01.25.09 Great food was only half the story at the 3rd Annual Joe Brown Memorial Chess Tournament held on January 24, 2009 at Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School. The other half, of course, was the great chess played by the preschool-8th grade competitors.

Thanks to the Deer Isle-Stonington Chess Boosters all players and spectators were well fed!

Tournament Organizer Dick Powell contributed to this report.

On Saturday, January 24th, 29 young K-8 chess players and one preschooler battled each other in four separate divisions for the bragging rights (and the trophies) associated with this winter chess tournament in remembrance of an outstanding young chess player whose name evokes memories of smiles, chess prowess, and good sportsmanship among those who knew him.

After a moment of silence the chess players matched skills in four rounds of chess competition and five playoffs rounds. In the K-2 division, second grader Colby Haskell captured first place with two hard fought wins. Newcomer Ben Penfold, a first grader, was runnerup, and preschooler Ruby DeLuca Lowell, the four-year-old daughter of tournament director Dan DeLuca, was third. It was her first tournament.

In the 3rd-4th grade competition, the largest group with 11 players, Max DeLuca Lowell finished the day in the top spot with the only undefeated and untied result of the day, although Kinsey Bartlett and Ethan Shepard gave him a run for his money. Bartlett was third while second place was taken by Soozin Cha who won two playoffs to claim her trophy. Kylee Atwood and Ethan Shepard both tied for 2nd/3rd at the end of regulation but both were nosed out in the sudden death five-minute blitz playoffs! Brendan Penfold, a much-improved third grader from this section, took home the "Best New Player" award in a photo finish with Tyson Rice, both had two victories.

2008 Maine State K-3 Chess Champion, Bethany Humphrey, topped the 5th-6th grade division with a 3-0-1 record. Ivan Zembrusky's draw was the only blemish of the day for Humphrey. Reid Bartlett who finished 3-1 in regulation, defeated Zembrusky (also 3-1) in sudden death for second place with Zembrusky taking third. Cameron Wendell and Sam Drew also played well in this section.

Finally, in the 7th-8th grade group, made up mostly of four- or five-time Maine State Team Champions, eight of the ten participants were within one point of each other when the four regular rounds were completed. Three draws were played in the intense third and fourth rounds. When the dust finally settled, perennial number one player Sam Grindle claimed his top spot in spite of being held to a draw by second place Hayden Ciomei, and third place Andy Turner--himself a 2008 K-6 Maine State Individual Champion. Tied for third was Chelsea Brown, who walked away with the Top Female Award. Chelsea drew Ciomei and only lost to Turner. Nick Eaton, Nathan Davis, Connor Morey, and Alec Eaton all were right in the mix until the end of the final round each scoring two wins apiece. Peggy Zembrusky and Suzette Billings tied for first in the Chess Boosters Cooking Competition which satisfied everyone's hunger and allowed everybody to concentrate on chess.

Sam Grindle took first in the 7th-8th grade section with 3.0 points and two tiebreak wins.

Hayden Ciomei finished second with his only loss being to Grindle.

Former K-6 Maine State Champion Andy Turner took third in the 7th-8th grade section.

Chelsea Brown scored 2.5 points and won the Top Female Trophy.

Nick Eaton

Nathan Davis

Connor Morey

Alec Eaton

Whitney Brown

Tyler Bartlett

Winners in the 7th-8th grade section (left to right): Hayden Ciomei (2nd), Sam Grindle (1st) and Andy Turner (3rd) with Jennifer Brown.

First in the 5th-6th grade section: Bethany Humphrey

Reid Bartlett scored 3.0 points and took second in the 5th-6th grade section.

Ivan Zembrusky: third in the 5th-6th grade section.

Cameron Wendell

Sam Drew

Winners in the 5th-6th grade section (left to right): Reid Bartlett (2nd), Bethany Humphrey (1st), Ivan Zembrusky (3rd) with Jennifer Brown.

Max DeLuca Lowell, the tournament's only unbeaten and untied player, topped the 3rd-4th grade section with 4.0 points.

Second place after a tough tiebreaking round: Soozin Cha.

Kinsey Bartlett scored 3.0 points and took home the third place trophy in the 3rd-4th grade section.

Ethan Shepard finished just out of trophy range in fourth place.

Kylee Atwood considers her position in Round 1.

Brendan Penfold scored 2.0 points in the 3rd-4th grade section and received the Top New Player award.

Stephen Cochrane

Drew Soloman

Caitlyn Morey

Elliot Nevells

Winners in the 3rd-4th grade section (front row left to right): Soozin Cha (2nd), Kinsey Bartlett (3rd) and Max DeLuca Lowell (1st) with (back row left to right): Brandan Penfold (Top New Player), Chelsea Brown (Top Female Player) and Jennifer Brown.

Colby Haskell took home the first place trophy in the K-2 section scoring 2.0 points.

Ben Penfold finished in second place in the K-2 section.

The youngest competitor, four-year-old Ruby DeLuca Lowell, finished 3rd in the K-2 section. Here she's trying her luck with a variation of the Scholar's Mate: 1. e4 2. Bc4 3. d3 and 4. Qh5 gunning for 5. Qxf7 mate.

Winners in the K-2 section (left to right): Ruby DeLuca Lowell (3rd), Colby Haskell (1st) and Ben Penfold (2nd) with Jennifer Brown.

The lovely and talented Peg Zembrusky was on hand to help things run smoothly.

Suzette Billings prepares the culinary bounty.

Tournament Organizer Dick Powell announces first-round pairings.

Assistant Tournament Director Laddy DeLuca Lowell strikes a familiar pose behind a laptop running SwissSys 8.0 Tournament Director Software.

This tournament was organized by Dick Powell and the Deer Isle-Stonington Chess Boosters and was directed by Dan DeLuca and Laddy DeLuca Lowell. Thanks to all who made this event a great sucess!