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Buhl chess players met weekly, mostly during the fall and winter months, in individuals' homes during the mid 1940's. Dr. Melvin Drake was the strongest player in the club, but never did play in organized tournaments. Other players participating were Mr. and Mrs. Orr of Orr Orchard, Mr. and Mrs. Blair, farmers, George Likeness, Superintendent of Buhl Schools, Mr. Ripplinger, music teacher, Bob Coad, photographer, and Everett Martin, Conoco Oil distributor. High school students attending were Dean Blair and Glen Buckendorf.

In the summer of 1946 Dean Blair and Glen Buckendorf were attracted by a picture in the Times-News showing people playing chess in a basement room of the old Rogerson Hotel. Mel Schubert had returned to Twin Falls and pumped new life into the Twin Falls Chess Club. Organized chess was brought to Idaho by Mel in 1947. It was through his inspiration and effort that the Idaho Chess Association was created. He was responsible for the Idaho Chess Association being sanctioned by the United States Chess Federation.

Mr. Schubert was educated at Twin Falls High School and at the University of Southern California. Mel returned to Twin Falls for a short time before continuing on in 1947 to Pocatello, where he had accepted a position as an instructor in speech and drama at what was then Idaho State College. Many owe their interest in chess to him--he made it fun to play.

Mel directed and played in the first Idaho State Chess Tournament held in 1947. It was won by C. H. Stewart of Boise. In 1948 Mel Schubert won the Idaho State chess crown. As his college responsibility increased, Mel did not play in every state tournament. However, he continued to playa very strong chess game. C. H. Stewart of Boise won the 1949 Idaho Chess Tournament. Mel Schubert was second with a 4½-2½ score. Mel continued to play with Pocatello friends and on trips to Magic Valley with Glen Buckendorf Mel played first board for the Pocatello Chess Club in matches with other towns. He did not play again in an Idaho Chess Tournament until 1958. After this long absence from competitive chess, it took a little time to regain his form. In the 1959 Idaho tournament, he finished 8th with a 2½-2½ score. In 1960 he improved to 6th, and then Mel tied for 3rd in the 1962 Idaho State championship. Mel was one of the stronger Idaho players, but like many others, his professional duties at Idaho State University came first. He was always a soft-spoken gentleman ever ready to help or teach anyone that was interested. He died January 2, 1970 in Pocatello after a long illness. He was 55 years old. He is missed by all that knew him.

Through the early years the most memorable Magic Valley chess players were LaVerl Kimpton, Lloyd Kimpton, Clarence Rambo, Gene Rambo, Glen Buckendorf, Don Murphy, Ted Hartwell, Barney Graff, Lewis Trout, Bill Clark, and Bob Harshbarger.

LaVerl Kimpton received the handicap of two pieces when first playing chess with his older brother, Lloyd. Lloyd had told him that when he could win ten games, he would put one piece back, and when he could win ten games with one extra piece then they would play even. Each in his own way had a profound impact on Idaho chess. LaVerl finished 7th in the 1950 Utah Open. He won the 1950 Idaho State Chess Championship. In 1951 LaVerl tied for first with Glen Buckendorf in the Idaho State Chess Championship. LaVerl won the 1952 Idaho State Chess Tournament ahead of even all out-of-state players. O. W. Manney of Seattle won the 1953 Idaho State Tournament. LaVerl retained his Idaho State title as the highest ranking Idaho player. LaVerl moved to Reno, Nevada in 1955 to work in a casino. In 1958, 1959, and in 1960 LaVerl won the Nevada State Chess championship. He was working seven days a week to take care of his family, so he quit playing chess. Many chess players have faced the same reality of making a living. La Verl was one of the pioneers of Idaho chess and proved he was one of the strongest players in the intermountain area.

Throughout his chess career in Idaho, Lloyd Kimpton handicapped himself by directing as well as playing in Idaho events. He placed 4th in the 1949 state tournament. In 1950 Bill Tabor of Reno, Nevada won the Utah Open, while Lloyd Kimpton of Idaho was second in the 30-player event. In the 1951 Idaho State Tourney Lloyd finished 5th with a 4½-3½ score. Lloyd placed 6th in 1952 on a tie-break in Idaho State and 4th in 1953. In the 30-player very strong 1952 Nevada Open Chess Tournament, he tied for 5th with a 5-3 score. Lloyd scored 5½-1½ in 1955 Idaho State, placing 4th on tie-break, and in 1957 he placed 7th. He was second in both 1958 and 1959. Lloyd was second in the 1960 Twin Falls Club Tournament. In the 1960 Idaho State, Lloyd was one of a 4-way tie with 3½-1½ for first; he was awarded 3rd on tie-break points. Lloyd scored 3-2 for 3rd in 1961, and in 1962 tied for 5th with 2½-2½ in the Idaho State. In tournaments held in 1963, Lloyd captured 3rd in the Idaho State, 5th in the Nevada Open, and first in the Twin Falls Chess Club. Lloyd finished 3rd in the 1964 Idaho State and second in 1965. He also placed second in the 1965 Twin Falls Chess Club. The 1972 Idaho State Closed is the last recorded tournament that Lloyd Kimpton played. He scored 3½-1½ placing 6th. While Lloyd never did win first in an Idaho State Tournament, he spoiled the chances of many a contender. In his 25-year chess career, Lloyd gave unselfishly of his time and ability to all he could help. His strong play both challenged and improved the chess enthusiasts of the Twin Falls Chess Club and the state of Idaho.

Clarence Rambo played in the Twin Falls Chess Club from the mid 1950s to the late 1960s. In 1958 he finished 4th in Class C Idaho State. During 1959 at the State Class B, he was 9th. At the Twin Falls Chess Club Tournament in 1960, Clarence placed 5th. He won 4th place in the 1960 State Class B division. The 1961 Idaho State Class B found Clarence in 12th place, and in the 1962 Class B, he was 7th. Clarence greatly improved his play in the 1962 Idaho Open Class B. He won the first place trophy. He continued his winning ways in the 1963 State Class B by taking first once again. In the 1963 Twin Falls Chess Club Championship he scored a strong second. In the Class A section of the 1964 State Chess Championship, he placed 6th. Clarence Rambo scored 4½-½ in the 1967 Idaho State Class B section to capture first place.

A young Gene Rambo finished 4th in the Class C section of the 1959 Idaho State Chess Tournament. He was first Jr. at the Twin Falls Club tournament. He was 4th Jr. at the 1960 state championship. In 1961, with a 3-1 score, Gene won the Junior championship. Gene placed 5th in the state 1962 Class B section, and in the Class B Open, he was 9th. In the 1963 Class B, he was 3rd, and in the 1986 State he tied for 3rd. A 4-2 score in the 1992 Idaho Closed was good enough for 6th. In the 1993 South Idaho Open, Gene scored 3½-1½ for 5th place.

Glen Buckendorf tied for first in the 1951 Idaho State Chess Tournament. In 1952 Glen won the second place trophy on tie-break scoring 4½-3½. In 1953, he finished 5th on tie-break scoring 4½-3½ in the Idaho State Tournament. In 1952, at a very strong Nevada Open Championship held at Reno with many past, present, and future champions playing, Glen Buckendorf, LaVerl and Lloyd Kimpton virtually tied for 5th place in a field of thirty.

In a postal chess tournament started in 1951 and ending in 1955, Glen Buckendorf became the Correspondence Chess League of America's first Junior champion. Maurice Gedance of Nevada won the Idaho Open title in 1954. Glen Buckendorf, the highest-ranking Idaho player, won the Idaho State Closed title. Twenty-six players competed at Twin Falls, Idaho.

In the 1954 Nevada State Championship, Buckendorf tied for 8th with 32 players taking part. The 1956 Idaho Chess Tournament was called the strongest played in Idaho to this date. Glen Buckendorf, with a 6-1 score, finished in first place ahead of all out-of-state players and those from Idaho. Twenty players were in the tournament.

Ken Jones of Reno, Nevada won the 1957 Idaho Open with a 5-1 score, losing only to second place Buckendorf. Buckendorf, with 4½-1½ retained his Idaho State title as the highest-ranking Idaho player. 1958 was the first year Idaho held both a closed tournament for Idaho residents only and a separate open tournament that included all players. Dick Vandenburg, with 5-0 won the closed tournament over a very strong group of Idaho players. Glen Buckendorf missed the 1958 Idaho State tournaments. He has missed only one other state tournament during the years 1947 to 1996. Dr. Peter Lapiken won the 1958 Idaho Open on tie-break with 4-1. Buckendorf, with 2½-2½ tied for 8th, 9th and 10th in a Class A field of eighteen.

Glen Buckendorf regained the Idaho State Championship, scoring 4½-½, in the 1959 tournament played in Twin Falls. Thirty-eight players participated in A-B-C classes. The 1960 Idaho State Closed ended in a 4-way tie for first at 3½-1½. The Solkoff tie-break system awarded the Idaho State title to Buckendorf. This third first place win in four years allowed Buckendorf to retire the championship traveling trophy that had been donated by C. H. Stewart.

George Krauss, Jr., a newcomer to Idaho from Mountain Home Air Force Base, won the 1961 Idaho State Chess title with a 5-0 score. Vandenburg was runner-up with 3½-1½. Buckendorf, with 3-2 tied for 3rd, but on tie-break finished seventh. George won the 1961 Idaho Open Chess championship with a 4½-½ score. Buckendorf tied for 3rd with a 3-2 score. George also won the 1961 Utah Open with a 6½-½ score. Krauss now held two-thirds of the so-called "Triple Crown." All he needed to have all three was to win the Nevada Open. Only a handful have won two of the three--Idaho, Utah, and Nevada--in the same year, but no one has won all three. Buckendorf tied for 9th with a 3½-3½ score at Utah.

George Krauss won all five of his games in the 1962 Idaho Closed Chess Tournament. Glen Buckendorf was runner-up with 4-1, losing only to Krauss. Mel Schubert of Pocatello tied for 3rd with a 3-2 score. Lloyd Kimpton tied for 5th, and Clarence Rambo won the Class B trophy with 4-1 on a tie-break. Farrell Clark won the 1962 Utah Open with a 6-1 score. The only two Idaho players entered, Buckendorf and Cowan, tied for 7th place with a 4½-2½ score. Thirty-seven players participated in the tournament.

Dick Vandenburg won the 1963 Idaho State Chess title with a 4-1 score. Ted Hartwell was second, and Lloyd Kimpton was third. Glen Buckendorf lost both Sunday games and finished a distant sixth. Clarence Rambo won first in Class B with a 4½-½ score. Gene Rambo finished 3rd scoring 3½-1½.

In the 1964 tournament Vandenburg retained his Idaho State Chess title with 4-1 score, losing only to Buckendorf in the 3rd round. Hartwell was second and Kimpton was 3rd, each winning from Buckendorf on Sunday, as they did in 1963, dashing his title hopes and leaving him in 4th place. Buckendorf did win the speed trophy.

Vandenburg won his third straight Idaho State Closed Chess Tournament with a 5-0 score. Lloyd Kimpton finished second, and Buckendorf was 4th after a poor start. Gene Rambo earned first in Class B with a 4½-½ score. In the 1965 Twin Falls Chess Club Championship, Glen Buckendorf was first and Lloyd Kimpton was second.

Bert Germalm of Blackfoot won the 1966 Idaho Championship with a 4½-½ score. Buckendorf finished 5th with an even 2½-2½ score. Buckendorf won the speed trophy. Gaston Chappuis won the 1966 Idaho Open Chess Championship with a 4-1 score. Buckendorf achieved only an even 2½-2½ and tied for fifth. The 1966 National Open was held in Las Vegas at the Stardust Hotel. Glen Buckendorf finished in a 6-way tie for the Class A Championship. His share of the prize money was $75.00. Glen Buckendorf won the 1967 Idaho State Chess Tournament held at Twin Falls, scoring 4-1, yielding draws only to Cowan and Vandenburg. Clarence Rambo won the Class B Championship. Buckendorf also won the 1967 Utah Open with a 6-1 score. Twenty-six players from four states and one from England took part. Glen had five wins and two draws. At the end of the fifth round, the only undefeated players were Buckendorf and Hartwell, both from Idaho. The two friends met in the final round, and Buckendorf won. In the last three rounds Ted played the top three players in the tournament. Glen played the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 8th. Ted's victory over second place Donald Benge of California in the fifth round proved crucial to Glen's first place finish.

Sief Poulson of Salem, Oregon won the 1968 Idaho Open Chess Tournament with a 4-1 score. Glen Buckendorf retained his Idaho State title as highest- ranking Idaho player with a 3-2 score. All of the three top boards were critical in the last round, with both the Idaho Open and Idaho State awarded to those who won. Vandenburg needed only a draw, but lost to Buckendorf. Cowan had a won game with Poulson, but blundered it away. Kimpton lost to Chappuis. Thus the final standings were established.

The 1969 Utah Open was won by Dick Heilbut with a 6-1 score. Abbas Riazi earned the runner-up position with a 5½-1½ score. Glen Buckendorf, also with 5½-1½, was awarded the Utah Open trophy as the highest-ranking out-of-state competitor. Thirty-two players attended at the YMCA in Salt Lake City.

Rex Wilcox of Pocatello won the 1970 Idaho Closed Tournament with a perfect 5-0 score. G. Buckendorf, D. Reynolds, and T. Hartwell each scored 3½-1½. Buckendorf was awarded the second place trophy because of higher tie-breaking points. Fifty players from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Colorado, Virginia, Arizona, Oregon, Montana, New Mexico, and Minnesota met in Salt Lake City, Utah for the 1970 Utah Open. Robert N. Wendling of Casper, Wyoming won first place with a 6½-½ score. Jude Acers of San Francisco, California earned second with a 6-1, Wesley Koehler of Keenesburg, Colorado placed 3rd with 5½-1½, and Glen Buckendorf received the first place trophy in Class A with a 5½-1½ score.

The 1971 Twin Falls Chess Club Championship was won by Glen Buckendorf with 13½-2½. Ted Hartwell was a close second with 13-3 Dave Reynolds from Pocatello won the 1971 Idaho State Closed Chess Tournament with a 4-1 score. Glen Buckendorf also ended with a 4-1 score, but with less tie-break points. He was awarded the second place trophy. Thirty-six chess enthusiasts from six states gathered at Boise, Idaho for the 1971 Idaho Open. Glen Buckendorf won the event with a 4½-½ score. In the final round Dave Reynolds from Pocatello and Donald Turner from The Dalles played long into the night Each had three wins and one draw. Both needed a win to keep pace with Buckendorf, who finished his last round game with his four wins. After several hours of play, the position became a dead book-draw. Five players tied for second through 6th with 4-1 and shared the prize money.

Glen Buckendorf won the 1972 Idaho State Closed Tournament with a perfect 5-0 score. Kendall, Reynolds, and Hartwell all had 4-1 scores.

The 1973 Idaho Closed saw Harold Moye and Bert Germalm tie for first and second with 4½-½. Harold won the title on tie-break. Buckendorf, the highest rated and only expert in the tournament, played poorly, losing two games and finished with six others at 3-2.

In the 1974 Idaho State Championship Ken Sanderson and Bert Germalm finished with 4½-½ scores. Sanderson won the title on tie-break points. Buckendorf, Vandenburg, and Parsons all scored 4-1 and placed third through fifth. Thirty-four players were present. Sixty-eight players were matched in the 1974 Idaho Open Chess Tournament at Boise. Tie-breaks at 4½-½ gave Leo Stefurak first and Peter Hess second. Glen Buckendorf with 4-1 finished 6th on tie-break points.

Robert Stephenson from Portland, Oregon scored a perfect 5-0 to win the 1975 Idaho Open Chess Tournament. Vandenburg was close behind with 4½-½, a solid second. Glen Buckendorf was grouped at 4-1 with others from 3rd through 6th.

Yasser Seirawan won the 1977 Idaho Open with a score of 5-0. Buckendorf, on tie-break points with a 3½-1½ score finished 10th out of 68 players.

William Whitacre won the 1978 Closed State Championship with a perfect 5-0 score. Cowan and Hartwell each had 3½-1½. The 3-2 group included Parsons, Buckendorf, Ryals, and Vandenburg.

Larry Parsons won the 1979 Closed State Championship with a 4½-½ score. Bill Whitacre was second with 4-1, and Buckendorf, with 3-2 finished 7th on tie-break.

The 1982 Idaho Closed State Championship was won by Paul Johnson with a higher tie-break over Larry Parsons. Both finished with a 5-1 score. Buckendorf tied with eight players at 3½-1½. Paul Johnson won the 1982 Boise Open with a 4-0 score. Steve Shaw was second with 3½. Buckendorf led a group of three with a 3-1 score.

In 1984 Glen Buckendorf achieved a 3-way tie for first in the Class A section of the Senior Open held at San Diego. He also won first in Class A at the Portland Rose Festival.

Glen Buckendorf won the Class A division of the 1985 Canadian Open held at Edmonton, Alberta. His 6½-3½ was good enough for 11th place overall in a field of 91 players. Glen also won from Canadian's "Phoenix" computer, which finished 26th.

The 1986 Idaho State Closed Championship was won by Leslie Colin with a perfect 6-0 score. Buckendorf at 4-2 tied with four others for 3rd place. Glen Buckendorf won the Eighth Annual James Decker Memorial Class A trophy played at the University of Utah during 1987.

In the 1988 Idaho Closed Tournament, Stewart Sutton and Stephen Allie each scored 5-1. Stewart won the championship trophy on tie-break points. Colin, Kennedy, and Buckendorf all scored 4½-1½. The small 1988 Idaho Class Championship was won by Glen Buckendorf with a 3½-½ score. Glen Buckendorf played the tournament of a lifetime in the 1988 Software Toolworks Chess Championship in Los Angeles November 24th-27th, where he tied for first in the expert section and shared $11,000 with two other players. The $3,667 prize was the largest he had won in over forty years of tournament chess.

1991 saw Glen win first place in the Magic Valley Chess Club Holiday Tournament. Buckendorf was held to the second place trophy in the Valley Club Tournament of 1991.

In 1992 Buckendorf won the top senior trophy in the Idaho State Closed. He placed second in the President's Cup Tournament.

The 1993 Southern Idaho Open ended in a 3-way tie for first between Herman Chiu, Glen Buckendorf and Jeff Roland. Glen Buckendorf won second place in the 1993 Magic Valley Chess Championship. Top spot was won by Hosea Bradbury. Buckendorf won first place expert in the 1993 Idaho State Closed Chess Championship. Glen again won the top expert trophy in the 1993 Idaho Class Championship. Buckendorf also tied with four others for first place in the 1993 U. S. Senior Open held at Reno, Nevada.

The 1994 Idaho Class Tournament was won by Glen Buckendorf, and he was awarded the expert trophy. Buckendorf continued his sometimes winning ways and managed to win the 1994 President's Cup. The 1994 Magic Valley Chess Championship was won by Ray Albrechtsen. Buckendorf won the top expert trophy.

In 1995 Glen won the following trophies: Magic Valley Chess Club second overall, Idaho State Closed Chess Tournament top senior, Southern Idaho Open top senior, and Treasure Valley Open top senior.

The Magic Valley Chess Club Championship continued to elude Buckendorf in the 90s. In 1996 he was second again! Areg Kazanchev won first plan on tie-break in spite of losing to Buckendorf in the last round. Glen did win the 1996 Idaho State Closed top senior trophy.

Glen Buckendorf has been elected the USCF delegate from Idaho for the years 1980 through 1996. During these sixteen straight years he had the opportunity to play in the U.S. Open Chess Tournaments held each year in early August at the same time as the USCF Delegates Meetings. Glen was elected a vice-president of Region 12, the northwestern region. Besides playing in the U. S. Opens, Buckendorf has played in the World Open, the National Open, the Canadian Open, and various tournaments too numerous to mention. Glen and his wife, Annette, have traveled to the following states for chess activities: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and to the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia in Canada.

During many early years, Glen only played in the Idaho State Tournament games. He was working, attending college, or both, like many other hobby chess players. In 1980 Buckendorf made a major career change. He gave up running Buckendorf Tire in Buhl and started teaching elementary school in Jerome. This gave part of the summer to travel to chess tournaments; however, the extra paperwork prevented chess study during the nine-month school year. Glen retired in 1992 to prevent work from interfering with his hobby.

© 2006 The Idaho Chess History Project