03.22.15 This year's Maine State Scholastic Individual Chess Championships were played at the University of Maine Orono on Saturday, March 21st. State Champion titles were awarded in five categories: High School, High School U1200, Junior High School, K-6 and K-3. Here's the illustrated tournament report with USCF crosstables and selected games coming soon.

Thanks to Steve Wong, Andy Bryan, and Kathy Richards for contributing to this report.

USCF crosstables of this event

George Spahn's games from this event

It was an exciting day of chess for the nearly seventy scholastic players who took part in the 2015 Maine Scholastic Individual Championships and for those who came to watch. The format of the event was a four-round Swiss with time control of Game in 60 minutes with a 5-second delay.

In the high school section, highest-rated Matthew Fishbein won his fourth high school championship with a perfect 4.0 points. He was trailed by Bach Nguyen with 3.5 points, and Cameron Wendell, Gregg Wadsworth, and Ezra Briggs who scores 2.0 points apiece.

Ben Amar went unbeaten and untied with 4.0 points to take first in the High Hchool U1200 section. Kyle Blum finished clear second and four players shared the third place spot with 3.0 points: Stan Small, Aaron Wilson-McFarlane, Brendam Penfold, and Omar Khan.

In the Junior High School section Nathan Shemwell took the title with a fine 4.0 performance. He was trailed by a pack of players who scored 3.0 points including: Ian Youth, Oliver Brown-Patricio, Kaleb Pendelton, Colbt Tuffey, Benjamin Penfold, and Osage Crie.

In his first USCF-rated tournament Benjamin Mock blanked the field scoring 4.0 points in as many games to take first in the K-6 section. Daniel Brower and Gage King shared second/third with 3.0 points.

Milo Sanokklis walked away with the K-3 title putting up a perfect 4.0 points. Omir Khan took second with 3.0 points and Alexander Yeadon third with 2.0 points.

High School tournament winner Matthew Fishbein (left) accepts George Spahn's resignation in the last round. This gave Fishbein a perfect 4.0 points and the title of Maine High School Champion.

2015 Maine High School Champion: Cape Elizabeth's Matthew Fishbein

Winners in the High School Championship section (left to right): Matthew Fishbein (first), Greg Wadsworth (equal third), Ezra Briggs (equal third), Bach Nguyen (second). Not pictured is Cameron Wendell who finished equal third.

Ezra Briggs playing in his last scholastic championship.

Joseph Powell

Action in the High School U1200 section: Brendan Penfold (left) plays John Jewell in the final round.

Girl power! Hui Kennedy (left) and Catherine Rudnicki play in the High School U1200 section.

Cape Elizabeth's Roman Medina (foreground right) brings all to bear on his position in the High School U1200 section.

The top boards in the High School U1200 section: Kyle Blum (foreground left), Haley DeLuca Lowell (foreground right), Stan Small (background left), and Ben Amar (background right).

Winners in the High School U1200 section (left to right): Kyle Blum (second) and Ben Amar (first). Not pictured is Stan Small, Aaron Wilson-McFarlane, Brendan Penfold, and Omar Kahn (equal third).

The High School tournament room

This game was crucial in determining the eventual winner of the Junior High School Championship section. Sixth-grader Oliver Brown-Patricio (right) was able to extract a win from the section's highest-rated player Ian Youth.

The previous game opened the door for second-seeded Nathan Shemwell (left) to take the Junior High School title. After Shemwell (from left to right) are pictured: Ian Youth (equal second), Oliver Brown-Patricio (equal second), Osage Crie (equal second), Benjamin Penfold (equal second), Colby Tuffey (equal second) and Kaleb Pendelton (equal second).

The Junior High School tournament room

K-6 Championship section winner Benjaman Mock (right) plays William Xu in the final round

Action in the K-6 Championship section: Cyrus Grindal (left) plays Gage King

Winners in the K-6 section (left to right): Gage King (equal second), Daniel Brower (equal second), and Benjamin Mock (first).

The K-6 contingent

K-3 Championship section winner: Milo Sanokklis

Second place in the K-3 section: Omair Kahn

Alexander Yeadon took third in the K-3 section.

Sofia Brown-Patricio scored 1.0 point along with

Maya Brown and,

Selig Nobeltoolo who displayed the composure of a future champion.

Magic Red Shoes!

The K-3 group

Chess bling!

Chillin' with a little screen time.

Ditto

An interesting form of chess notation

Spectators were treated to the Maine premier screening of Algorithms, a 2014 film by Ian McDonald documenting the blind, scholastic chess scene in India.

Alongside the scholastic championships Roger Morin (left) and Tom Sandford played a two-game match that Morin won 2-0.

George Spahn and Haley DeLuca Lowell celebrate playing in their last Maine State Scholastic Championship.

George Spahn played in his first state scholastic championship on March 3, 2005.

Haley DeLuca Lowell played in her first state scholastic championship on March 20, 2004--that's twelve straight years without missing a championship! These images were take at the Airline School Fundraiser Tournament on April 22, 2006.

Thanks to all who made this event a great success!