11.02.25 Thirty players participated in three sections at the Lois and Roger Morin Memorial Chess Tournament Played on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at the University of Maine in Orono. Here is the illustrated tournament report with US Chess crosstables.

>> US Chess Crosstable of this event <<

After a last-minute change in venue from the UMaine Memorial Union to the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center (thanks to Maine Chess Association president Wyatt Hendrix for helping to facillitate this) the tournament got underway with thirty players competing in three sections: Open (G/60 +5), U1500 and U1000 (G/35 +5).  

Two tense last-round encounters determined the winners of the Open section. On Board 1, Wyatt Hendrix was able to come up with an innovation in a pawn-and-knight endgame in which he sacrificrd a knight and allowed his opponent to queen a pawn to get a resultant winning endgame position. On Board 2, Eli Slaughter won a clutch game by finding a key tactic that helped him bring home the full point. Both Slaughter and Hendrix finished on 3.5/4 and shared equal first prized money of $270. Roger Hardison, making the trek down from Aroostook County, finished strong on 3.0/4 just out of the money.

In the U1500 section, Mark Norris swept the field with an unbeaten and untied 4.0 points in four games. In clear second was Martin Alexander with 3.0 points and Tony Freudig and UMaine graduate student in environmental science Thomas Grindle shared third place with 2.0 points apiece.

Baxter Engleman also went unbeaten and untied in the U1000 section with 4.0 points. Olesya Shafirina and Shaurya Kumar tied for third with 3.0 points.

Lois and Roger Morin were well-known and well-loved members of the Maine Chess Community. The author was personal friends with both of them and extends his gratitude to all players, parents, coaches, drivers, and spectators who participated in this event to honor their memory.

Thank you to the University of Maine College of Engineering and Computing for providing the beautiful Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center for this event and for supporting both scholastic and adult chess in Maine.

 

Tournament co-champion Wyatt Hendrix (left) considers his position in his last round game vs Bradley Leavitt...

As does tournament co-champion Eli Slaughter (left) during his game with Brian Hurst.

Roger Hardison (left) plays Joshusa Burden in a game that went the distance and was the last to finish of the tournament.

The round four game between Dan Robbins (right) vs Paul Carr ended in a draw.

All the way from North Yarmouth, Dimitri Smalley (left) plays Hancock Grammar School chess coach Isaiah Fallon.

Tobias Coffey (right) thinks during his game with Benjamin Usadi.

U1500 section winner Matt Norris.

Putting up an impressive 3.0 points and finishing in clear 2nd in a strong field of U1500 players was Martin Alexander.

Tony Freudig tied for third in the U1500 section with...

Thomas Grindle.

James Hardy put up 1.5 points and tied for 5th place in the U1500 section with...

AJ Shepard.

Arkan Das maks a move in his game vs...

Michael Lloyd.

U1500 players at the prize-giving ceremony.

The winner of the U1000 section with 4.0 points in as many games: Baxter Engelman.

Olesya Shafirina scored 3.0 points with a nice endgame win over J. Paul Ciarrocchi in the final round to share second place in the U1000 section with...

Shaurya Kumar.

Former president of the Maine Chess Association J. Paul Ciarrocchi

Corey Alexander on the move in his game in the U1000 section.

Jay McIntire commented after one of his games, "I lost, but it was a fun game!"

Arlo Faragher Houghton in game mode

The tournament's youngest competitor Daniel Chang.

Samuel Chang plays...

Owen Guy in the U100 section.

Thanks again to all who participated in the tournament. Godspeed Lois and Roger Morin!