David K. O'Connor, Joseph T. Farrell, John E. Skarha, Jack B. Corson, Daryl Climenhaga, Randy J. Graber, Raymond L. Graber, Charles M. (Mike) Johnson, Harold B. (Bryan) Cavitt, Brice Bock, Lonnie Mishler, Kenneth M. Sims, Bryan Simmons, and Gene Simmons.
After a three-year hiatus (during which my father served a church in Munster, Indiana), my family returned to Elkhart in 1978. It was during my second "tour" in Elkhart that I rejoined some familiar chess colleagues...but the local chess landscape had changed because the Elkhart Chess Federation had folded. Fortunately, local chess enthusiast Joe Riegsecker was already making great efforts to revive an Elkhart city/county chess club, and in the fullness of time, the ECF was supplanted by the Elkhart County Chess Club [founded in 1981, according to a club "charter" page posted below]. After graduating from Elkhart Memorial High School in 1980, I lived away from the Elkhart area for a decade before moving to nearby South Bend in 1990. The Elkhart County Chess Club photo album's contents correspond almost exactly with the years I was absent, so scanning and posting these chess photos is a way to fill in my gaps in the city's chess history. The pictorial history for the club ends abruptly at 1991, coincidentally the same year that the USCF's online crosstable archive begins.
Over time, membership in the Elkhart County Chess Club began a slow, gradual decline. How this happened is not known precisely, but a major contributing factor was the lack of a permanent home for the club. After meeting at the Elkhart Public Library for many years (Tuesday nights, 6:30-10:00 PM), the library's management changed its policies for outside groups to use their building, so another suitable location was needed. After leaving the EPL, the club met for a time at the Unitarian Universalist Church (on the city's north side, 1732 Garden Street) where Dan Watson and Ed Dovey were members. Later the ECCC met at Tom Smith's church near downtown, First Congregational (affiliated with the United Church of Christ) at 431 South 3rd Street. [First Congregational has a newer building on County Road 4, while the church building on 3rd Street is now occupied by Elkhart City Church.] As the Elkhart County Chess Club's leadership aged, USCF-rated tournaments were held less frequently, then ceased altogether. Some players dropped out of the chess scene or left the Elkhart area. And of course, several prominent local players and organizers from the 1980s passed away. This roll of honor now includes Tom R. Smith, Ronnie R. Yoder, Sr., Phil W. Smeltzer, Daniel J. Bryant, and Samuel E. Shapiro. Their recollections and memories alone would have filled in many blanks in my incomplete retelling of the club's history.
Although chess players tend to preserve (read "hoard") old scoresheets and tournament crosstables, those of us who were young adults in the 1980s are nearing retirement age, and some memories are starting to fade. Despite the decline of the ECCC, positive changes for chess in Elkhart County were coming. Thanks to the efforts of organizers Dan Shenk and Joe Riegsecker, plus the teaching talents of a native Elkhartan, Senior Master Emory Tate, Jr., scholastic chess programs in Elkhart County--started in the 1980s--expanded during the 1990s-2000s. Another worthy accomplishment was the introduction (February 1, 1987) of the twice monthly Elkhart Truth feature "Chess for Fun", authored by Shenk and Ron Yoder (who was later replaced by Roger Blaine). The youth programs at many Goshen schools have continued to this day, and regional tournaments for Scholastic Chess of Indiana (SCI) have been hosted at Goshen schools for many years. It was from this fertile ground that sprung Goshen's chess wunderkind John Cole in the late 1990s. After years of phenomenal progress, John gained the title of National Master in 2001 followed by the Life Master and Original Life Master titles in 2004 (US Chess MSA - Member Details (Milestones History)). John reached his peak USCF rating (2417) in 2014, and he won the Indiana State Championship three consecutive years (2012-2014).
With all of these beneficial changes, especially with the high interest with youngsters, I'm still baffled why the ECCC would decline and eventually disappear. We get only a partial picture from the accounts by Roger Blaine and Dan Watson (see below), but it was clear that the club was done for in 2012 when so few people were showing up.
I hope to gain clearer insight into the dissolution of the Elkhart County Chess Club. If you were an active chess player from Elkhart County between 1980-1989 (and later), I would be most grateful if you would contact me so that I can fill in any gaps or correct any errors in the history of this remarkable chess club.
--Les Kistler
LKistler_phm@yahoo.com
October 2023
46825
EXTRA INFORMATION
(images and crosstables before 1980 and after 1989)
JUDE ACERS
SIMULTANEOUS EXHIBITION
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Friday, February 2, 1973; Saturday, February 3, 1973
The newspaper article below was provided by Les Kistler.
Thanks to Dan Shenk for permission to use the story below.
This selection can be found in his book, You Are More than Your Score: On Sports and Spirituality.
Shenk, Dan. You Are More than Your Score: On Sports and Spirituality. Author Academy Elite, 2022.
(Appendix G: "Some Personal Chess Stories"; pp. 458-460)
Thanks to Dan Shenk for providing the photos below.
PHOTO #1: Dan Shenk (wearing yellow shirt) studies the board while Master Jude Acers ponders the position.
PHOTO #2: Jude Acers in motion. Dan Shenk (yellow shirt) is seated at left.
PHOTO #3: Jude Acers makes a move at Dan Shenk's board.
PHOTO #4: Jude Acers makes a move at Joel Kauffmann's board. Dan Shenk, in yellow shirt, is looking on.
In September 2024, Dan Shenk sent me this photo of the plaque he received for defeating Jude Acers
at the simultaneous exhibition (Concord Mall, Elkhart, IN) on Saturday, February 3, 1973.
JUDE ACERS
SIMULTANEOUS EXHIBITION
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
February 3, 1973
Leslie C. Kistler (unrated) – Jude Acers (2399)*
Sicilian Defense (by transposition)
*In March 2024, I asked Roger Blaine if he could look up the rating for Jude Acers at the time of this game. In those bygone days of the 1970s, ratings were published quarterly in a booklet known as a “Supplement”, a publication sent by the USCF to affiliates and tournament directors. [In the fullness of time, the USCF sent out the rating supplements more frequently. Nowadays, tournament directors submit rating reports online, so a player can look up his most up-to-date rating and see it published mere hours (minutes!?) after the conclusion of a tournament!] This catalog was printed on the same thin parchment as telephone directories from those days. During his days at Indiana University in the early 1970s, Roger was already a full-fledged TD, and he has retained all(!) of his copies of these old rating supplements. The rating shown here for Jude Acers was published at the end of 1972. 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Nc3 d5 6. e5 Nd7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Ndxe5 9. Bf4 Bd6 10. Nxc6 Nxc6 11. Qd2 O-O 12. O-O Bxf4 13. Qxf4 Bd7 14. Qd6 Qe7 15. Qxe7 Nxe7 16. Rfd1 Bc6 17. Rd2 b5 18. b4 a5 19. Rb1 Rfb8 20. Bh3 Nc8 21. Rd4 Nd6 22. Rh4 axb4 23. Rbxb4 Ra3 24. Rb3 Rba8 25. Rhb4 h6 26. Bf1 Rxb3 27. cxb3 e5 28. Nxb5 Nxb5 29. Bxb5 Rb8 30. a4 d4 31. Kf1 Kf8 32. Ke2 Ke7 
33. f3 Kd6 34. Kd3 Bxb5+ 35. axb5 Kc5 36. Rc4+ Kd5 37. Rc7 Rxb5 38. Rxf7 Rxb3+ 39. Ke2 Re3+ 40. Kd2 g5 41. Rf5 Ke6 42. g4 h5 43. h3 h4 44. Rf8 e4 45. fxe4 Rxh3 46. Rf5 Re3 47. Rxg5 Rxe4 48. Kd3 Rf4 49. Rg6+ Kf7 50. Rg5 Kf8 51. Rg6 Kf7 52. Rg5 Kf6 53. Rg8 Ke5 I created this game score and diagrams using the chess.com website [analysis mode]. The onscreen analysis computer is not the strongest version of the powerful Stockfish engine, but the evaluation “thermometer” on the left side of the screen reads 0.00 hereabouts, indicating complete equality!! --Les Kistler
54. Re8+ Kd5 55. g5 Rf3+ 56. Ke2 Rg3 57. Rd8+ Ke4 58. Rh8 d3+ 59. Kd2 Rg2+ 60. Kd1 Ke3 61. Re8+ Kf4 62. Rd8 h3 63. Rxd3 h2 64. Rh3 Rg1+ 65. Ke2 h1=Q 66. Rxh1 Rxh1 67. g6 Rg1, WHITE RESIGNS (0-1).
ASSORTED CROSSTABLES
chess tournaments played in Elkhart County, Indiana
1973-1975
The crosstables below are from the first USCF-rated tournaments in the chess career of this writer (Les Kistler). Since they were all played in Elkhart County, I add them to this blog to share them with my esteemed readers. Those who are familiar with Indiana chess will notice the 3rd place finisher in my first tournament (First Nappanee Open, December 8, 1973) is none other than Joe Riegsecker, formerly of Middlebury, now in comfortable retirement in Goshen with his wife Debi. As a prolific tournament director of many events (open and scholastic) spanning 45+ years, Joe is truly one of Indiana's chess titans. In recognition of his contribution to chess in the Hoosier State, he was inducted to the ISCA hall of fame [2018].
(see ISCA Hall of Fame winners' plaques)
Veteran Indiana chess players might scan the crosstables affixed below to see if there
they can recognize the names of any players who are still active in tournament play.
ELKHART CHESS FEDERATION NEWSLETTERS
1974-1975
ASSORTED CROSSTABLES
chess tournaments played in Elkhart County, Indiana
1977-1979
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the crosstable and bulletin below.
MISCELLANEOUS
The newspaper article below was provided by Les Kistler.
(page reassembled and repaired; headline retyped)
Thanks to Roger Blaine for providing the Elkhart County Chess Club "charter" below.
SITES OF CHESS CLUBS AND
USCF-RATED CHESS TOURNAMENTS
IN ELKHART COUNTY, INDIANA
(c. 1973-1989)
Key Bank
(formerly First National Bank)
2801 North Cassopolis Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of Elkhart Chess Federation meetings on Tuesday nights (c. 1973-1975).
This bank, at the corner of County Road 6 and Cassopolis Street, is located in the northern commercial district of Elkhart city, about
2 blocks south of the Indiana Toll Road. Inside the bank's front entrance, a staircase to the right leads downstairs to basement meeting
rooms. This space was evidently the break area & lunch room for bank employees. It was equipped with two restrooms, a water fountain,
a lounge area with couch, and a larger area with tables and chairs, with ample space and excellent lighting for at least 20 games of chess.
This writer (Les Kistler) was a member of the Elkhart Chess Federation for one year, from October 1974 to October 1975. Although my
family moved away from Elkhart in June 1975, I continued to receive the ECF newsletter by mail from the club president, Mr. Timothy P. Lewis.
Copies of this newsletter are posted above.
Google street view: 2801 Cassopolis Street, Elkhart, Indiana
(cropped image from Google maps street view, May 2023)
Callahan's Restaurant
(formerly Sambo's Restaurant)
2917 Cassopolis Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of Elkhart County Chess Club meetings on Thursday nights (c. 1981-1983).
Google street view: 2917 Cassopolis Street, Elkhart, Indiana
(cropped image from Google maps street view, May 2023)
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 3, NO. 1 JAN-FEB 1981; page 21
Hoosier Chess Journal Vol. 3, No. 1 Jan-Feb 1981 - [PDF Document] (vdocument.in)
McNaughton Park Pavilion
701 Arcade Avenue
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of USCF-rated chess tournaments sponsored by the Elkhart Chess Federation (c. 1973-1976).
McNaughton Park is located at a bend in the St. Joseph River, just south of the Elkhart General Hospital campus.
McNaughton Park Pavilion, 701 Arcade Street, Elkhart, Indiana
(image from City of Elkhart Parks and Recreation: https://elkhartindiana.org/government/parks/)
Goshen Public Library
601 South 5th Street
Goshen, Indiana
Site of USCF-rated chess tournaments sponsored by the Goshen Chess Club (c. 1978-1982).
Google street view: 601 South 5th Street, Goshen, Indiana
(cropped image from Google maps street view, August 2022)
FLOOR PLAN (re-lettered and sharpened for clarity)
floor plan, Concord Mall, 3701 South Main Street, Elkhart, Indiana
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of USCF-rated tournaments sponsored by the Elkhart County Chess Club.
Concord Mall, located at the southern edge of Elkhart, opened for business in 1972. Over the years, the mall hosted many chess activities,
including two simultaneous exhibitions by Jude Acers (1973 and 1974), several chess exhibitions hosted by the Elkhart County Chess Club,
and many USCF-rated tournaments. As of this writing in 2023, most of the mall's stores have been shuttered, although there are plans to
"add residential and light industrial space, giving it more use than just shopping."
AERIAL VIEW
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of USCF-rated tournaments sponsored by the Elkhart County Chess Club.
Major streets shown are Mishawaka Road (starts at lower left corner) and South Main Street (starts
at bottom center), alongside the straight, dark ribbon of the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks.
To the right of the railroad is County Road 45. The long, straight, narrow street near the left side
of the photo (County Road 22) runs due west toward the horizon. The curved street which skirts
the mall's southern edge is Concord Mall Drive. Onramps and offramps (at extreme right) mark
the interchange of Main Street and US 20 (also known as the St. Joseph Valley Parkway or
US 20 Bypass).
Aerial view of Concord Mall, 3701 South Main Street, Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart Public Library
300 South 2nd Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of USCF-rated tournaments and former
home of the Elkhart County Chess Club (see next item below).
(chess club meetings from 6:30-10:00 PM, Tuesday nights)
Elkhart Public Library (image by Trevor Whited, 2021)
former location of
The Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Site of USCF-rated tournaments sponsored by the Elkhart County Chess Club.
Google street view: 311 West High Street, Elkhart, Indiana
(cropped image from Google maps street view, July 2019)
former location of YWCA
721 East Madison Street
Goshen, Indiana
(due north of Goshen High School)
Site of USCF-rated tournaments sponsored by the Goshen Chess Club (c. 1980-1983).
Google street view: 721 East Madison, Goshen, Indiana
(cropped image from Google maps street view, June 2023)
Reunion of old chess friends
Les Kistler, Vivian Schmucker, and Dennis Miller met for dinner and spent
the evening looking at the Elkhart County Chess Club Photos (1980-1989)
and relived their glory days over the chessboard.
photo provided by Dennis Miller
Goshen, Indiana
April 4, 2024
COPY/PASTE ZONE
Thanks to Dennis Miller for providing the crosstable below.
Thanks to Vivian Schmucker for providing the bulletin below.
(heading added)
Used with permission of The Elkhart Truth.
Concord Mall
3701 South Main Street
Elkhart, Indiana
The Four Arts Club
311 West High Street
Elkhart, Indiana
Use Ebrima 18 for message and 16 for source information
width 600
HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 1, NO. 2 JULY-AUGUST 1979; page 17
Right side of image distorted by magazine fold.
Advertisement for Elkhart Spring Tornado, April 22, 1989
(Chess Life, May 1989, page 52)
See archives at USCF website:
uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1989/1989_All.pdf PDF page 380
See also: HOOSIER CHESS JOURNAL VOL. 6, NO. 3 MAY 1984; page 4
https://vdocument.in/hoosier-chess-journal-vol-6-no-3-may-1984.html