On September 14, 2019, 10 ardent chess players gathered at the South Fork, Salmon River Suites, of Idaho State University’s Student Union Building to do battle, chess style, for the chance to become the Eastern Idaho Open Champion. Past winners Hans Morrow from Farmington, Utah, and Gary Owen from Preston, Idaho (formerly of Wyoming) were among the group of 10 intrepid chess players who came to compete.
Five of the players came from Eastern Idaho, three from Western Idaho, one, the winner, from Jackson, Wyoming, and one from Utah. This was a four round Swiss System tournament, with Jay Simonson as the Chief Tournament Director (TD).
After the dust from the hard fought battles settled, Josep Companyo Pagerols of Jackson, Wyoming emerged as the clear winner and Champion with a score of four out of four. Dewayne Derryberry of Pocatello, Idaho won clear second place with a score of three. The TD used tie-breaks to award the Top Class C prize to Randy Gentillon of Idaho Falls, Idaho and the Top Class D prize To Nobel Ang of Pocatello, Idaho, both of whom had a score of two. There were no Class B or E entrants. Niall McKenzie, also of Pocatello, and also with a score of two, was awarded the Top Class F prize. When completing the tournament financial report, the TD decided to award Gary Owen of Preston, Idaho a prize for tying for Top Class C, and Finn Belew of Boise, Idaho a prize for tying for Top Class D. Both Finn and Gary scored two out of four points.
Josep received $34, and Dewayne received $25. Randy, Nobel, and Niall each received $8.50 and both Gary and Finn were awarded $4.25.