This is the last volume of California Chess Reporter and it contains the last issue of this publication, May-June 1976 issue.

The last issue explains the reason why the publication was closing down. At the 1976 Delegates meeting of the US Chess Federation, a motion had been made to split the state of California in two for chess purposes. This had passed without significant debate or opposition. Similar motions had often been made at meetings of the California State Chess Federation and had repeatedly been voted down. The USCF Delegates seemingly knew nothing about this; it seems that nobody from Northern California was on-hand to explain the consequences of their proposed action.

The USCF did not understand that the reason for the existence of the California Chess Reporter was that it was the official organ of the California State Chess Federation, representing the entire state.

The result was that even though chess was booming throughout the state, with more and bigger chess events being held, the CSCF, the State Chess Federation, was closed down and with it the main chess publication in the state. They never have been replaced to this deal. As a result, there no longer is a California State Championship or a real California Open Championship.

These last issues of the California Chess Reporter shows the increased activities in the state. The tournaments held in Lone Pine California became the biggest and most prestigious chess tournament in the world. Young Grandmasters such as Walter Browne and Nick DeFrirmian moved to California because of the increased opportunities to play chess there. By 1976, Mike Goodall was the biggest chess organizer in Norther California.

The cover photo shows Tibor Weinberger and Editors Guthrie McClain and Bob Burger at the Grandmaster Tournament in Lone Pine, California.