2021 Iowa Class Championships

In this second Pandemic year, Unusual things happen. Last year we had a Closed Championship but not a Class Championship. This year we have a Class Championship without a closed. This brought us two Masters to compete in the Class A championship. Newly minted Trever Magness, who won second place and former state Champion Joseph Wan who won his first Iowa Class Championship (probably because in years past he has participated in the Closed Championship)

Joseph Pregon defeated Val Trussov for first place in Class B. Joseph is at the cusp of going over 1800. He went undefeated in Class B and I am sure that next year he will not qualify for it. Check out that leather gripped stainless steel coffee mug. Not sure if Joseph is a coffee drinker but that mug will surely entice him to start.

Classes C and D were combined due to Class C not having many players, but showing his mettle, perserverence and a support of Christ the King Church's July food drive, Michael Eikmeyer scored 3.5 of 4 to win Class C.

Class D was won by Martin Leyhe, a promising chess enthusiast from Indiana currently attending Iowa State University. Martin recently aquired his Club TD liscense and is anxious to get some chess events going in Ames Iowa. I am excited to see what blossoms!

Do you see that small guy in the center? The one obscured by the big trophy and all the giants of chess around him. Yeah the one in the spider man t-shirt, shoes and spider man mask (he wore the entire tournament except for this photo) Yes that is Kelton Holm! This little dude rocked Class E and swept with a clean 5-0 score. I expect him to be class D or higher next year, and who knows give him 10 years Iowa State Champion! WAY TO GO!

In other news we had our Annual meeting James Hodina was elected state President. Ming Lodh was re-elected Treasurer. Mr. David Lacombe was elected our delegate for the US Open in Rancho Mirage California for 2022, and University of Iowa Student Nikhil Patel was elected to the Board of Directors. Nikhil was amazed at how exhausted he was during the event, I then showed him the article about how Fabiano Caruana and Magnuss Carlson burn 6000 calories during a chess match. https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27593253/why-grandmasters-magnus-carlsen-fabiano-caruana-lose-weight-playing-chess he vows to eat better and practice playing classical chess to get ready for his next tournament.

Overall this was a crazy successful event, I thank Christ the King Church for their support and all of Iowa's Chess Community for their love of the game. I feel the association is in good hands with James Hodina and I will continue to serve the Iowa Chess Association as our scholastic director.

Eric G. Vigil