Wyoming State Chess Champion Dan Joelson began competing at 12 years old and became state champion by the age of 17. He credits his older brother for introducing him to the game. "He taught me how to play because he wanted to get better," he said. "In six months I'd beat my brother."
CHEYENNE - At first, chess is a game of skill and structure, full of calculated moves and rules.
But then it becomes an art.
"Chess teaches your mind a structured way of thinking. It's great for math, and other subjects where you have to take things step-by-step," said Dan Joelson, a one-time Wyoming state chess champion at age 17.
"But the better you become at chess, the less it becomes like that," he said. "The more it becomes-well, to me, it approaches art. You have to think outside the bounds of straightforward play, and you have to get creative. That's where the game really becomes interesting."
In December, Joelson finished tied for third with three other players at a regional tournament in Boise, Idaho. He was the sole competitor from Wyoming.
One of the three players in the tie was a 13-year-old junior chess player and ranked expert named Kaustubn Kodihalli. Rankings are strictly talent-based. Junior players are usually considered under 18 and are allowed to compete with adults.
"In this tournament I played a really strong junior player who is only 13. He's the Idaho state champion, and we ended up drawing," he said.
As a child in Casper, Joelson first learned to play chess from his older brother.
"He taught me how to play so he could beat me," he laughed. "The Boys Club had a really good instructor, and I would show up on Tuesday nights to practice. Within six months, I was throttling my brother because I was getting instruction."
Joelson learned the game at 12, and by age 17, he was the state champion.
Now, decades later, he's working toward earning a masters rating.
According to the United States Chess Federation's rating system, competitive chess players are ranked based on a points system and are called experts, masters and even grandmaster. While different countries and organizations sometimes use different systems, most titles are given for life.
Rather than let chess become a thing of the past, Joelson hopes to generate interest in an active Cheyenne chess club so he's no longer the only Wyoming competitor at events like the one in Boise.
The six-round World Chess Federation and United States Chess Federation event included two grandmasters, an international master and several other masters from Idaho, California and Michigan. Other international competitors, including one originally from Moscow, joined in.
Joelson, who currently practices two hours per day, hopes to see more Wyomingites compete at regional, state and national events.
"I'm interested in helping Wyoming junior players, if they want to get better and potentially compete in these events. I can help facilitate them getting in touch with the right people and also in coaching, if necessary," he said.
George Lundy, director of the Chandra Alexis Chess Club in Boise, said that similar to Wyoming, the chess community in Idaho is spread out regionally over the entire state, rather than being a "cohesive group of organizers sitting down in one room to propose new objectives and work out details."
Lundy works in Idaho and regionally as a World Chess Federation National Arbiter and U.S. Chess Federation Senior Tournament Director to assist other clubs with their events.
"I make every effort to work with local, state and regional organizers to implement these plans for the future," he said. "One of my goals is to build a large group of internationally rated players in Boise specifically, and Idaho overall. This will allow us to attract corporate sponsorship and bring stronger out-of-state players to our events. In turn, this will help our players get stronger by playing these non-Idaho players."
Joelson said he has similar hopes for the chess community in Wyoming. He said he would be willing to connect any interested parties with resources in the state, and he is available for lessons. The best way to get involved, he said, is to find a USCF event to participate in and start preparing through lessons and practice.
"If you want to get involved in competitive chess, you go to the United States Chess Federation, and that will give a listing of the local tournaments and local clubs," he said. "In the case of Wyoming, it is very limited."
Wyoming's largest event, the 2023 Sheridan Open, will be held May 5-7 at the Ramada Inn in Sheridan. Lundy will be running the international section.
For additional information on this tournament, contact Dan Casey at dancasey@eracrc.com.
For lessons or further direction, Joelson can be contacted at DJoelson8281@gmail.com
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