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Dear Idaho Chess Community,
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Before I get started with the recap of the Scholastic Event over this past weekend:
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Don't Miss Your Chance: Girls State Championship This Saturday!
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Girls, did you miss out on qualifying for one of the National Event sections ? There is still hope!
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Join us this Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, for the Girls State Championship. The winner earns a direct berth to the WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions (the Harrington Invitational), where state representatives compete for the national title at the US Open.
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This is your second shot at making it to nationals—let's see you there!
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We are thrilled to share the results and celebrate the achievements from this past weekend's double-header of scholastic chess excellence. Over 83 students from across the state gathered for the ICA 47th State Scholastic Chess Championship and the Idaho Scholastic Tournament of Champions, culminating in the crowning of our 2026 State Champion.
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🏆 Event Recap
Saturday, April 25: ICA 47th State Scholastic Chess Championship This event served as the primary qualifier for both the National Championships and Sunday's State Championship. With 83 participants competing across all grade levels (K-12):
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- Format & Time Controls:
- K-3 and 4-5 Sections: 5-round Swiss (G/30; d5).
- 6-8 and 9-12 Sections: 5-round Swiss (G/45; d5).
- Awards & Qualifications:
- Overall Section Trophies: Trophies were awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each Overall Section (K-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12).
- National Invitation: Only the 1st Overall finisher in each section earned an invitation to the National Tournaments held in August 2026.
- Grade-Level Trophies: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies were also awarded for each individual grade (K-12).
- State Championship Qualifiers: The top 3 finishers in each section advanced to compete in Sunday's Tournament of Champions.
- Team Honor: The top school in each section (calculated based on the top 4 players per school) will be announced at a later date.
- Results: View Saturday's Full Results
Sunday, April 26: Idaho Scholastic Tournament of Champions The qualifiers from Saturday returned for a 5-round Swiss tournament (G/45; d5) to determine the ultimate Idaho State Scholastic Champion.
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📊 Saturday's Overall Section Results
The following students placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in their respective Overall Sections:
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- Note: Four players finished with 4/5 points, requiring playoff rounds to determine the final standings.
- 1st Overall: Kiaan Upadhyay (National Qualifier)
- 2nd Overall: Elliana Solis
- 3rd Overall: Milo Davis
- (Titus Devoe, who finished 4th in the overall section playoffs, went on to win 1st Place in the Grade 3 specific category).
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- 1st Overall: Lachlan Two Dogs (Perfect Score 5.0 / National Qualifier)
- 2nd Overall: Simon Jacobs
- 3rd Overall: Logan Davis
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- 1st Overall: Candice Liang (Perfect Score 5.0 / National Qualifier)
- 2nd Overall: Ryan Wu
- 3rd Overall: Ivan Lawler
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- 1st Overall: Darren Su (Perfect Score 5.0 / National Qualifier)
- 2nd Overall: Kevin Pinson
- 3rd Overall: Luke Wei
📋 Saturday's Grade-Level Podium Finishers
In addition to the overall section awards, trophies were presented for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each individual grade:
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- Kindergarten: 1st Kaden Benson, 2nd Masha Davis
- Grade 1: 1st Samuel Mahan, 2nd Colter Pyle
- Grade 2: 1st Daniel Liang, 2nd Cillian Orrall, 3rd Matthew Ramos
- Grade 3: 1st Titus Devoe, 2nd Kristopher Kuo, 3rd Marshall Graham
- Grade 4: 1st Beckham Hill, 2nd Bellamy Damour, 3rd Colt Wade
- Grade 5: 1st Enzo Lawler, 2nd Sean Mahan, 3rd Benson Burbank
- Grade 6: 1st Eddy Song, 2nd Lucia Solis, 3rd Kai Ngo
- Grade 7: 1st Liam Nosarev, 2nd Quinn Morita, 3rd Reyansh Upadhyay
- Grade 8: 1st Hung-Yen Chen, 2nd Keegan Whitney, 3rd Teague Finlayson
- Grade 9: 1st Griffin Baldwin, 2nd Caleb Wray, 3rd James Murray
- Grade 10: 1st Daniel Homa, 2nd Stormon Chantry, 3rd Hattie Whitchurch
- Grade 11: 1st Jordan Ingwersen, 2nd Haden Egbert, 3rd Adrian Mendez
- Grade 12: 1st Colton Rivas, 2nd Hunter Ericksen, 3rd Hazel Murray
🥇 Sunday's Tournament of Champions Results
The qualifiers from Saturday competed in a 5-round Swiss tournament (G/45; d5) to determine the ultimate Idaho State Scholastic Champion. The competition came down to the wire:
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- The Playoff: After the regular rounds, Candice Liang and Ryan Wu tied for the lead. They faced off in a thrilling G/15; d5 playoff to determine the 1st and 2nd place finishers.
- The Decider: Griffin Baldwin secured 3rd place with a dramatic victory in the final round against Ivan Lawler.
- Candice Liang (Winner of the Playoff)
- Ryan Wu (Runner-up in the Playoff)
- Griffin Baldwin
🇺🇸 Idaho's Representatives to the U.S. Open National Tournaments
Congratulations to the following students who won their sections on Saturday and have been named Idaho's representatives to the prestigious national tournaments held during the U.S. Open in August 2026:
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- Maurice Ashley Tournament (K-3rd Grade): Kiaan Upadhyay
- Rockefeller Tournament (K-5th Grade): Lachlan Two Dogs
- Barber Tournament (6-8th Grade): Candice Liang
- Denker Tournament (9-12th Grade): Darren Su
🌟 A Note of Appreciation
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A massive thank you to the volunteers, arbiters, parents, and schools that made this weekend possible. The dedication shown by our young players—from their opening preparation to their endgame resilience—was truly inspiring.
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We look forward to seeing Kiaan, Lachlan, Candice, and Darren shine in August and wish them the best of luck as they prepare for the national stage.
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Stay tuned for the team honor results and further updates on the ICA website.
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Jeff Price
President, Idaho Chess Association (ICA)
Email: info@idahochess.net
Website: idahochess.net
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