05.21.06 The title of Maine State Champion is an elusive one. Twenty-eight players from all corners of the state came to the Southern Maine Community College Campus Center on May 20th and 21st to take a crack at it. After five rounds the reigning champion Joseph St. Pierre had 4.5 points. That was enough for clear first place in this annual tournament that has become Maine's Holy Grail of Chess.

Joseph St. Pierre en route to the crown.

Joseph St. Pierre hit the ground running and never looked back. The only player with a perfect score after four rounds, St. Pierre settled for a draw in the final round with expert Ruben Babayan to clinch first place and the title. It was an impressive tournament for St. Pierre with wins over a master and a Class A player and a draw with an expert.

Besides Babayan, Joe Wrba with 3.5 points after four rounds was the only other player within striking distance of St. Pierre. In the final round Wrba met top seed Jarod Bryan, the field's only master, in a dynamic Dutch Defense. Bryan handed Wrba his only loss of the tournament in an exciting tactical skirmish. Bryan, a four-time state champion himself, shared second place with experts Ruben Babayan and Alan Schalk all scoring 4 points.

Ralph Townsend took the Class A prize with 3.5 points. Joe Wrba, Kevin Townsend and John Brady shared the Class B prize with 3 points. Fritz Eyerer took the Class C honors scoring 3 points with a dramatic win over Maine's highest rated female player, Kathy Richards. Lucas McCain walked away with both the Class D prize and the the Upset prize for his first round win over Jon Malev. Matthew Colson and Mark Seedner split the U1200 prize, both earning 2 points.

Deja vu all over again. Joseph St. Pierre receiving his prize money, C. Stuart Laughlin Trophy and congratulations from TD Phil Lowell.

Ruben Babayan

Ruben Babayan and Joseph St. Pierre analyzing after their final round draw.

Alan Schalk

An intense Alan Schalk playing the Black pieces vs. Richard Judy in Round 5; 0-1

Jarod Bryan

Ralph Townsend

Joe Wrba

John Brady

Kevin Townsend

Fritz Eyerer receives the Class C prize from TD Phil Lowell

Double Indemnity, Lucas McCain wins top Class D and Upset prizes.

Mark Seedner

Matthew Colson

The tournament was organized and directed by Maine Chess Association President Phil Lowell.

Crosstable

1. Jarod Bryan (2204) W15 1; B8 2; W3 2; B9 3; B6 4
2. Ruben Babayan (2044) B16 ; W7 2; B5 3; W6 3.5; W3 4
3. Joseph St. Pierre (1973) W17 1; B10 2; B1 3; W4 4; B2 4.5
4. Richard Judy (1900) B18 1; W11 2; bye 2.5; B3 2.5; W29 2.5
5. Ralph Townsend (1856) W20 1; B13 2; W2 2; B19 2.5; W28 3.5
6. Joseph Wrba (1791) B19 1; W28 2; W29 3; B2 3.5; W1 3.5
7. Ghezai Menelik (1717) W22 1; B2 1; W17 2; B29 2; W10 2.5
8. Tom Sandford (1700) B21 1; W1 1; bye 1.5; B16 2.5; W11 2.5
9. Andrey Savov (1681) W23 1; B29 1; W20 2; W1 2; B17 3
10. Kevin Townsend (1680) B24 1; W3 1; B18 2; W5 2.5; B7 3
11. John Brady (1664) W25 1; B4 1; bye 1.5; W19 2.5; B8 3.5
12. Nimrod Drizlik U--; U--; U--; U--; U--;
13. Don Plummer (1619) B26 1; W5 1; B19 1; W20 2; B22 3
14. Jon Malev (1600) W28 0; B22 0.5; W21 1; B23 1.5; B15
15. Jerry Boucher (1600) B1 0; W21 1; bye 1.5; B28 1.5; W14
16. Kathy Richards (1548) W2 0; B23 1; bye 1.5; W8 1.5; B19 1.5
17. Stephen Kaluzynski (1489) B3 0; W24 1; B7 1; W27 2; W9 2
18. Lee Doucette (1486) W4 0; B26 1; W10 1; B22 1; B27 1
19. Robert Jenkins (1460) B5 0; W27 1; B9 1; B13 1; W26 2
20. Fritz Eyerer (1464) W6 0; B25 1; W13 2; B11 2; W16 3
21. Murray Bridges (1312) W8 0; B15 0; B14 0.5; -- 1.5; W23 2
22. Curt Brock (1298) B7 0; W14 0.5; B28 1; W18 2; W13 2
23. Matthew Colson (1168) B9 0; W16 0; B24 1; W14 1.5; B21 2
24. Mark McPheters (1171) W10 0; B17 0; W23 0; U--; U--
25. Robert Nixon (1112) B11 0; W19 0; bye 0.5; W26 0.5; -- 1.5
26. Sanders Womack (1138) W13 0; W18 0; bye 0.5; B25 1.5; B20 1.5
27. Mark Seedner (904) W29 0; B20 0; -- 1; B17 1; W18 2
28. Lucas McCain (1306) B14 1; B7 1; W22 1.5; W15 2.5; B5 2.5
29. Alan Schalk (2031) B27 1; W9 2; B6 2; W7 3; B4 4

Past Maine State Champions

1942 Carleton Fenley
1959 Harlow B. Daly
1960 Harlow B. Daly
1961 Harlow B. Daly
1962 Harlow B. Daly
1963 Harlow B. Daly
1964 Harlow B. Daly
1965 Harlow B. Daly
1966 Stanley J. Elowitch
1967 Stanley J. Elowitch
1968 Stanley J. Elowitch
1969 Harlow B. Daly
1970 Harlow B. Daly, Stanley J. Elowitch
1971 Stanley J. Elowitch
1972 Gary L. White
1973 Bill Edwards, Stanley J. Elowitch
1974 Stanley J. Elowitch
1975 John J. Morrill
1976 Graham Cooper, Erik Pearson
1977 Duane Mercier, Gary L. White
1978 Gary L. White
1979 Stanley J. Elowitch
1980 Mike Kaplan, Roger Morin, Scott Carter, Stanley J. Elowitch, Joel Malis
1981 Scott Carter
1982 Kerry P. Coffin
1983 Stanley J. Elowitch, Kerry P. Coffin
1984 Graham Cooper, Tim Bishop
1985 Graham Cooper
1986 Graham Cooper, Michael Lalikos
1987 Johan "Skip" Hansen, Kerry P. Coffin
1988 Jarod J. Bryan
1989 Danny Kopec
1990 Danny Kopec
1991 Anthony Gross, Guy Moreau
1992 Graham Cooper
1993 Chandler Yergin
1994 Chandler Yergin, Tim Bishop
1995 Aaron Lewis
1996 Chandler Yergin
1997 Ruben Babayan
1998 Jarod J. Bryan
1999 Stanley J. Elowitch
2000 Ruben Babayan
2001 Tim Bishop
2002 Ralph Townsend, Ghezai Menelik
2003 Jarod J. Bryan
2004 Jarod J. Bryan, Ruben Babayan
2005 Joseph St. Pierre