December 12 1959
The Lewiston Daily Sun, Lewiston, Maine, Saturday, December 12, 1959
Watch That Bishop—These are four of the 23 chess players who started a three-day tournament at the Circle Canadien Club in Lewiston last night. The winner, decided after the six rounds of play ending Sunday, will be the new Maine champion — the first to hold the title since the last tournament in 1942.
At the foreground table Dr. W. A. Perkins (left) of Togus, tournament director and Kansas chess champion in 1957, is watching Dr. Edward Blumberg of Pineland Training Center move up his bishop. At the rear table Lt. Commander H. C. Perkins (left) of Fleet Air Wing, BNAS, is pondering a move against Harlow Daly of Sanford, New England champion in 1908 and former holder of the Massachusetts and Boston titles.
Chess Players Start Tourney in Lewiston; To End Sunday
Twenty-three chess players met at the Cercle Canadien Club last night for the start of a three-day tournament which will decide the Maine chess championship.
The tournament started about 7:30 p.m. and in a few minutes the players were completely absorbed in the game despite the noise from the hall and other rooms. A few of the players had stop clocks with two faces to time their games and all of them kept records of the games move by move.
In age the players ranged from high school students to white haired gentlemen, one of whom was the New England chess champion in 1908. Some of the players used finely carved ivory pieces while others played with large wooden pieces.
This is the first Maine chess championship tournament since 1942 when the title was won by Carleton Fenley of Portland. While the tournament is open to anyone, the only entries were Maine residents.
The hall was lined with kibitzers, all of whom were obeying the primary rule of kibitzing, “keep quiet.” They had a chance to watch some top notch chess since the players included Dr. W. A. Perkins of Togus, tournament director and Kansas chess champion in 1957; Harlow Daly, New England champion in 1908 and also former holder of the Massachusetts and Boston titles; and Stanley Elowitch of Portland, a Deering High School student who has held the Portland championship the last three years.
A majority of the players were from Portland and are members of the Portland Chess Club. The Waterville Chess Club was also represented by several members, including Dr. Perkins.
The tournament will consist of six rounds, giving each of the players a chance to play six other players. Winners are matched with winner and loser with losers.
Stuart Laughlin, president of the Portland Chess Club, explained that this Swiss system is used to speed up the tournament in preference to having every player play with every other player.
The players played one round last night. They will play three rounds today and two Sunday.
Those participating in the tournament include:
Robert Doucette, Portland,
Dr. Jerome Tichy, Yarmouth,
John Morrill, Portland,
James Murphy, Lewiston,
Dr. Edward Blumberg, Pineland Training Center,
H. C. Perkins, BNAS,
Ray Duval, Portland,
Dr. Samson Fischer, Waterville,
Jeffrey Doucette, Portland,
Larry Eldridge, Waterville,
Keyes Sanders, Portland,
Kemy Theberge, Waterville,
Dr. Vaughn Sturtevant, Waterville,
Stanley Elowitch, Portland,
Fred Wren, Perry James Palange,
Lewiston,
Dr. W. A. Perkins, Togus,
Harlow Daly, Sanford,
Dr. Lovi Sarin, Waterville,
Dean Richardson, Portland,
Arthur Werner, Auburn,
W. J. Hodges,
Stuart Laughlin, Portland.
