01.11.07 2006 was a record-setting year for chess in Maine. There were a total of thirty-one separate USCF-rated tournaments with sixty-eight separate sections serving 939 players. This surpassed 2004 as the previous record-holding year in which there were twenty-six tournaments with fifty-seven sections and 807 players. In this report we examine chess in Maine in 2006--by the numbers.

These numbers were calculated using USCF Event ID criteria, i.e., if a tournament had a unique USCF Event ID it was tabulated as a separate event even though it may have occured on the same date and location as another tournament.

For Maine Chess Player of the Year 2006 results--and 2007 standings--watch our "Player of the Year" link under "News" on the top left of the home page.

To view interactive crosstables for all USCF-rated tournaments played in Maine in 2006 click here.

Winningest Players

There were three players who won four tournaments in Maine in 2006. Cullen Edes, Matthew Fishbein and Ghezai Menelik each topped their opposition on four separate occasions to share the title of Winningest Player in Maine. Following these three titans with three tournament wins over the course of 2006 are (in alphabetical order) Haley DeLuca Lowell, Lucas McCain and Paul Rudnicki. You can click on a player's name to view more USCF member details.

Cullen Edes
MLK 2006, Old Town, 01.16.06: 1st Open
John Bapst New Year's, Bangor, 01.08.06: 1st Quad 2
Maine High School Team Championship, Orono, 03.11.06: Equal 1st Open
Hampden Harvest, Hampden, 11.11.06: Equal 1st Open

Matthew Fishbein
Chess Day 10, Portland, 01.28.06: 1st Quad 3
Maine K-3 Individual Championship, Orono, 03.25.06: 1st Open
Downeast Rated Beginners Open, South Portland, 06.17.06: 1st Open
Maine Rating Floor Open, South Portland, 10.21.06: 1st U1625

Ghezai Menelik
Eastern Maine Open, Orono, 10.28.06: Equal 1st Open
Hampden Harvest, Hampden, 11.11.06: Equal 1st Open
Aurora Winter Solstice, Aurora, 12.02.06: 1st Open
John Babst New Year's, Bangor, 12.31.06: 1st Open

Haley DeLuca Lowell
Maine K-3 Team Championship, Orono, 03.11.06: Equal 1st Open
Airline School Fundraiser, Aurora, 04.22.06: 1st K-8
Washington County September Swiss, Pembroke, 09.23.06: 1st Section 2

Lucas McCain
Chess Day 10, Portland, 01.28.06: 1st Quad 2
Portland Quick Chess Open, Portland, 01.14.06 1st Reserve
Fall Scholastic Challenge, Cape Elizabeth, 10.14.06 1st Quad 1

Paul Rudnicki
MLK 2006, Old Town, 01.16.06: 1st K-8
John Bapst New Year's, Bangor, 01.08.06: 1st K-8
Maine K-6 Team Championship, Orono, 03.11.06: Equal 1st Open

Most Prolific Players

Six players earned the top three spots for Maine's Most Prolific Player with the title going to Matthew Colson. Matthew competed in fifteen separate USCF-rated tournaments in 2006.

1. 15 Tournaments: Matthew Colson

2. 14 Tournaments: Matthew Fishbein, Richard Judy

3. 12 Tournaments: Margaret Bryan, Haley DeLuca Lowell, Kevin Townsend

Greatest Upsets

We sifted through the year's tournament games and came up with these top five upsets.

1. 1517 Points: Martin Spahn (144) defeated Cullen Edes (1661) at the All Saints Winter Warm Up, Open Section on 02.25.06. This was far and away the greatest upset of the year. The rating diffference here is the equivalent of a player rated 1334 beating Garry Kasparov when the former world champion's rating was at its peak.

2. 771 Points: Nigel Kass (700) defeated Fritz Eyerer (1471) at the High School Championship, Reserve Section on 03.11.06.

3. 559 Points: Derrick Crocker (1154) defeated Andrey Savov (1713) at the Maine Rating Floor Open, Open Section on 10.21.06.

4. 499 Points: Matthew Fishbein (1018) defeated David Rice (1517) at the Maine Rating Floor Open, U1625 Section on 10.21.06.

5. 498 Points: Laddy DeLuca Lowell (444) defeated Tyler Dama (942) at the John Bapst New Year's Tournament, U1000 Section on 12.31.06.

Tournament Directors

There were nine active tournament directors in Maine for 2006. The most prolific being Phil Lowell who directed eleven tournaments in eighteen sections with 258 players and Steve Wong who directed four tournaments in eighteen sections with 308 players.

Considering all tournaments in Maine since 1991, Steve Wong tops the list as the most active tournament director. Steve has directed fifty-six events in 151 sections. He is followed closely by Phil Lowell who has directed fifty-four tournaments in eighty-four sections. The third most active TD is Lee Doucette having directed thirty-eight tournaments in eighty section. Our deepest gratitute goes to these pillars of Maine chess!

Here's an alphabetical ordered profile of each active tournament director's activity in Maine for 2006. Click on the tournament director's name to see details on all tournaments they have directed since January 1, 1991.

Alba Briggs
Total Tournaments 4
Total Sections 5
Total Players 62
Average Days to Rating Report 2.3

Andy Bryan
Total Tournaments 1
Total Sections 3
Total Players 39
Average Days to Rating Report 3.0

Dan DeLuca
Total Tournaments 3
Total Sections 7
Total Players 83
Average Days to Rating Report 0.3

Lee Doucette
Total Tournaments 2
Total Sections 3
Total Players 49
Average Days to Rating Report 9.0

Ron Lewis
Total Tournaments 1
Total Sections 3
Total Players 13
Average Days to Rating Report 34.0

Phil Lowell
Total Tournaments 11
Total Sections 18
Total Players 258
Average Days to Rating Report 81.5

Tom Sandford
Total Tournaments 2
Total Sections 6
Total Players 47
Average Days to Rating Report 10.0

Ralph Townsend
Total Tournaments 3
Total Sections 5
Total Players 80
Average Days to Rating Report 7.3

Steve Wong
Total Tournaments 4
Total Sections 18
Total Players 308
Average Days to Rating Report 16.5

Maine State Champions

Our report would not be complete without a tip of the hat to our Maine State Champions.

2006 Maine State Champion: Joseph St Pierre

An illustrated interview with Joseph St. Pierre appeared on ChessMaine.net on 06.28.06, you can read this interview here.

2006 Maine High School State Champion: Ray Solinger

An illustrated interview with Ray Solinger appeared on ChessMaine.net on 03.31.06, you can read this interview here.

2006 Maine Girls State Champion: Margaret Bryan

An illustrated interview with Margaret Bryan appeared on ChessMaine.net on 04.11.06, you can read this interview here.

2006 Maine Junior High School (K-8) State Champion: Andrew Babbitt

2006 Maine Elementary School (K-6) State Champion: Gianluca Pane

2006 Maine Primary School (K-3) State Champion: Matthew Fishbein

2006 Maine High School State Team Champions: Deer Isle-Stonington and John Bapst High School
Left to right front row: Jordan Trundy (Bapst), Dan Robbins (Bapst), Conner Campbell (Bapst), Kevin Townsend (Bapst), Colin Campbell (Bapst), Ray Solinger (Bapst), Jon Eaton (Deer Isle)
Left to right back row: Colin Ciomei (Deer Isle), Shane Eaton (Deer Isle)
Missing: Bryant Ciomei (Deer Isle)

2006 Maine Junior High School (K-8) State Team Champions: Deer Isle-Stonington
Left to right back row: Hayden Ciomei, Jacob Starkey, Andrew Babbitt, Ian Pellitier, Goldie Garcia

2006 Maine Elementary School (K-6) State Team Champions: Deer Isle-Stonington
Left to right front row (blue shirts): Connor Morey, Nathan Davis, Janelle Ciomei, San Grindle, Chelsea Brown, Alec Eaton, Nick Gray

2006 Maine Primary School (K-3) State Team Champions: Airline Community School
Left to right: Andrew Jones, Haley DeLuca Lowell, Anna Bryan, Laddy DeLuca Lowell

Thanks to all who helped make 2006 a record-breaking year for Maine chess!