Southern Inyo Museum
New Coso Heritage Society, Inc.
127 W. Bush St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545
27 August 2025′

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE’

From 1971-1981 some remarkable events occurred in Lone Pine; the Louis D Statham Chess Tournaments. A brilliant inventor who retired to Lone Pine in the late 60’s, Mr. Statham was a ham radio enthusiast as well as an accomplished and passionate chess player. He often played multiple simultaneous games with other ham radio operators around the world from his spread in Lone Pine. The entrance requirements for his tournaments made them the strongest recurring chess event in the United States. Grandmasters from around the world, attracted by generous purses and the promise of high level competition, descended upon Lone Pine. In 1977 one of the players, Nona Gaprindashvili, became the first woman to win a norm for title of grandmaster at an elite tournament. Victor Korchnoi, the grandmaster from the Soviet Union who had defected at great personal cost and who was considered the greatest player who never won a world championship, triumphed in the final year of the Statham games.

On September 20, 2025 at noon a new display commemorating the Statham Chess Tournaments will be inaugurated at the Southern Inyo Museum. Curated by Curt Klebaum, the exhibit will include stories of the tournaments, some artifacts including a poster signed by the players (generously loaned by Mr. Keith Franson, Mr. Statham’s grandson), a chess timer clock and other artifacts and photos. Also on view will be the 1982 film “The Great Chess Movie”, that focuses on the story of Viktor Korchnoi and which opens with scenes of the Lone Pine tourney.

Next door in the Lone Pine Public Library the First Annual Lone Pine Youth Chess Tournament will be held beginning at 9:30. Inspired by the Louis D Statham International, the tournament will be the first ever youth chess tournament in Inyo County. There will be two levels of players, Senior Level being grades 9-12 and Junior Level being elementary and middle school grades. Mr. Abhilash Itharaju is the youth tournament organizer. An awards ceremony will be held at noon as part of the exhibition’s opening festivities. Registration is open through September 16 and participation is free.

“The Louis D Statham Masters” Southern Inyo Museum
127 W. Bush Street
Lone Pine, CA 93545
September 20, 2025, 12 noon
Contact Curt Klebaum 310.413.1770

The First Lone Pine Youth Chess Tournament Lone Pine Public Library
Bush and Washington Streets
Lone Pine, California
September 20, 2025, 9:30am
Contact Abhilash Itharaju 765.247.2244