Lone Pine International

Lone Pine International was a series of chess tournaments held annually in March or April from 1971 through 1981 in Lone Pine, California. Sponsored by Louis D. Statham (1907–1983), millionaire engineer and inventor of medical instruments, the tournaments were formally titled the Louis D. Statham Masters. The events were seven- to ten-round Swiss system tournaments, with entrance requirements that made them the strongest recurring Swiss tournaments in the U.S. in the 1980s. Former United States Champion and Grandmaster Isaac Kashdan served as the tournament director.

The first Louis D. Statham tournament was open to all USCF masters (rated 2200+) and Experts (rated 2000–2199). The field of 33 had an average Elo rating of 2190. Grandmaster Larry Evans (USA) won the $1000 first prize in the seven-round event with the score 6–1. Second place was a four-way tie among Svetozar Gligorić (Yugoslavia), James Tarjan (USA), William Martz (USA), and Walter Browne (USA) with 5 points each.

For the second year of the tournament, eligibility requirements were increased slightly. Expert rating was required for juniors (under age twenty-one); adults needed to be masters. The field of 35 had an average rating of 2262. GM Svetozar Gligorić (Yugoslavia) won the $2000 first prize in the seven-round event with the score 6–1. Second place was a four-way tie at 5–2 among James Tarjan, Anthony Saidy, Andrew Karklins, and Paul Brandts (all USA).

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