12.05.17 Lance Beloungie won the November 2017 edition of the Houlton Open played at the Art Studio in Houlton on November 11, 2017. Thirteen players competed in this four-round, G/65 tournament. Here is the tournament report with US Chess crosstable and a selected game.

US Chess crosstable of this event

Thanks to Roger Morin for contributing to this report.

The only nick on Beloungie's nearly perfect score at the Houlton Open was inflicted by up-and-coming scholastic player Ben Mock, who has been playing a significant amount of tournament chess lately with very good results.

Trailing the leader in clear second place with 3.0 points was Nathan Gates. Roger Morin and Wyatt Hendrix shared equal third with 2.5 points apiece. Four players finished in the 2.0 point tier: Leonardo Cui, Ray Haines, Roger Hardison, and Tristan Cosby. The mother-son team of Elisabeth Mock and Ben Mock both put up 1.5 points. They were followed up by Gary Tuck and Damien Sullivan. Michael Hardy finished off the pack with 0.5 points.

Here is a game from round four of the tournament between Roger Morin and Ray Haines.

Morin - Haines, Houlton Open, November 2017 Round 4