08.18.23 The Maine Chess Association is instituting a Hall of Fame to showcase and honor Maine chess players and luminaries who have contributed significantly through their quality of play and promotion of chess. The initial group of ten inductees includes eight historical figures who are no longer active and Maine's highest ever rated male and female players. There will be opportunities in the future for MECA members to nominate Maine chess personalities to the MECA board for consideration towards Hall of Fame membership. It is our hope that the Maine Chess Hall of Fame will serve to both inspire Maine's chess players and provide education about Maine's rich chess legacy.The Hall of Fame will be a permanent feature at ChessMaine.net.

Thanks to MECA president J. Paul Ciarrocchi for compiling this report.

Currently Maine's only FIDE titled player FM Jarod Bryan has had a long and remarkable career in chess. Jarod holds the Maine record for the highest ever over-the-board US Chess rating with 2343, achieved in 1996. Jarod has won at least one Maine State Championship in every decade from the 1980's through the 2020's. Jarod's total of ten championship wins to date is the second-highest number of Maine titles in history (only one behind Stanley Elowitch). Jarod won his titles in 1988,1998, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2023.

Jarod Bryan
image: chessmaine.net

Graham Cooper is one of the most prolific championship winning players in Maine history. In 1973 he was a member of the University of Maine's New England Collegiate Chess Championship team, which finished ahead of two teams from chess powerhouse Harvard. Cooper won a total of five Maine State Championships over a period of 16 years, winning in 1976,1984,1985,1986, and 1992.

Graham Cooper
image: chessmaine.net

George Cunningham was an Associate Mathematics Professor at the University of Maine Orono. George promoted chess in many capacities. His name graces several chess awards presented in Maine. George was the interim Executive Director of the United States Chess Federation in 1978, was a Policy Board member, and later served as USCF's rating statistician. As rating statistician, he introduced bonus points, feedback points, and fiddle points. George and colleague Gerry Dullea (also a former University of Maine Orono professor and USCF Director), wrote a popular weekly chess column in the Bangor Daily News for 20 years. In 1975 they produced a 13-week chess instructional series that was shown on Maine PBS. George founded the University of Maine Chess Club in the 1970's and continued as director/advisor until the early 1990's George mentored many young players and was known for his patience and love of the game. He could be counted on to give insightful wisdom when asked as he greatly enjoyed seeing other players progress in their game A strong player himself, George and his wife, Evelyn, played in a number of local tournaments and participated in over 30 U. S. Opens.

A profile of George Cunningham can be found on the chessmaine.net website HERE.

George Cunningham (03/25/1909-12/19/1993)
image: DigitalCommons@UMaine

Harlow B. Daly held the record for the most Maine State Championships with nine wins, including seven wins in a row (still a record) until 1983 when it was surpassed by Stanley Elowich. He holds the record for being the oldest Maine State Champion ever, winning his last title at 86 years of age. Daly was also the New England Champion in 1908. His career lasted over 75 years and included many wins in some of the other New England states.
A profile of Daly and with games against some of the leading national and international players of his era can be found on the Interviews/Profiles section at the chessmaine.net website HERE.

Harlow B. Daly (1883-1979)

Michael Dudley's entry into the Maine chess community came on June 23, 2002, at the Downeast Open in South Portland, Maine, and hasn't stopped since. Over 400 rated events, 105 worked tournaments, and 22 years later, Michael continues to stay involved in Maine's chess scene as a tournament director, organizer, and active correspondence player.
Michael's work as the chess coach at John Bapst Memorial High School spanned eight years. What started as a group of five players desperate to have a chess coach take them to the Maine Scholastic Team Chess Championship in 2015 became one of Maine's most formidable chess teams. During Michael's time as a coach, Bapst notched a co-championship in 2019 (tying with Cheverus). Three national nominees to the US Chess Scholastic Invitationals (Linh Nguyen, Benjamin Mock, and Rachel Norment), two Webber Cup Championships, and a Scholastic Grand Prix title. Michael's organizing of the Bapst Impromptu Swiss series and the Crusader Cup Championships brought him to leadership.
Michael served as President of the Maine Chess Association from May. 2018 to December 2022, leading
MECA through the Covid-19 pandemic. With Michael at the helm, MECA created and built up the Richard's Maine Girls' Chess Championship, the Maine Women's Championship, and a new and improved series of scholastic events backed by the Scholastic Grand Prix. MECA diversified its event offerings by partnering with WGM Sabina Foisor, forging a partnership with artisan woodworker Andrew DeMaris, and strengthening relationships with schools through coordination of the Maine Scholastic Chess Championships. At a time when online chess was catching fire, Maine was able to step onto the international stage, participating in international matches against teams from Norway and Russia. Michael also oversaw the formation of the Morin Memorial Scholarship Fund and Tournament and the maintenance of MECA's financial stability. Organizing and leading a capable, professional board that kept chess in Maine strong before, during, and after the pandemic is what Michael considers his greatest chess accomplishment, along with orienting MECA toward service to the chess community and connection with people of all ages, all over Maine. Michael truly believes Maine is the best place in the world to play chess.
After his tenure as President, Michael stayed active in correspondence chess through the International Correspondence Chess Federation, achieving the Correspondence Chess Expert title in 2022 and his correspondence Master title in 2024. Michael currently plays both webserver and postal events and helps with the Lewison High School chess club when he can.

Michael Dudley
image: ChessMaine.net

Gerald Dullea was the Executive Director of the United States Chess Federation twice, serving from 1978-1988 and from 1999-2000. He also served briefly as the Editor of Chess Life magazine. Dullea was a University of Maine English professor and colleague of fellow Maine Chess Hall of Fame inductee George Cunningham. Dullea and Cunningham collaborated in writing a chess column covering both local and international chess that appeared in the weekend edition of the Bangor Daily News for 20 years. They also hosted a 13-part instructional program on chess that was broadcast on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network in 1975.

Gerald J. Dullea (1943-2018)
image: US Chess

Stanley Elowitch has the distinction of being the record holder for the most Maine State Championship wins with 11 titles. Elowitch won championship or co-championship titles in 1966, 1967,1968,1970,1971,1973,1974,1979,1980,1983, and 1999. In 1987 he won the prestigious Golden Knights Correspondence Championship title. Elowitch reached his peak over-the-board rating of 2300 on October 17, 1999.

Stanley Elowitch (born 1942)
image: chessmaine.net

Stuart Laughlin was president of the Portland Chess Club for many years. He served Maine chess by providing many competitive opportunities for players with his promotional and organizational efforts. As a mentor and fellow chess player, Laughlin had the ability to connect with people. Many players have lasting fond memories of their interactions with him. Laughlin's career of chess contributions was honored with naming the Maine State Championship trophy after him. A memorial about C. Stuart Laughlin can be found at chessmaine.net HERE.

C. Stuart Laughlin (1933-2016)
image painted by Roger Morin

Bernard "Doc" Mann was a beloved chess teacher, coach, and benefactor for decades. Doc, as he was known to friends and students alike, contributed as an educator and volunteer throughout his long life. Doc taught chess at All Saints School in Bangor for a number of years. Doc was always ready for a friendly game, even at the age of 100-plus. His life was as interesting as it was long. In an interview with chessmain.net Doc was aptly referred to as the Dean of Maine Chess. There is also information about Bernard "Doc" Mann in the Bangor Daily News archives. Doc passed away in 2011, just a few weeks shy of his 102nd birthday. An interview with Bernard Mann can be found at chessmaine.net HERE.

Bernard "Doc" Mann
image: chessmaine.net

A respected and beloved figure, Roger J. Morin had a long and distinguished career in Maine chess. Roger was a two-time Maine State Champion, winning in 1980 and 2009 (a record for years between championships). In 1998 until 2007, Roger took a nine-year break from over-the-board chess, only to resume his prolifically successful play in local tournaments. Roger was a chess coach and mentor to many players. An artist on chess board and canvas, Roger conducted a number of tournaments in his Houlton art studio.
An interview with Roger Morin is available at chessmaine.net HERE.

Roger Morin (1955-2019)
image: chessmaine.net

James Quirk (1946-1997)

James Quirk, a former computer sciences professor and expert-level chess player, was a prolific tournament organizer and director during the 1970's and 1980's. He founded Downeast Chess, which covered chess activity in Portland and southern Maine. Quirk and Maine Chess Hall of Fame member, George Cunningham, were responsible for most of the chess tournaments available in Maine during that period. His tournaments were known for being very well managed and player-friendly. Quirk directed some Maine State Championships and was an assistant director at the 1978 U.S. Open. He instituted the Maine Chess Player of the Year program as one of his efforts to increase interest in tournament play.
James Quirk passed away in 1997 at the age of 50.

Kathy Richards has the distinction of being Maine's highest ever rated female chess player. In 2003 Kathy broke the women's over-the-board record with a 1635 rating, surpassing Emily Giambalvo's 30-plus year old rating record of 1631 (Giambalvo was the first female to win the Maine State High School Championship). Kathy also holds the Maine women's correspondence rating record with a 1966 rating, achieved in 2012. Kathy won the inaugural Maine State Women's Championship in 2019 and has successfully defended the title twice so far. In Kathy's honor, the Maine State Girl's Championship was renamed the Richard's State Girls Championship in 2020. Kathy has also been a coach and mentor, having served as a coach in MSAD #4 in Guilford for a number of years. An interview of Kathy can be found in Interviews/ Profiles at chessmaine.net HERE.

Kathy Richards
image: chessmaine.net