06.21.21 Forty-six players returned to over-the-board play in the Maine Individual Scholastic Chess Championships on June 5, 2021, hosted in Sekera Auditorium at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor. This tournament named Maine's nominees to the National Invitational Scholastic Championships, held this year in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, from July 31 to August 3, 2021.

Thanks to Mike Dudley for contributing to this report.

US Chess Crosstable of this event

In the High School section, Benjamin Mock of John Bapst and Isaac Dinnerstein shared the championship with a 3.5/4, drawing in the final round. Mock won on tiebreaks and will represent Maine at the GM Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions. A three-way tie for third place followed in the crosstable, with Elijah Slaughter (Belfast Area High School), Zachary Brislin (Bonny Eagle High School), and Ambrose McCullough (Cheverus High School) scoring 3.0/4 in a challenging field of 17 players.

Representing Maine in the Dewain Barber Tournament of 6-8 Champions is Gabriel Eaton of Brunswick High School, notching a perfect 4.0/4 in his first rated over-the-board tournament to earn the championship and the nomination. A four-way tie for second followed in the crosstable, with Ethan Yu (Cohen Middle School), Jacob Klein (Cohen Middle School), Molly Tefft (Brunswick Middle School), and Evan Babcock (Glenburn School) scoring 3.0/4.

Repeating as Maine's nominee to the John D. Rockefeller III Tournament of Elementary School Champions is Miles Kaplan of Camden-Rockport Elementary School, scoring a perfect 4.0/4 to repeat as K-5 Champion. Christian Zhang (Mary Snow School), Isaac Klein (Abraham Lincoln School), and Theo Reichl tied for second with 3.0/4.

Congratulations to the nominees and champions, and thanks to the tournament staff and to John Bapst for hosting!

Players compete in the high school section.

Action in the grade 6-8 section.

Ethan Yu with tournament director Mike Dudley.

Gabe Eaton strikes a similar pose.

Jacob Klein with Mike Dudley.

Miles Kaplan and his mom Maine Chess Association Director Kate Ervin.

Left to right: Ambrose McCullough, Ben Mock, and Isaac Dinnerstein

The O'Searcoids

Tournament brain trust (left to right) Oisin O'Searcoid, Kate Ervin, Mike Dudley, and Linh Nguyen.