State chess tournament seeks student competitors

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ORONO – The Maine State Scholastic Chess Tournament for high school, junior high and elementary teams will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 11, at the Memorial Union, University of Maine.

The tournament for individual championships will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 25, in Orono. Both tournaments are sponsored by the University of Maine College of Engineering and the Maine Association of Chess Coaches.

All teams for the March 11 event must preregister by March 7.

Fees for the championship and reserve sections, including U.S. Chess Federation membership, are $29 a person, age 19 and under; $23 a person, age 14 and under. The membership portion of the fee may be waived with proof of current membership. Fees for novice sections are $4 each.

The team categories are:

. High school championship section, a rated event. Each high school may enter only one team of five students in this section.

. High school reserve section, rated event. Students play a four-round Swiss-system tournament. Team total based on scores of top three finishing players.

. High school novice section. Students play Swiss tournament with team total based on scores of top three finishing players.

. Junior high championship section, rated event.

. Junior high and elementary novice section.

. Elementary kindergarten through third grade championship section.

. Elementary kindergarten through sixth-grade championship section.

Players in high school and junior high categories must notate their games.

In the championship sections, elementary and junior teams may enter as many players as they wish. The five high scores will count for junior high and kindergarten through sixth grade, and the three high scores for kindergarten through third grade.

There will be trophies for first- and second-place teams, and individual trophies for players from the top team.

The individual tournament on March 25 is open to any Maine pupil, kindergarten to grade 12. The fee is $35 for age 19 and under, $29 age 14 and under, including membership in the USCF. That portion of the fee may be waived with proof of current membership.

Any board 1 player with a score of three or better in the high school team championship tournament will be invited to the individual tournament free. Also invited free are any other players scoring 3.5 or better in the championship or reserve sections, and players who score 3.0 or better in the elementary or junior high tournaments. The top girl also is invited from championship and reserve sections.

Categories are:

. High school, kindergarten through grade 12.

. High school, kindergarten through grade 12, rated under 1,200.

. Junior high school.

. Elementary school, kindergarten through grade six.

. Elementary school, kindergarten through grade three.

A state champion will be named, and trophies will be given to the top three players in each category.

Registration forms should be sent to:

. Elementary teams, Dan DeLuca, 80 Giles Pond Road, Aurora 04408; dcdeluca@yahoo.com; 584-3370.

. Junior high teams, Mark Woida, Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, 149 Deer Isle Road, Deer Isle 04627; mwoida@dises.org; 374-5740.

. High school teams, Fred Irons, 5708 Barrows Hall, University of Maine, Orono 04469-5708; irons@eece.maine.edu; 581-2229.

. Individual tournaments, Ron Lewis, 189 Middle Road, Falmouth 04105; raltiger@aol.com; 781-3962, evenings.

Make checks payable to Kathy Richards, treasurer, MACC.

The snow date for the team events is March 18.

The Maine Association of Chess Coaches also will sponsor the Maine Scholastic Chess Championships for Girls on Saturday, April 1, at the University of Maine.

The winner will be eligible to represent the state at the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls Aug. 6-11 in Chicago. Trophies will be given to the top three players overall, and to the top player in each class: kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grade, sixth through eighth grade and grades nine through 12.

For USCF members, the fee is $5 by March 28, $10 after that date. For nonmembers, the fee is $28 early registration for those under 20, $33 after March 28; $18 for those under 15; $27 after March 28. Make checks payable to MACC and send to Dan DeLuca, 80 Giles Pond Road, Aurora 04408; dcdeluca@yahoo.com; 479-4474.

For information, visit www.mainechess.org.