Maine Chess Player of the Year 2024

Overview

The Maine Chess Player of the Year is a yearlong competitive series. Players earn points
based on their performance in various tournaments held within the state of Maine throughout the
year. The Maine Chess Player of the Year last ran in 2018, but is back for 2024!

Format/Rules*

1. Any MECA member is eligible to earn points towards their CPY standings. Sections with
a rating maximum above 1000 are eligible for CPY points. (i.e. a U1250 section earns
CPY points but a U400 section would not).
2. A player will receive 1 point for playing a tournament, plus points equal to their score in
that tournament (if a player scores 2 points at a tournament they will receive 2 points + 1
participation point).
3. A player's top 5 tournaments will count towards their overall score. However, a player
may earn participation points for as many tournaments as they participate in.
4. If a tournament has more than 4 rounds, a player's score will be normalized to a score out
of 4 rounds, in order to not give unfair weight to specific events and to allow events of
different numbers of rounds to be included in the series. (i.e. if a player plays an 8 round
tournament their score will be multiplied by 50%).
5. Because the goal of the CPY is to encourage active play throughout the state, all of a
player's top 5 qualifying results cannot be from events played in the same County. (If this
is the case, the player's next highest scoring result not from that county will be used.)
6. All tournaments submitted for advertisement on chesssmaine.net or chessmaine.org at
least 2 weeks in advance will be considered Maine Chess Player of the Year events by default if they meet the qualifying conditions. An organizer may opt out if they wish, and
is also free to advertise their event as a CPY event if all conditions are met.

*Complete rules text can be found on chessmaine.org, shown here is only the essential items.

Qualifying tournaments

1. Must be 3 or more rounds. (Note that 3 round tournaments do not receive a
"bump" so will earn less than a 4 round tournament).
2. Must be "open to the public" (so cannot be a closed event such as a club
championship). For a tournament to be a CPY event there must be an available
section for any Maine resident, with US Chess membership, who would attend.
3. For fairness reasons, eligible CPY events must be swiss (or equivalent)
tournaments. They cannot be round-robins, matches, or knockouts ("Quads" are
considered round-robins). MECA will determine eligibility for tournanets with
unorthodox formats on a case-by-case basis.
4. As stated above, A qualifying section cannot have a maximum rating limit 1000
or below (i.e. a U1250 is an eligible section but a U400 is not).
5. Must be submitted for advertisement on chesssmaine.net or chessmaine.org at
least 2 weeks in advance. For the first month of 2024, this is shortened to one
week.
6. It is possible for only some sections of a CPY event to be eligible for CPY points
and not other sections.
7. MECA reserves the right to not consider an event to be CPY eligible for reasons it
deems appropriate, and has the final say on all matters of CPY eligibility.

Prizes

1. 50% of the prize fund will go to first, 30% to 2nd, and 20% to 3rd.
2. Framed certificates will be given to the top 3, plus the class prizes: U1800,
U1600, U1400, U1200

If you have any questions about the CPY competition, your MECA membership, or upcoming CPY events, please contact a member of the MECA Policy Board as listed on the MECA page of ChessMaine.net

We look forward to seeing you over the board!

Maine Chess Player of the Year Winners
2024 Wyatt Hendrix, Hermon
2017 Ben Mock, Holden
2016 Jarod Bryan, Augusta
2015 Jarod Bryan, Augusta
2014 Lance Beloungie, Caribou
2013 Roger Morin, Houlton
2012 Jarod Bryan, Augusta
2011 Roger Morin, Houlton
2008 Barry Magda, West Gardiner
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

>>2024 Maine Chess Player of the Year Final Results <<

2016 Maine Chess Player of the Year Final Standings

2015 Maine Chess Player of the Year Final Standings

Lance Beloungie is 2014 Maine Chess Player of the Year!

2013 Maine Chess Player of the Year Final Results

Jarod Bryan wins Maine Chess Player of the Year 2012

Roger Morin wins Maine Chess Player of the Year 2011

Maine Chess Player of the Year 2008 Final Standings

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.