09.13.2026  Dr. Pavel Sulyandziga shares his impressions of the State Champions Tournaments, held this year in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from August 3rd to 6th.

The Maine players and chaperones.

Thanks to Dr. Pavel Sulyandziga for contributing to this report.

Representing the State of Maine were Charlie Creswell (high school champion, grades 9-12), Mya Brichacek (high school girls' champion), Dimitri Smalley (middle school champion, grades 6-8), and Shaurya Kumar (elementary school champion, up to grade 5). I competed in the senior champions division (50+).

The event also determined the winning team among all the states. We finished 45th-46th out of 50 states in the overall team standings--despite missing one player (we lacked the Maine state champion for grades K-3)--and scored 11 points. Charlie contributed the most points to our team total with 3, while the others added 2 points each. I was also among the three players who defeated opponents with significantly higher ratings.

Of course, we did not expect to win the individual tournaments or the team competition (our team had one of the lowest ratings). The fields were very strong. In the senior tournament (known as the Irwin Tournament) where I played, there were four Grandmasters and six International Masters (unfortunately, I didn't keep track of how many National Masters there were). However, we acted as a team and supported one another; the families accompanying the children socialized and bonded. I would especially like to acknowledge the players' parents, who genuinely cared about their children and offered them great support. Many thanks to them for supporting the children's desire to play chess. Participating in such tournaments is a great help to the children, allowing them to gain essential experience and improve their skills by playing against strong opponents.

I would like to share with readers some photos taken by my son, Pavel. They capture a bit of the atmosphere at the Champions Tournaments.

The Maine Team consisted of (left to right): Mya Brichacek, Dimitri Smalley, Dr. Pavel Sulyandziga, Shaurya Kumar, and Charlie Creswell (not pictured).

Mya Brichacek over the board.

Dimitri Smalley represented Maine (and the Boston Red Sox) very well.

Kumar Shaurya considers his position.

Dr. Pavel Sulyandziga prepares for battle over the board.

The tournament is known for friendship and camaraderie amongst the players

I spoke with John Rockefeller V, who approached me during the opening ceremony and said he really liked my national costume. I told him a little about my people--the Udege--as well as the Ussuri taiga and Amur tigers. John is a strong supporter of youth chess and collaborates with the U.S. Chess Federation.

Big thanks to the parents who supported their children's trip to this tournament: Dimitri's mom.

Mya's Mom, and all the parents who participated!