08.19.18 Owen's Farmhouse in Kennebunkport, Maine was the site of a non-USCF rated tournament on Sunday, August 12, 2018. The tournament was organized by David Ross and directed by Phil Lowell. Here's the tournament report from a site where we hope to see many more tournaments in the future.

Thanks to Phil Lowell and David Ross for contributing to this report.

Rain woke up the tournament director at 3:00 a.m. on the day of the tournament. He spent the rest of the night in anxiety fretting on how to make the tournament work if relegated to inside tables only. It turned out to be needless worry as our organizer David Ross at Owen's Farmhouse has a canopy to cover some outdoor tables .Adding the inaugural tournament factor of low attendance meant no problems to solve as the tournament commenced .

The Open section drew eight entries, six who had USCF ratings. Top seeded Alberto Arnedo-Ruiz FIDE 2151 and organizer David Ross (unrated) were the exceptions.

Arnedo-Ruiz and Max Berube were the only players to win their first two games.

The 1st place match up in round three was dynamically contested but, as the clocks wound down on both players, a draw agreement was reached. Both players won their fourth round game and finished tied for first at 3.5 - 0.5.

Clear third place and the Under 1600 prize winner was scholastic player Tommy Owens at 3 - 1.

Posterity requires recognizing the remaining entries for the first Owen's Farmhouse tournament as: Ruben Babayan, John Brady, Lee Doucette, and Sara Carter Dinyari.

The K-8 section drew only two entries leaving Falmouth's Ambrose McCullough and England's Conor O'Sullivan to play a match where 2.5 points would decide the winner. The American was the victor on home soil this time.

I would like to recommend this tournament for MECA members next year. The indoor playing room seats 20 comfortably and a similar number can play outside.

As a non-USCF rated tournament it is ideal to bring your non-USCF friends to experience tournament chess. Given enough entries (6), a separate section could be formed for them.

Finally, the award-winning pizza was indeed gastronomically superb for this connoisseur.

Owen's Farmhouse restaurant in Kennebunkport provided a delightful venue to play some enjoyable summertime chess.