Mainers at the Eastern Class Championships
03.27.14 Of the 254 players competing in seven sections of the Eastern Class Championships on the weekend of March 14th, 2014 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, ten were from the great state of Maine. Aaron Spencer and Troy Franklin played in the Expert (2000-2199) section, Jim DuBois and John Phythyon played in the Class A (1800-1999) section, William Ravn, Curt Brock, Gabe Borland and Greg Anderson played in the Class B (1600-1799) section and Brian Hurst and Dan DeLuca tried their hand in the Class C (1400-1599) section. Here's the illustrated tournament report with USCF crosstables and a selected game.
Thanks to Brian Hurst for contributing to this report.
Leader of the pack: Aaron Spencer was the Maine contingent's highest-rated player.
Troy Franklin (1819) played up in the Expert section.
FIDE National Instructor Jim DuBois
Always a tough opponent: John Phythyon
The enterprising and imaginative Will Ravn
A player with a GM scalp in his haversack: Curt Brock
Bates College alumnus Gabe Borland
The man behind the Bangor Chess Club: Brian Hurst
Your humble web editor Dan DeLuca
International Master Danny Kopec gave instructive lectures on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.
IM Kopec is the author of many chess improvement books and DVD's and is a professor of computer science at Brooklyn College.
Players check their pairings in the lobby just before round 2.
Legendary organizer and director Bill Goichberg founded the Continental Chess Association the organization hosting this event.
World Youth Chess Championship participant and youngest ever USCF expert from Massachusetts Carissa Yip.
Natasha Christiansen, spouse of GM Larry Christiansen
GM's Gata Kamsky (foreground left) and Sam Shankland (background left) share a laugh with their opponents before beginning their games.
GM Alexsandr Lenderman (right) plays William Kelleher in round 2.
GM Alexander Ivanov
GM Alexander Fishbein
Harry Olynik (right) plays the black pieces using a specially designed set for blind and visually impaired players.
Just after a game, players check what they may have missed on a variety of electronic devices.
Here's the game Maxwell Chen (1210) vs Dan DeLuca (1529) from Round 4 in the Class C section:
