Fishbein, Matthew (1421) - Spahn, George (817) [C44]
Scholastic Teams, 03.15.2008
[Fritz 9 (30s)]

C44: Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White threatens to win material: Nf3xe5 2...Nc6 3.c3 Consolidates b4 3...d5 4.exd5 [4.Qa4 Bd7 5.exd5 Nd4+-] 4...Qxd5+= 5.d4 e4 Black threatens to win material: e4xf3 [5...Be6 6.Be2 exd4 7.cxd4=] 6.Nfd2= Nf6 7.Qc2 [7.f3 exf3 8.Bc4 f2+ 9.Kxf2 Qf5+ 10.Nf3 Ne4+ 11.Kg1 Be7=] 7...Bf5 White is behind in developement. White's piece can't move: c1 8.Bc4 White threatens to win material: Bc4xd5 8...Qd7 9.Nb3 Be7 White has a cramped position 10.Be3 Black has an active position 10...0–0 Black castles and improves king safety 11.0–0 White castles and improves king safety 11...Rfe8 Black has a very active position 12.N1d2 Bd6 White has a cramped position 13.Bb5 a6 14.Bxc6 [14.Be2!?=+ deserves consideration] 14...Qxc6-+ 15.c4 [15.Rfe1-+]

15...Bb4?? Black has a very active position. Gives the opponent new chances [15...Bxh2+ and Black can look forward to a comfortable game 16.Kxh2 Ng4+ 17.Kg1 Qd6–+] 16.d5=+ White threatens to win material: d5xc6 16...Qd6 17.a3 [17.Rfc1=+] 17...Bxd2 [17...Ng4!? 18.g3 Bxd2 (18...Nxe3?! 19.fxe3 Bxd2 20.Qxd2=+) 19.Nxd2 c6-+ (19...Nxe3 20.fxe3 Bh3 21.Rf4=+ (21.Nxe4 Qg6 22.Rf4 Re5-+) ) ] 18.Qxd2= Opposite coloured bishops appeared 18...b5 Black threatens to win material: b5xc4 [18...Ng4 19.Bf4 Ne5 20.Na5=] 19.Bf4+= White threatens to win material: Bf4xd6 19...Qd7

20.Bg5?? a transit from better to worse [20.Nc5!? is interesting 20...Qe7 21.Qd4+=] 20...Ng4 [20...bxc4 21.Bxf6 cxb3 22.Bg5–+] 21.h3 [21.Na5!?=] 21...Ne5-+ 22.c5? [22.cxb5 Bxh3 Demolition of pawn structure 23.f3 exf3 24.gxh3 Qxh3 25.Nd4 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qh5+ 27.Qh2 Qxg5 28.Nxf3 Nxf3 29.Rxf3 Qxd5 30.Qg2–+]

22...Nf3+?? throws away the game [22...Bxh3 would have given Black a clear advantage 23.f3 exf3 24.gxh3 Qxh3–+] 23.gxf3± Bxh3 24.Kh2?? hands over the advantage to the opponent [24.Rfd1!? Bg4 25.c6±] 24...exf3 Black has new doubled pawns: f3+f7. [24...Bxf1!? 25.Rxf1 Re5 26.fxe4 f6-+] 25.Rg1= Bg2 26.Rxg2 fxg2 Black has a new passed pawn: g2 27.Rg1 White threatens to win material: Rg1xg2 [27.d6 cxd6 28.cxd6=] 27...Qg4 White king safety dropped [27...Re5!? might be a viable alternative 28.d6 f6=+] 28.Rxg2 [28.Qf4 Qh5+ 29.Qh4= (29.Kxg2 h6 30.Bh4 g5 (30...Qxd5+?! 31.Qf3 Qxf3+ 32.Kxf3=) 31.Bxg5 hxg5-+ (31...Qxg5+?? 32.Kh2 Qxg1+ 33.Kxg1 Re1+ 34.Kh2+-) ) ] 28...Qh5+= 29.Kg1 Re5? [29...Re2 30.Qc3 Rae8 31.Be3=] 30.d6 [30.Bf6! Rae8 31.Bxe5 Rxe5+-] 30...Rae8

31.Be3?? White loses the upper hand [31.Be7 cxd6 32.cxd6 h6±] 31...Rd5 Black threatens to win material: Rd5xd2 [31...cxd6 and Black can hope to survive 32.cxd6 Rd5=+] 32.Bd4± cxd6 [32...f6!? 33.dxc7 Qf7+=] 33.Rxg7++- Kf8

34.cxd6?? throws away a nice position [34.Rg3!? f6 35.cxd6+-] 34...Rxd6?? letting the wind out of his own sails. . [34...Rxd4 Black would have gained the upper hand 35.Qxd4 Re1+ 36.Kg2 Qh1+ 37.Kg3 Rg1+ 38.Kf4 Qh6+ (38...Rxg7?? materialistic play, which will be punished 39.d7 Qh4+ 40.Ke3 Qxd4+ 41.Nxd4+- (41.Kxd4?? Ke7–+) ) 39.Ke4 Qxg7 40.Qxg7+ Rxg7–+] 35.Qb4± Qd1+? [35...Ree6 36.Rg3 f5±] 36.Kg2+- Ree6

37.Qc3?? ruins a clearly superior position [37.Rg5+- White had this great chance] 37...Rg6++-38.Rxg6 Rxg6+ [38...Rxg6+ 39.Qg3 Qxb3–+] 0–1

Fishbein, Matthew (1421) - Spahn, George (817) [C44]
Scholastic Teams, 03.15.2008
[Fritz 9 (30s)]

C44: Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White threatens to win material: Nf3xe5 2...Nc6 3.c3 Consolidates b4 3...d5 4.exd5 [4.Qa4 Bd7 5.exd5 Nd4+-] 4...Qxd5+= 5.d4 e4 Black threatens to win material: e4xf3 [5...Be6 6.Be2 exd4 7.cxd4=] 6.Nfd2= Nf6 7.Qc2 [7.f3 exf3 8.Bc4 f2+ 9.Kxf2 Qf5+ 10.Nf3 Ne4+ 11.Kg1 Be7=] 7...Bf5 White is behind in developement. White's piece can't move: c1 8.Bc4 White threatens to win material: Bc4xd5 8...Qd7 9.Nb3 Be7 White has a cramped position 10.Be3 Black has an active position 10...0–0 Black castles and improves king safety 11.0–0 White castles and improves king safety 11...Rfe8 Black has a very active position 12.N1d2 Bd6 White has a cramped position 13.Bb5 a6 14.Bxc6 [14.Be2!?=+ deserves consideration] 14...Qxc6-+ 15.c4 [15.Rfe1-+]

15...Bb4?? Black has a very active position. Gives the opponent new chances [15...Bxh2+ and Black can look forward to a comfortable game 16.Kxh2 Ng4+ 17.Kg1 Qd6–+] 16.d5=+ White threatens to win material: d5xc6 16...Qd6 17.a3 [17.Rfc1=+] 17...Bxd2 [17...Ng4!? 18.g3 Bxd2 (18...Nxe3?! 19.fxe3 Bxd2 20.Qxd2=+) 19.Nxd2 c6-+ (19...Nxe3 20.fxe3 Bh3 21.Rf4=+ (21.Nxe4 Qg6 22.Rf4 Re5-+) ) ] 18.Qxd2= Opposite coloured bishops appeared 18...b5 Black threatens to win material: b5xc4 [18...Ng4 19.Bf4 Ne5 20.Na5=] 19.Bf4+= White threatens to win material: Bf4xd6 19...Qd7

20.Bg5?? a transit from better to worse [20.Nc5!? is interesting 20...Qe7 21.Qd4+=] 20...Ng4 [20...bxc4 21.Bxf6 cxb3 22.Bg5–+] 21.h3 [21.Na5!?=] 21...Ne5-+ 22.c5? [22.cxb5 Bxh3 Demolition of pawn structure 23.f3 exf3 24.gxh3 Qxh3 25.Nd4 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qh5+ 27.Qh2 Qxg5 28.Nxf3 Nxf3 29.Rxf3 Qxd5 30.Qg2–+]

22...Nf3+?? throws away the game [22...Bxh3 would have given Black a clear advantage 23.f3 exf3 24.gxh3 Qxh3–+] 23.gxf3± Bxh3 24.Kh2?? hands over the advantage to the opponent [24.Rfd1!? Bg4 25.c6±] 24...exf3 Black has new doubled pawns: f3+f7. [24...Bxf1!? 25.Rxf1 Re5 26.fxe4 f6-+] 25.Rg1= Bg2 26.Rxg2 fxg2 Black has a new passed pawn: g2 27.Rg1 White threatens to win material: Rg1xg2 [27.d6 cxd6 28.cxd6=] 27...Qg4 White king safety dropped [27...Re5!? might be a viable alternative 28.d6 f6=+] 28.Rxg2 [28.Qf4 Qh5+ 29.Qh4= (29.Kxg2 h6 30.Bh4 g5 (30...Qxd5+?! 31.Qf3 Qxf3+ 32.Kxf3=) 31.Bxg5 hxg5-+ (31...Qxg5+?? 32.Kh2 Qxg1+ 33.Kxg1 Re1+ 34.Kh2+-) ) ] 28...Qh5+= 29.Kg1 Re5? [29...Re2 30.Qc3 Rae8 31.Be3=] 30.d6 [30.Bf6! Rae8 31.Bxe5 Rxe5+-] 30...Rae8

31.Be3?? White loses the upper hand [31.Be7 cxd6 32.cxd6 h6±] 31...Rd5 Black threatens to win material: Rd5xd2 [31...cxd6 and Black can hope to survive 32.cxd6 Rd5=+] 32.Bd4± cxd6 [32...f6!? 33.dxc7 Qf7+=] 33.Rxg7++- Kf8

34.cxd6?? throws away a nice position [34.Rg3!? f6 35.cxd6+-] 34...Rxd6?? letting the wind out of his own sails. . [34...Rxd4 Black would have gained the upper hand 35.Qxd4 Re1+ 36.Kg2 Qh1+ 37.Kg3 Rg1+ 38.Kf4 Qh6+ (38...Rxg7?? materialistic play, which will be punished 39.d7 Qh4+ 40.Ke3 Qxd4+ 41.Nxd4+- (41.Kxd4?? Ke7–+) ) 39.Ke4 Qxg7 40.Qxg7+ Rxg7–+] 35.Qb4± Qd1+? [35...Ree6 36.Rg3 f5±] 36.Kg2+- Ree6

37.Qc3?? ruins a clearly superior position [37.Rg5+- White had this great chance] 37...Rg6++-38.Rxg6 Rxg6+ [38...Rxg6+ 39.Qg3 Qxb3–+] 0–1

Related Links

Babayan shares 1st at Maine Open; wins 2007 Player of the Year

Maine Chess Player of the Year 2007

Lee Doucette is Maine Chess Player of the Year for 2006

The Maine Chess Association is pleased to announce guaranteed prizes for the 2008 Maine Chess Player of the Year Awards:

FIRST PLACE $300

SECOND PLACE $100

THIRD PLACE $50

With the added prize money there will be additional tournaments to compete in.

For those unfamiliar with the scoring system, a player adds their tournament score to the number of games played in the tournament to obtain their Maine Chess Player of the Year score for that particular tournament. Thus withdrawals and requested half-point byes decrease a player's chances for winning a prize.

Organizers: If you wish to run a Maine Chess Player of the Year event the following are stipulations you must adhere to:

1. The tournament announcement must appear in Chess Life or on the USCF website as a Maine Chess Player of the Year event and the tournament must be USCF-rated. (There is a two month lead time to place a tournament announcement in Chess Life so arganizers will have to plan in advance. Tournament Life Announcement (TLA) deadlines appear on page 59 of the December, 2006 Chess Life.)

2. For every player in the event $1.00 must be forwarded to the MCA treasurer: Ray Duval 13 Lincoln Street, Brunswick, Maine 04011

3. Every player in the event must be a member of the Maine Chess Association unless they reside out of state. (Current annual dues for the Maine Chess Association are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students. For those wishing to offer MCA memberships please contact Phil Lowell at plowell@maine.rr.com or Ray Duval at the above address.)

4. A total of fifty-two Maine Chess Player of the year points have been scheduled for the Portland area.
No more than fifty-two ponits should be scheduled for the greater Bangor / Orono / Aurora area.
No more than fifty-two points should be scheduled for the Washington County area.

5. All players must be eligible to compete; if you are running a scholastic Maine Chess Player of the Year event, you must also have an adult Maine Chess Player of the Year section.

The Maine Chess Association does not expect the winner of the 2007 Maine Chess Player of the Year award to play in every Maine Chess Player of the Year event. This award has been established to honor both a high level of skill and a commitment to regularly participate in Maine tournaments.

Previous Maine Chess Player of the Year Winners

2007 Ruben Babayan, Portland
2006 Lee Doucette, Portland
2005 Jarod Bryan, Waterville
2004 Ralph Townsend, Holden
2003
2002 Ruben Babayan, Portland
2001 Ruben Babayan, Portland
2000 Ruben Babayan, Portland
1999 Jon Buxton, West Gardiner
1998 Joe Wrba, Kennebunk
1997 Ruben Babayan, Portland
1996 Gary Mitchell, Saco; Ruben Babayan, Portland
1995 Michael Moore, Mt. Vernon
1994 Joe Robillard, Lewiston

Related Links

Babayan shares 1st at Maine Open; wins 2007 Player of the Year

Maine Chess Player of the Year 2007 Final Results

Lee Doucette is Maine Chess Player of the Year for 2006.

Keji Xu (1354) - Daniel Weissbarth (1904) 0-1 Replay

Kurt Eyerer (950) - Curt Brock (1597) 1-0 Replay

Murray Bridges (1446) - Joseph St. Pieere (2060) 0-1 Replay

Jason Spector (2113) - Max Berube (1451) 1-0 Replay

Robert Shore (1740) - Andrew Bryan (1176) 1-0 Replay

Mark Maynard (1400) - Roger Morin (1973) 0-1 Replay

Lucas McCain (1795) - John Ellison (1222) 1-0 Replay

Stephen Kaluzynski (1209) - Fritz Eyerer (1753) 0-1 Replay

Darrell Salisbury (1962) - Henry Chai (1372) Replay

Phil Lowell (1873) - Margaret Bryan (1329) 1-0 Replay

Donald Plummer (1685) - Jiawei Zou (970) 1-0 Replay

Round 2

Joseph St. Pierre (2060) - Donald Plummer (1685) 1-0 Replay

Chuck Cannone (1634) - Ruben Babayan (2008) 0-1 Replay

Nicholas Parsons (1530) - Darrell Salisbury (1962) 0-1 Replay

Henry Chai (1372) - Yuval Boss (674) 0-1 Replay

Jaiwei Zou (997) - Mark Maynard (1400) 1-0 Replay

Margaret Bryan (1329) - Jon Malev (1600) 1-0 Replay

Daniel Weissbarth (1904) - Andrew Audibert (1174) 1-0 Replay

John Ellison (1222) - Michael Dudley (1486) 0-1 Replay

William Burtt (1027) - Lucas McCain (1795) 0-1 Replay

Fritz Eyerer (1753) - Jason Spector (2113) 0-1 Replay

Roger Morin (1976) - Kirk Rideout (1505) 1-0 Replay

Curt Brock (1579) - John Jones (1319) 1-0 Replay

Round 3

Darrell Salisbury (1962) - Fritz Eyerer (1753) 0-1 Replay

Kurt Eyerer (999) - Fred Irons (1500) 1-0 Replay

William Burtt (1027) - Nicholas Parsons (1535) 0-1 Replay

Jon Malev (1600) - John Ellison (1222) 1-0 Replay

Hoty Briggs (1402) - Rudy Saarheim (UNR) 0-1 Replay

Phil Lowell (1873) - Roger Morin (1973) 1/2 Replay

Kirk Rideout (1505) - Jiawei Zou (970) 0-1 Replay

Andrew Audibert (1174) - Curt Brock (1579) 0-1 Replay

John Jones (1319) - John Kenneway (624) 1-0 Replay

Kerry Magee (343) - Michael Dudley (1486) 0-1 Replay

Round 4

Fritz Eyerer (1753) - Michael Dudley (1486) 1-0 Replay

Margaret Bryan (1329) - Kirk Rideout (1505) 1-0 Replay

Henry Chai (1372) - Andrew Audibert (1174) 1-0 Replay

Andrey Savov (1827) - Jason Spector (2113) 0-1 Replay

Steven Dillon (2144) - Lucas McCain 1795) 1-0 Replay

Round 5

Robert Shore (1740) - Henry Chai (1372) 1-0 Replay

Ruben Babayan (2008) - Roger Morin (1973) 1-0 Replay

Andrew Bryan (1176) - John Kenneway (624) 1/2 Replay

Roger Morin (1973) - Joseph St. Pierre (2060) 1-0 Replay

Max Berube (1451) - Darrell Salisbury (1962) 0-1 Replay

Mark Maynard (1400) - Bruce Sherwood (1183) 0-1 Replay

Lucas McCain (1795) - Daniel Weissbarth (1904) 1-0 Replay

William Burtt (1027) - Kirk Rideout (1505) 1-0 Replay

Round 1

Keji Xu (1354) - Daniel Weissbarth (1904) 0-1 Replay

Kurt Eyerer (950) - Curt Brock (1597) 1-0 Replay

Murray Bridges (1446) - Joseph St. Pieere (2060) 0-1 Replay

Jason Spector (2113) - Max Berube (1451) 1-0 Replay

Robert Shore (1740) - Andrew Bryan (1176) 1-0 Replay

Mark Maynard (1400) - Roger Morin (1973) 0-1 Replay

Lucas McCain (1795) - John Ellison (1222) 1-0 Replay

Stephen Kaluzynski (1209) - Fritz Eyerer (1753) 0-1 Replay

Darrell Salisbury (1962) - Henry Chai (1372) Replay

Phil Lowell (1873) - Margaret Bryan (1329) 1-0 Replay

Donald Plummer (1685) - Jiawei Zou (970) 1-0 Replay

Round 2

Joseph St. Pierre (2060) - Donald Plummer (1685) 1-0 Replay

Chuck Cannone (1634) - Ruben Babayan (2008) 0-1 Replay

Nicholas Parsons (1530) - Darrell Salisbury (1962) 0-1 Replay

Henry Chai (1372) - Yuval Boss (674) 0-1 Replay

Jaiwei Zou (997) - Mark Maynard (1400) 1-0 Replay

Margaret Bryan (1329) - Jon Malev (1600) 1-0 Replay

Daniel Weissbarth (1904) - Andrew Audibert (1174) 1-0 Replay

John Ellison (1222) - Michael Dudley (1486) 0-1 Replay

William Burtt (1027) - Lucas McCain (1795) 0-1 Replay

Fritz Eyerer (1753) - Jason Spector (2113) 0-1 Replay

Roger Morin (1976) - Kirk Rideout (1505) 1-0 Replay

Curt Brock (1579) - John Jones (1319) 1-0 Replay

Round 3

Darrell Salisbury (1962) - Fritz Eyerer (1753) 0-1 Replay

Kurt Eyerer (999) - Fred Irons (1500) 1-0 Replay

William Burtt (1027) - Nicholas Parsons (1535) 0-1 Replay

Jon Malev (1600) - John Ellison (1222) 1-0 Replay

Hoty Briggs (1402) - Rudy Saarheim (UNR) 0-1 Replay

Phil Lowell (1873) - Roger Morin (1973) 1/2 Replay

Kirk Rideout (1505) - Jiawei Zou (970) 0-1 Replay

Andrew Audibert (1174) - Curt Brock (1579) 0-1 Replay

John Jones (1319) - John Kenneway (624) 1-0 Replay

Kerry Magee (343) - Michael Dudley (1486) 0-1 Replay

Round 4

Fritz Eyerer (1753) - Michael Dudley (1486) 1-0 Replay

Margaret Bryan (1329) - Kirk Rideout (1505) 1-0 Replay

Henry Chai (1372) - Andrew Audibert (1174) 1-0 Replay

Andrey Savov (1827) - Jason Spector (2113) 0-1 Replay

Steven Dillon (2144) - Lucas McCain 1795) 1-0 Replay

Round 5

Robert Shore (1740) - Henry Chai (1372) 1-0 Replay

Ruben Babayan (2008) - Roger Morin (1973) 1-0 Replay

Andrew Bryan (1176) - John Kenneway (624) 1/2 Replay

Roger Morin (1973) - Joseph St. Pierre (2060) 1-0 Replay

Max Berube (1451) - Darrell Salisbury (1962) 0-1 Replay

Mark Maynard (1400) - Bruce Sherwood (1183) 0-1 Replay

Lucas McCain (1795) - Daniel Weissbarth (1904) 1-0 Replay

William Burtt (1027) - Kirk Rideout (1505) 1-0 Replay

ChessMaine reporter-on-the-scene Dan Fishbein reports live from Pittsburgh and the Elementary Nationals Chess Championship. You can keep updated with round by round results and pairings here. You can also watch selected games at MonRoi.com.

Much thanks to Dan Fishbein for filing this report.

Parent after parent commented that their kids found the competition to be much stronger than they had expected, and that competition from states other than New York, California and Texas was remarkable. It seemed that if you were paired against someone from Minnesota or Michigan or Washington State you were in trouble, because with fewer USCF tournaments under their belts these were competitors whose abilities were much higher than their current USCF ratings.

For the Maine contingent nonetheless the weekend ended with a solid overall set of performances, even though no trophies were won this year. Matthew Reale-Hatem started the day with a draw against Asia Hudson of Michigan, and finished strong with a victory over Kasimir Schulz of North Carolina. Matthew Fishbein ended up on the losing end of matches against Apurva Virkud of Michigan and Alexander Peichel of Minnesota. Zach Hamilton lost his first round of the day to Victoria Choy of New York, and then finished with a win over Bryant Vorhees of Utah. Olivia Reale-Hatem finished her first tournament on the down side of matches against Charles Thomas of Ohio and Jed John-Burnley of New York.

Here are the final results for the little Maine team:

Matthew Reale-Hatem K-6 Under 1000 4.0, 86 of 262
Olivia Reale-Hatem, K-3 Unrated, 1.0, 105
Zach Hamilton K-6 Unrated 4.0, 51 of 157
Matthew Fishbein K-5 Championship, 3.0, 162 of 288

Including Blitz and Bughouse, the little Maine team earned 29 points against this tough national field.

Another interesting aspect of the day was a vote taken by loudness of applause just before the start of the last round. At the Scholastic Council meeting the day before, this author proposed changing the tournament schedule in the future so that teams could depart on Sunday afternoon, a goal a number of schools had raised by asking that they be allowed to take byes in the last round. This might facilitate even larger attendance. My suggestion was to instead hold the first round on Friday morning, vs. the current 1:00 p.m. Friday start, so that 7 rounds could be complete by midday Sunday. I also joined a few others in proposing that the time controls be reduced from G120 to G90, which was supported by the USCF Board members on the Scholastic Council, especially since it is consistent with the time controls used in World Youth events, and since it seemed more conducive to kids' sleep schedules. The Council decided however that instead of the votes of the 20 people who decided to attend the meeting, that they should ask the parents and kids en masse, which turned out to be a great idea. The loudness vote overwhelmingly defeated both changes, especially the change in time controls. And it turned out it was the KIDS who were the most opposed to any changes.

And so this appropriately helped end this year's tournament--the kids made the decisions. This weekend was all about the kids in every way. A great opportunity for kids to shine, while the adults stayed largely in the background.

The Atlanta Braves, who were in town playing the Pirates, were staying in the Westin, the tournament's HQ hotel, along with many of the chess players. Numerous elevator and other encounters with Braves players, coaches and announcers revealed a true fascination and respect from the major league baseball people with these major league chess players. They clearly admired the competitve spirit, discipline and hard work...regardless of the sport.

A final note: next year are the Supernationals in Nashville, April 3-5. Held every four years, this tournament combines the Elementary, Junior High and High School tournaments into one mega-tournament that is likely to draw over 6,000 players and parents. This is a great opportunity for Maine to send a much larger team to play on the national stage. Many other states had their top 3 teams in each category present in force. Maine was under-represented by any calculation. So, start fundraising and planning now! For scholastic players, this is an event not to be missed.

Matthew Reale-Hatem (right) prepares for a Blitz round.

Matthew Fishbein, a la Veselin Topalov, prepares his pieces and himself for a Blitz game before the main tournament.

In between Blitz rounds Matthew Reale-Hatem plays some skittles with new friends.

Matthew Fishbein (right) and Michael Brown (who finished 4th) discuss openings prior to the start of their Round 2 game in the K-5 Championship section.

Matthew Reale-Hatem (left) prepares for his 3rd Round game against Nathanial Osborn of Washington State who won the K-6 U1000 section.

Zach Hamilton scored 4/7 in the K-6 unrated section.

Olivia Reale-Hatem gets ready for her 3rd Round game against Alex Pena of California.

The Cape Elizabeth contingent (left to right): Matthew Reale-Hatem, Olivia Reale-Hatem and Matthew Fishbein

Players under the soaring roof lines of the David Lawrence Convention Center

One of the many spectacular scenes at the convention center

The City of Steel: Some of the 113 steel bridges that cross Pittsburgh's three rivers (here it's the Allegheny), with PNC Park, home of the Pirates, in the background.

The Pittsburgh Skyline as seen from the Convention Center.

Location Host Hotel & Thursday Events
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Blitz & Bughouse at Westin
The Westin Convention Center
1000 Penn Ave · Pittsburgh, PA 15222

7SS, G/120, (K-1 G/90). A Junior Grand Prix (JGP) event.

9 sections:
K-6 Championship
K-5 Championship
K-6 Under 1000
K-5 Under 900
K-6 Unrated
K-3 Championship
K-3 Under 800
K-1 Championship
K-3 Unrated

EF: $40 if p/m by April 16, $60 if p/m by April 30, $75 after April 30 or $80 at site.

Prizes: Trophies for at least top 25 players and teams in each section based on attendance average during the past two years. All participants will receive a medal at the completion of the final round except the K-1 Championship section, who will receive a participation trophy.

Also class trophies to the top three in the following classes:

K-6 Championship: 1200-1399; 1000-1199; 800-999; U800; unrated.

K-5 Championship: 1200-1399; 1000-1199; 800-999; U800; unrated.

K-3 Championship: 800-999; 600-799; U600; unrated.

K-1 Championship: All players in this section receive a trophy.

Unrated players may play in the Championship Sections or Unrated Sections only.

Teams: A team must have at least two players, although no maximum number of players. The top four scores in any section will count for the team score.

Main Event rounds:
Friday 1 pm, 7pm;
Saturday 9 am, 2 pm, 7 pm;
Sunday 9 am, 2 pm.

Schedule for K-1 section:
Friday 1:30 pm, 6:30 pm;
Saturday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm), 6:30 pm;
Sunday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm).

Opening Ceremony: 12:30 pm Friday.

1/2 pt bye any round except seven if requested in advance of Round one (limit one).

Awards: 7 pm (approximate) Sunday.

Special Events:

National Elementary Bughouse Championship: Thursday 11 am. Bughouse entries on site only. $25 per team. Bughouse Rules. 2006 version still current.

National Elementary Blitz Championship: Thursday 5 pm. Two Sections: K-6 and K-3.
Blitz EF: $15 per player/$20 on site or if after April 30. Blitz Rules. 2006 version still current.

Simul with GM Alexander Shabalov: Friday, May 9 at 9 AM. $25.00 on site registration only.

Coaches and Parents meeting: 11 am Friday.

Scholastic meeting: 2:30 pm Saturday.

Coaches Forum: 7:00 pm Saturday.

Tournament Feedback meeting: 9:30 am Sunday.

Parents and Friends Tournament: 4SS, Saturday 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, on site registration only. Rated and unrated sections. Trophies for parent and child combined results.

ChessMaine reporter-on-the-scene Dan Fishbein reports live from Pittsburgh and the Elementary Nationals Chess Championship. You can keep updated with round by round results and pairings here. You can also watch selected live games at MonRoi.com.

Much thanks to Dan Fishbein for filing this report.

Day 1 ended with a second round that extended well into the evening for many participants. For the Maine contingent, here are the Round 2 results: Matthew Reale-Hatem drew with Christopher Galarza of New York; Olivia Reale-Hatem lost to Robin Lopez of Maryland; Zach Hamilton lost to Christopher Feener of Georgia; Matthew Fishbein lost to Michael Brown of California.

After a spectacular fireworks display at the end of the Pirates game at very nearby PNC Park, the players retired for a good night's sleep. Day 2 dawned rainy and gray again, but by late morning the sun was out revealing beautiful views of the Pittsburgh skyline. Inside, Round 3 started at 9:00 a.m., with 2,196 sunny faces (and at least as many parents, coaches and siblings.) The Maine contingent started the morning with mixed results. Matthew Fishbein got a win over Robert Berk of chess powerhouse Hunter College Prep in New York. Matthew Reale-Hatem lost a tough match to Nathaniel Osborn of Washington State. Zach Hamilton was defeated by Max Lin of Wisconsin, and Olivia Reale-Hatem lost to Alex Pena of California. Round 4 started at 2 PM, with a strong result for the Mainers. While Matthew Fishbein lost to Timmy Duda of New York City, Matthew Reale-Hatem won a 2 hour and 15 minute match over Lovedeep Singh of New York, Zach Hamilton defeated Ben Segovia of New York, and Olivia Reale-Hatem earned a draw against Ryan Sievert of Wisconsin.

The toughest Round of the tournament is Round 5, which is the third G120 round of the day, starting at 7:00 p.m. By the start of this round players and parents alike were looking a bit bedraggled. Matthew Fishbein went to 3.0 by defeating Philip Tallo of Indiana. Matthew Reale-Hatem was edged out by Guwoin Ingram of Michigan in a two-hour game. Zach Hamilton won over Elanna Gaines of Pennsylvania, and Olivia Reale-Hatem had a bye. As of the end of Round 5, Matthew Fishbein and Zach Hamilton had 3.0 points each, Matthew Reale-Hatem 2.5 and Olivia Reale-Hatem 1.0

Other highlights of the day included a book signing by Josh Waitzkin, and numerous sightings of other chess celebrities, including Susan Polgar and Joel Benjamin.

Throughout the day this author was struck by the complete role reversal of parents and children. Most of the time we are used to the adults being the focal point, with children needing to be watched while the adults go about the important tasks. In this setting, it is the children who are the serious ones, and the adults are the accessories. During the Rounds the children are focused, determined and most of all, quiet. Meanwhile, the adults are socializing and chatting, while constantly needing to be reminded to behave themselves. In fact, on numerous occasions the TDs announced that the children were complaining that the parents were making too much noise!

However, as a parent/accessory it still somehow seems there is never enough time to do what "needs" to be done: get to the rounds on time, make sure meals are squeezed in, get reacquainted with other parents we haven't seen since the last tournament (seems like a good thing but considered bad behavior by the TDs and kids if done inside the playing hall), update grandparents on the goings on, attend the Scholastic Council meeting, take photos, review the last game, check on pairings and results, buy a new clock at the bookstore, go to a book signing, make reservations for a Mothers' Day dinner, make arrangements to get to the airport at the same time as 4,000 other people, meet with the Think Like a King guy, buy a tournament T-Shirt with his name on it, etc., etc. I think they plan all these extra activities for the parents so we can feel useful! (For a great perspective by another chess parent, see this Blog by chess dad Mark Schein.)

If you've never been to a tournament like this, and your frame of reference is a typical Maine chess tournament with 40 participants, the experience is hard to describe in words or even with pictures, but I'll try. Imagine a playing hall that is 5 stories high and an acre in size. 1,000 boards set up at hundreds of tables that don't even fill the entire hall. 2,000 kids playing at once, in silence (except for those pesky parents). Thousands of people walking to the convention center together prior to each round. People from virtually every state, and every ethnic and economic background united by a common love for chess. An entire city taken over by chess players and parents. Bewildered hotel and restaurant managers who apparently had no clue what was going to hit them--they may have been told to prepare for a "convention" of 4,000 people, but they had no idea more than half of them would be kids, all carrying those funny bags. If you haven't gone to a national event, but have considered it, go. The experience for the kids and parents alike is worth it.

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Location Host Hotel & Thursday Events
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Blitz & Bughouse at Westin
The Westin Convention Center
1000 Penn Ave · Pittsburgh, PA 15222

7SS, G/120, (K-1 G/90). A Junior Grand Prix (JGP) event.

9 sections:
K-6 Championship
K-5 Championship
K-6 Under 1000
K-5 Under 900
K-6 Unrated
K-3 Championship
K-3 Under 800
K-1 Championship
K-3 Unrated

EF: $40 if p/m by April 16, $60 if p/m by April 30, $75 after April 30 or $80 at site.

Prizes: Trophies for at least top 25 players and teams in each section based on attendance average during the past two years. All participants will receive a medal at the completion of the final round except the K-1 Championship section, who will receive a participation trophy.

Also class trophies to the top three in the following classes:

K-6 Championship: 1200-1399; 1000-1199; 800-999; U800; unrated.

K-5 Championship: 1200-1399; 1000-1199; 800-999; U800; unrated.

K-3 Championship: 800-999; 600-799; U600; unrated.

K-1 Championship: All players in this section receive a trophy.

Unrated players may play in the Championship Sections or Unrated Sections only.

Teams: A team must have at least two players, although no maximum number of players. The top four scores in any section will count for the team score.

Main Event rounds:
Friday 1 pm, 7pm;
Saturday 9 am, 2 pm, 7 pm;
Sunday 9 am, 2 pm.

Schedule for K-1 section:
Friday 1:30 pm, 6:30 pm;
Saturday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm), 6:30 pm;
Sunday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm).

Opening Ceremony: 12:30 pm Friday.

1/2 pt bye any round except seven if requested in advance of Round one (limit one).

Awards: 7 pm (approximate) Sunday.

Special Events:

National Elementary Bughouse Championship: Thursday 11 am. Bughouse entries on site only. $25 per team. Bughouse Rules. 2006 version still current.

National Elementary Blitz Championship: Thursday 5 pm. Two Sections: K-6 and K-3.
Blitz EF: $15 per player/$20 on site or if after April 30. Blitz Rules. 2006 version still current.

Simul with GM Alexander Shabalov: Friday, May 9 at 9 AM. $25.00 on site registration only.

Coaches and Parents meeting: 11 am Friday.

Scholastic meeting: 2:30 pm Saturday.

Coaches Forum: 7:00 pm Saturday.

Tournament Feedback meeting: 9:30 am Sunday.

Parents and Friends Tournament: 4SS, Saturday 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, on site registration only. Rated and unrated sections. Trophies for parent and child combined results.

Four Maine students are competing this weekend in the Elementary Nationals in Pittsburgh. Two thousand one hundred ninety six players from across the nation are competing in 9 sections--230 more than last year, and the most in recent years. The venue is the beautiful David Lawrence Convention Center alongside the Alleghany River in downtown Pittsburgh.

Chess dads at the Elementary Nationals in Pittsburgh look at a game. Image courtesy USCF.

ChessMaine reporter-on-the-scene Dan Fishbein reports live from Pittsburgh and the Elementary Nationals Chess Championship. You can keep updated with round by round results and pairings here. You can also watch selected live games at MonRoi.com.

Much thanks to Dan Fishbein for filing this report.

The soaring convention hall is a monument to Pittsburgh's steel city heritage, as are the many steel bridges crossing the Alleghany just outside the hall. Games for all sections except K-1 are being played in one giant hall--1,000 boards and nearly 2,000 players all at once.

The Elementary Chess Nationals are starting as the annual Iron and Steel Convention ends in the same facility--a transition from physical iron and steel to the iron will and steely determination of these young competitors.

The four players representing Maine are Matthew Fishbein of Cape Elizabeth (K-5 championship section), Matthew Reale-Hatem of Cape Elizabeth (K-6 U1000), Olivia Reale-Hatem of Cape Elizabeth (K-3 UNR) and Zach Hamilton of Glenburn (K-6 UNR).

The events began on Thursday, May 8, 2008 for players who entered the National Bughouse and Blitz championships. Matthew Fishbein and Matthew Reale-Hatem teamed up in their first Bughouse tournament together to take 3.0 in this 10 round event. In the evening, Matthew Fishbein scored 6.0 and Matthew Reale-Hatem and Zach Hamilton each scored 4.0 in K-6 Blitz. The Matthews each played 20 tournament games in one day! Matthew Reale-Hatem also had to face a player rated 2025 in two of his games.

Friday dawned cloudy and gray, but the thousands of players and family were all smiles as they headed for the Convention Center from the 7 tournament hotels for the first round of the main tournament at 1:00 p.m. Matthew Reale-Hatem won his first game over Jason Castano of Florida. Olivia Reale-Hatem took an impressive 40 minutes in her first ever competitive match, although she came up on the losing end, this time, against Sydney Closser of Tennessee. Zach Hamilton won his Round 1 game over Ashley Ip of New York. Matthew Fishbein's game against Shawn Swindell of New York City lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, ending in victory for Matthew as he threatened to Queen on move 56.

After dinner, the players returned to the hall for Round 2 at 7:00 p.m.--quite the challenge for children considering that the time control is G/120! Matthew Fishbein was paired on Board 7 in his section against David Brown of California, who has a USCF rating of 1758, and after 2 hours David came up victorious. As of this writing, results of the Round 2 matches of Matthew Reale-Hatem, Olivia Reale-Hatem and Zach Hamilton were not yet available- more to come on these in tomorrow's report.

Location Host Hotel & Thursday Events
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Blitz & Bughouse at Westin
The Westin Convention Center
1000 Penn Ave · Pittsburgh, PA 15222

7SS, G/120, (K-1 G/90). A Junior Grand Prix (JGP) event.

9 sections:
K-6 Championship
K-5 Championship
K-6 Under 1000
K-5 Under 900
K-6 Unrated
K-3 Championship
K-3 Under 800
K-1 Championship
K-3 Unrated

EF: $40 if p/m by April 16, $60 if p/m by April 30, $75 after April 30 or $80 at site.

Prizes: Trophies for at least top 25 players and teams in each section based on attendance average during the past two years. All participants will receive a medal at the completion of the final round except the K-1 Championship section, who will receive a participation trophy.

Also class trophies to the top three in the following classes:

K-6 Championship: 1200-1399; 1000-1199; 800-999; U800; unrated.

K-5 Championship: 1200-1399; 1000-1199; 800-999; U800; unrated.

K-3 Championship: 800-999; 600-799; U600; unrated.

K-1 Championship: All players in this section receive a trophy.

Unrated players may play in the Championship Sections or Unrated Sections only.

Teams: A team must have at least two players, although no maximum number of players. The top four scores in any section will count for the team score.

Main Event rounds:
Friday 1 pm, 7pm;
Saturday 9 am, 2 pm, 7 pm;
Sunday 9 am, 2 pm.

Schedule for K-1 section:
Friday 1:30 pm, 6:30 pm;
Saturday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm), 6:30 pm;
Sunday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm).

Opening Ceremony: 12:30 pm Friday.

1/2 pt bye any round except seven if requested in advance of Round one (limit one).

Awards: 7 pm (approximate) Sunday.

Special Events:

National Elementary Bughouse Championship: Thursday 11 am. Bughouse entries on site only. $25 per team. Bughouse Rules. 2006 version still current.

National Elementary Blitz Championship: Thursday 5 pm. Two Sections: K-6 and K-3.
Blitz EF: $15 per player/$20 on site or if after April 30. Blitz Rules. 2006 version still current.

Simul with GM Alexander Shabalov: Friday, May 9 at 9 AM. $25.00 on site registration only.

Coaches and Parents meeting: 11 am Friday.

Scholastic meeting: 2:30 pm Saturday.

Coaches Forum: 7:00 pm Saturday.

Tournament Feedback meeting: 9:30 am Sunday.

Parents and Friends Tournament: 4SS, Saturday 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, on site registration only. Rated and unrated sections. Trophies for parent and child combined results.

ChessMaine: I ran into a coach at the scholastic championships recently who commented that it was nice to see some former players (referring to you and Cullen Edes—an Orono player now coaching in Veazie) giving back to the chess community. You’re now the coach at the Toddy Pond School, can you tell us how this came about?

Seth Yentes: I decided to be the chess coach at Toddy Pond School after being asked by a student’s parent. I teach private cello lessons and a cello student of mine Cori Shooter goes to Toddy Pond. One day her mother asked me if I would be interested in teaching chess. I thought about it for a while and decided to give it a try.

CM: What grades do you teach, how did your team shape up this year and what methods do you find helpful when teaching kids chess?

SY: I teach pre K through 8th grade. I have three classes during the day, the first is the oldest group then the middle age group and the last class is the youngest. Our team shaped up very well this year. We had six players at the state chess tournament. The students took first place in the K-6 and K-8 novice divisions. Hila Shooter was the highest scoring player in the K-8 and Cori Shooter was the highest scoring player in the K-6. I try and teach the students how to be solid players. I like my students to notate and take their time during the game. I found that when my players notated at the tournament they played much better games and it made them really focused. The way I teach each age group varies. I start with the oldest class with a few chess problems and then we go over openings or end game positions. And we usually end with a good old game of chess.

CM: Do you use or would you recommend any specific books or software that you find effective with your students?

SY: No

CM: What were some of your first experiences in chess? How old were you when you learned the moves and who was your first teacher?

SY: My first teacher was Michael Schaab. I joined the Toddy Pond chess club when I was around seven. And that was where I learned how to play.

CM: You were Maine’s Elementary Champion in 1998 and Junior High Champion in 2000. Can you revisit these years for us? Who influenced you and to what did you owe your success?

SY: I remember my last game at the 1998 tournament when I was playing Nicholas (I don’t remember his last name) and the adrenalin was pulsing through my body. Nicholas had been the state champion the year before and I had my doubts about winning. We sat down and it was a fight until the end.

Some influences that made me a solid player were growing up in a family that had four of us kids who were all good chess players. We would play games and you would never know who would win until the game was over. I think that Mike was the greatest influence in my chess playing. He always taught us to be “cool as a cucumber” and stay as relaxed in the game as we could. He was never a flashy player but he was solid and I think he taught us how to be a solid player and to never give up.

CM: At that time which schools were you attending?

SY: I was a student at Toddy Pond School in 1998 and I was home schooled in 2000

CM: Did you continue to play competitive chess through high school and college?

SY: I played some chess in high school but it was hard to get enough players together to compete in the team tournament. We didn’t really have a chess coach which made it hard to have much motivation.

CM: Were there any coaches or players (either local, national or international) who had an impact on you and your chess?

SY: I think Mike Schaab is at the top of the list as far as coaches. After that my parents support was huge. On an international level I admired Bruce Pandolfini.

CM: Do you have a player whose style you would like to emulate—a “chess hero”?

SY: Not really

CM: You had a consistent decade of scholastic tournament chess from 1994 – 2004. Is there any chance you would now participate in adult open tournaments?

SY: Right now I don’t have the time but I always enjoy a good game of chess and I hope someday to play in open tournaments.

CM: I understand you are making a run for the Maine House of Representatives. What has motivated you at this point in your life to seek public office?

SY: I would have never considered running but the day after Christmas I was at our local blood drive and saw Mike Schaab and he suggested that I run for the State House of Representatives. I was still not convinced that it was the right time to run but after talking to family and friends I decided to put my hat into the race. I have always been involved in politics through helping on different campaigns and I have tried to think about how my life impacted people around me and all over the world. I think the biggest motivation is that I want to make a difference in people’s lives. I think we have a lot of challenges ahead. I want to bring a perspective to Augusta that will think about the current challenges on the state level while thinking about the generations to come.

CM: Which communities would you represent if elected and what are some of the most important issues for you?

SY: I am running in district #42 which includes Brooks, Jackson, Monroe, Swanville, Waldo, and Winterport. I want to see more affordable healthcare, I want to strengthen our economy through supporting small business and local farms, and I think we need to focus more attention on the environment. We need to think about the future generations. Encouraging renewable energy and increasing efficiency is critical in making a better tomorrow.

CM: How has chess impacted your life? Do you feel that you learned lessons from chess that you can now apply in life?

SY: I think chess has impacted my life in many ways. Some of the things it has taught me are how to stay calm under pressure, how to think ahead, and how to logically think about life. I am a passionate orchardist and I started planting fruit trees when I was fourteen. I had to clear the land, graft the trees and plant them all with the knowledge that it would be many years before I would see the “fruits” of my labor. I believe that having the skill of looking ahead in the game of chess made it possible to think ahead and plant my orchard. I now have over forty varieties of apples and a large variety of cherries, plums, pears, and more. I love chess and I think that more children should have the opportunity to learn the game.

CM: Seth Yentes, it was a pleasure speaking with you. I wish you all the best in your efforts—both political and chessical.

SY: Thank you, I enjoyed speaking with you as well.

Head to head: Hoty Briggs (left) battles Nathaniel Simpson in a game Briggs eventually won.

Theodore Jans (left) doing his best to hold off the challenge from Nathaniel Simpson.

Ezra Briggs assesses his position.

Nathaniel Simpson (left) checks his scoresheet during his game with Ezra Briggs.

Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin (also spelled Tchigorin, Tjigorin) was born November 12, 1850, in Gatchina, Russia, and was the first ever Russian grandmaster. He influenced the subsequent Soviet School of Chess, which dominated the world in the latter half of the 20th century. He played two World Championship matches against Wilhelm Steinitz; he lost once in 1889 10.5-6.5, and again in 1892 12.5-10.5. Chigorin has many openings named after him, most notably the Ruy Lopez Chigorin (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5) and Chigorin's defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6).

The placard is titled "Chess Champions of Our City." What's notable is that two of the club players went on to win the World Championship. Mikhail Botvinnik is pictured in the first (top) row, fourth from the left, and Boris Spassky is located in the fourth row from the top, fifth from the left.

This is a view of Dr. Wlodkowski in the main hall of the chess club with M.I. Chigorin's portrait hanging in the background.

This is a closer view of Chigorin's portrait.

Spector ’09 crowned chess champ
April 18, 2008

By Mary Helen Miller
Orient Staff

After a year without practice and two agonizing days of games, Jason Spector '09 took the crown at the Maine state chess championship.

Again.

Last weekend, Spector's performance at the tournament earned him first place for the second year in a row. Only this time, he had to share the title—with a Bates professor.

At the championship, which was held at the University of Maine, Orono, Spector competed against more than 40 players, ranging from high school students to middle-aged adults. The tournament ended on Sunday night in a draw between Spector and Steve Dillon, a professor of English at Bates.

"Basically I hadn't played for a year, so I was pretty rusty," Spector said.

After a year without serious training, Spector had a slow start. Each player was allotted an hour and a half each for their first 40 moves. In one game, Spector had only five or 10 minutes remaining to complete 20 moves. This is when he bounced back.

"I kind of just clicked back. All of a sudden, I felt like I could see everything more clearly," Spector said.

He said that he "thought on [the other player's] time" by predicting what moves his competitor would make, as well as what his responses would be. In some games, Spector calculated up to 15 moves ahead of the game. He explained that every time he tried to predict his opponent's move, he had to consider multiple possibilities.

"Say you calculate five moves ahead, there would be a lot more than five moves in that calculation," Spector said.

Spector described the first day of the tournament as "brutal," as he competed from 9:30 a.m. until midnight.

"It was completely and utterly draining," he said.

His longest game, against a Colby student, lasted four and a half hours.

"When I'm playing [chess], it's not something I'd consciously think I'd enjoy. Afterwards, I get satisfaction from really testing myself," Spector said.

"It's a mental challenge I don't get to experience in any other way," he added.

At Bowdoin, it is not easy to for Spector to find expert-level competitors. Although he said there is one other Bowdoin student who plays as seriously as he does, he has been creative in making his own competition. He has played against friends while blindfolded, for instance.

Spector said that he hopes to play more chess between now and next year's championship. He also has plans to stay engaged with the game by running a clinic in Brunswick this summer for beginner and intermediate players.

"I'd like to start teaching a little bit to stay involved," he said.

Thanks to Andy Bryan, our ChessMaine.net reporter on the scene, for contributing to this report.

Results

Selected Games from MonRoi.com

John Bapst High School Final Scores:

Championship: Fritz Eyerer 4.0, Aaron Spencer 3.0
U1600: Zach Smith 4.5, Maggie Bryan 2.0
U1200: Kurt Eyerer 4.0
U800: Omar Khan 4.0, Anna Bryan 4.0, Daniel Honeycutt 3.5

National Senior High School Championships
Hyatt Regency Atlanta
April 18 - 20, 2008

7SS, G/120.

5 sections:
K-12 Championship
K-12 Under 1600
K-12 Under 1200
K-12 Under 800
K-12 Unrated

Prizes: Trophies for at least top 25 players and 25 teams in each section based on attendance average during the past two years. All participants will receive a medal at the completion of the final round.

Also class trophies to the top three in the following classes:

K-12 Championships:
1600-1799;
1400-1599;
Under 1400.

Teams: A team must have at least two players, although no maximum number of players. The top four scores in any section will count for the team score.

Main Event rounds:
Friday 1 pm, 7pm;
Saturday 9 am, 2 pm, 7 pm;
Sunday 9 am, 2 pm.

Opening Ceremony: 12:30 pm Friday.

Awards: 7 pm (approximate) Sunday.

The John Bapst team before beginning their last-round games (kneeling left to right): Aaron Spencer, Kurt Eyerer and Zach Smith; (standing left to right): Coach Bob Solinger, Fritz Eyerer, Maggie Bryan, Daniel Honeycutt and Omar Khan.

Aaron Spencer prepares for his 6th round game vs. Fiona Lam (1792) from Maryland.

Top boards ready to start the 7th and final round.