Chess in Wyoming

Chess in Wyoming refers to competitive chess played within the state of Wyoming. As of June 2026, Wyoming only has 90 players registered with the United States Chess Federation. The current USCF Wyoming state affiliate is the Wyoming Chess Association.

History The first recorded Wyoming state chess championship took place in 1949. It continued to be held annually except in 1960, and then in 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Originally part of a greater Wyoming Open tournament, the state championship eventually split off into being its own closed tournament.

In the 20th century, ranchers would watch for trains to try initiating games against traveling chess players such as Samuel Reshevsky. New Orleans chess player Jude Acers spent some time in Jackson, where he played against anyone willing to challenge him. Some chess tournaments were held in Jackson Hole over the past few decades, but they were one-time events. Due to a lack of chess tournaments in the state, Wyoming residents often travel to play in chess competitions in neighboring states. Daniel Joelson won the state championship 21 times, first winning at the age of 17 in 1984. As of January 2023, Joelson wanted Cheyenne to have an active local chess club of its own.

Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov visited the state in November 2014. He spoke with a math professor from the University of Wyoming, who touted the educational benefits of learning to play chess.

In May 2017, the PODER Academy Chess Team competed in that year's elementary school Super National tournament in Nashville. The school placed 18th out of 75.

On May 7, 2022, Jackson Hole Classical Academy held its first scholastic chess tournament in five years. This tournament would qualify four students to compete in the national tournament over the summer. The students who qualified would attend the school's week-long chess camp. Regarding this tournament, a virtual chess coach from Los Angeles for students from the school stated:I went back in, in preparation for this, this chapter we're having and looked at the different tournaments that scholastic tournaments that had been held in Wyoming over the last 20 years and they were few and far between. Usually when they were held, they had more kids from Colorado than they did from Wyoming, and I couldn't find any of them that had over eight kids from Wyoming that were represented at one of the tournaments.During summer 2022, the Riverton Chess Club was established. The club began meeting on Wednesdays at the Central Wyoming College Library.

On February 11, 2023, Worland Middle School hosted the community's first chess tournament in years.

The University of Wyoming has a chess club that meets weekly in the Skylight Lounge of the Student Union. The club began hosting the annual Laramie Open Chess Tournament in spring 2024.

In June 2025, Kamari Barth became the first Wyomingite to compete in the national invitation-only Susan Polgar tournament at Webster University in St. Louis. Barth's trip was sponsored by the Sheridan Chess Association.

Jackson Hole Classical Academy opened a new campus during the 2025-26 school year. The campus includes a dedicated chess room, and chess is part of the curriculum for students in grades 3 through 5.

On November 19, 2025, Jackson Hole News&Guide featured Chess Night, a Jackson chess club, in an article. The club, founded by Chris von Strasser, meets weekly from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center for the Arts. Von Strasser founded the club to provide an over-the-board alternative to online chess matches. Chess Night had sparse attendance over the course of its first two meetings, though von Strasser remained optimistic regarding future attendance prospects.

Sheridan Chess Association

The Sheridan Chess Association promotes chess education at Sheridan schools.

From April 30 to May 1 in 2022, the Sheridan Chess Association (founded in December 2021) began hosting an annual chess tournament in Sheridan, Wyoming at Sheridan College.

In 2022, 76 players competed with a guaranteed prize pool of $3,875 and a top prize of $1,600. Some players in attendance included Alexander Fishbein, Justin Sarkar, and masters Sullivan McConnell, Joel Johnson, Richard Shtivelband, James Neal, and Brian Wall. Sarkar won the Open section while Kevin Kuehnel and Karl Lehman tied for first place in the Under 1600 section. Prior to the start of the tournament, Fishbein conducted a simultaneous exhibition against 26 other players at the local YMCA, winning 25 and drawing 1.

In 2023, the tournament expanded to include $7,575 in prizes.

In 2024, the tournament featured three grandmasters, including GM Bryan Smith as a first-time competitor.

In 2025, the Sheridan Chess Association rebranded the tournament as the Wyoming Community Foundation Open Chess Tournament. 79 players competed across four sections. Participants included "three chess grandmasters, three national masters, three life masters, and state champions from Wyoming, Montana and Colorado." Luka Budisavljević was one of the grandmasters present. Prior to the main tournament, Budisavljević conducted a simultaneous exhibition and won all 24 games. Sheridan High School student Daniel Hoopes held out the longest in a game that lasted over 30 moves. The 2025 iteration of the tournament contained a $9,000 guaranteed prize pool. Ultimately, the Open division ended in a four-way tie.

The 2026 iteration of the tournament took place from May 1 to May 3. The event had a $9,000 guaranteed prize pool, similar to 2025. Three grandmasters signed up for the tournament. The day before the tournament began, GM Bryan Smith played in a simultaneous exhibition at the Sheridan Fulmer Public Library. The event ended in a three-way tie for 1st place between GM Zhou Jianchao, GM Bryan Smith, and NM Griffin McConnell.

Competitors As of February 2026, the following people are the top rated active USCF players from Wyoming: PositionNameUSCF RatingUSCF Titles1William Alexander Aepli21601st Category2Daniel Joelson2102Candidate Master (norms-based)3Casey Borcher20052nd Category4Peter Brizard18615James Kulbacki18311st Category6Guy Hadley18202nd Category7Mike Babigian18148Rohan Jacob David18142nd Category9Amber Lock16753rd Category10Joseph Pleso15752nd Category

Other top Wyoming chess players who aren't currently active USCF members include NM Andre Peroit (2252 Rating), David A Wallace (2093 Rating), and four-time state champion Steve Smith (2085 Rating).

GM Alexander Fishbein used to be a Wyoming chess player, the only Grandmaster to come from the state as of January 2025. Upon earning the FIDE title, Fishbein was congratulated by Senator Alan Simpson. His current state is now Tennessee. He would visit the state again to compete in the Sheridan Wyoming Open tournament.

List of state champions (1949–2024) No.YearWinner(s)Notes11949Frank Dillon21950S.D. Ferris31951Chester Ingle41952Chester Ingle (2)51953Vic Stalick61954Wilmer E. Stevens71955Robert F. McGregor81956Robert F. McGregor (2)91957Chester Ingle (3)101958Bob Wendling111959Mohamed OmarOmar was a student at the University of Wyoming from Afghanistan121960NoneNo tournament was held this year131961Rohland Pohle141962W. E. Stevens151963J. Bulinga161964Bob Wendling (2)171965Bob Wendling (3)181966Bob Wendling (4)191967Bob Burley201968Bob Wendling (5)211969Bob Wendling (6)221970Bob Wendling (7)231971Bob Wendling (8)241972Bob Burley (2)251973Bob Burley (3)261974Steve Smith271975Marc Lynn281976Marc Lynn (2)291977Steve Smith (2)301978Daniel M. Finucane311979Steve Smith (3)321980Marc Lynn (3)331981Steve Smith (4)341982Alex Fishbein351983Alex Fishbein (2)361984Daniel E. Joelson371985Alex Fishbein (3)381986Roger L. Sample391987Daniel E. Joelson (2)401988Marc Lynn (4)411989Ronald A. Matous421990Ronald A. Matous (2)431991Daniel E. Joelson (3)441992Daniel E. Joelson (4)451993Daniel E. Joelson (5)461994Daniel E. Joelson (6)471995Daniel E. Joelson (7)481996Daniel E. Joelson (8)491997Daniel E. Joelson (9)501998Daniel E. Joelson (10)511999Daniel E. Joelson (11)522000Daniel E. Joelson (12)532001Daniel E. Joelson (13)542002Daniel E. Joelson (14)552003Andrew M. Smith562004Bruce Johnson572005Daniel E. Joelson (15)582006John L. Pedry592007Daniel E. Joelson (16)602008Bruce Johnson (2)612009Dan W. Tanner622010Guy Hadley632011Guy Hadley (2) and James KulbackiTie642012Timothy Schoessler652013Daniel E. Joelson (17)662014Stefan Heinz672015Daniel E. Joelson (18), James Kulbacki (2), Timothy Schoessler (2), Guy Hadley (3), Stefan Heinz (2), Bruce Johnson (2), Richard Cohen, and Todd CrawfordTie682016Andrew Smith (2) and Guy Hadley (4)Tie692017Andrew Smith (3)702018Will Aepli712019Daniel E. Joelson (19)Tie722020NoneNo tournament was held this year732021Will Aepli (2) and Bradley FIckTie742022Daniel E. Joelson (20) and Timothy Schoessler (3)Tie752023Will Aepli (3)762024Daniel E. Joelson (21) and Will Aepli (4)Tie772025Daniel E. Joelson (22)

Board of Directors The current Wyoming Chess Association Board of Directors is as follows: PositionNameLocationChairBrian WalkerCheyenneVice ChairBrian KuehlSheridanTreasurerWilliam HoffmanCasperSecretaryBradley FickCodyDirectorBarbie FortuneIllinoisDirectorDr. Jon FortuneIllinoisDirectorAmber LockGilletteDirectorElizabeth ScottCasperDirectorMichael Olson

See also

Chess in Utah Chess in Nebraska

References