Youths to compete in chess tournament

It’s March, and the state basketball tournaments are here, but don’t worry about double-dribbling. After all, queens and knights don’t bounce much.

It’s time for the Maine State Scholastic Chess Tournaments, scheduled for three Saturdays at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor.

More than 300 youngsters from around the state will be involved in the contests, which begin Saturday with the elementary and junior high school team tournaments at 9 a.m.

The high-school team competition will be held March 10, and the individual championships for all grade levels will be March 31.

A year ago, Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast was the junior high champ for grades six through eight, while Holden’s Holbrook School and Deer Isle-Stonington were again co-champions for kindergarten through grade six. Portland’s Cheverus High School repeated as winner among high schools.

In each tournament, five-person teams in the championship category play four rounds in one day. The winners in each of three grade levels then go on to national competitions. State tournaments also offer reserve and novice sections.

In Maine, students are invited back to the March 31 individual championships based on scores at the team contests. In addition, other pupils may sign up by paying a registration fee for that day.

Last year’s individual title on the high school level was shared by three juniors: Joseph St. Pierre, Southern Aroostook High School, Dyer Brook; Frank Shirfan, Cheverus; and Ben Cote, Cheverus.

Brothers from Monroe, Gilbert Fulford and Seth Yentes from the Troy Howard team, shared the junior high title, while co-champions on the elementary level were Kevin Townsend from Stillwater Montessori School and Jared Littlefield from James Bean School in Sidney.

Chess has been a popular activity among Maine students for decades. The late professor George Cunningham of the University of Maine organized several of the tournaments, and the trophies are named for him.

In recent years, participation has again grown under the organization of Mike Schaab, a science teacher at John Bapst.

Students who participate on the championship level receive a United States Chess Federation rating, and several from around the state have won “open” tournaments for all ages in other parts of New England. Several students are also among the top 50 in the Maine Chess Association listing.

“The chief mission of the Maine Association of Chess Coaches and this tournament is to offer to as many kids as possible, a positive chess-playing experience,” Schaab said.

Some of this month’s participants also took part in the first Martin Luther King Day Chess Tournament at Stillwater Montessori School.

Rodger Wong of Clifton won the kindergarten-grade 12 category for that statewide contest, with Bryant Ciomei of Stonington winning on the kindergarten-grade eight level, and Nathaniel Hewett of Holden taking the elementary prize.

For information on the tournaments, contact Mike Schaab at 947-0313 or 525-3201.