By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

Cape Elizabeth resident Matthew Fishbein became the youngest player ever to win the high school division of the Maine Scholastic Individual Chess Championship last month. 

Fishbein, who is 12, achieved a perfect score at the tournament held March 20 at the University of Maine in Orono.

Currently a sixth grader at Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Fishbein played his first chess game on his fourth birthday.

Who was his worthy opponent?

His mother.

“He didn’t play it correctly because I didn’t know the rules,” said Ilene Schuchman, Fishbein’s mother.

Fishbein won two matches by checkmate at the state tournament and two more when his opponents resigned to avoid checkmate. 

“It’s considered good sportsmanship to resign if you know there’s absolutely no way to get out of it,” Schuchman said.

Fishbein said he elected to “play up” to the high school level because he wanted more challenging competition.

“I was the most experienced player,” Fishbein said. “I was thinking I would definitely win.”

  Fishbein competed against four high school students in the tournament and said he was very confident going into play and happy to win the competition.

  “I was very proud,” Schuchman said.  “I thought he had a very good chance of winning.” 

What is Fishbein’s favorite opening move in a game of chess? 

“The dragon, where basically it’s a race to checkmate,” he said.

 Combined with this move, his strategy is to attack. 

“I try to get a huge attack on my opponent and always play aggressively,” Fishbein said. “I don’t like draws. I like lots of wins. If their position is really weak, I can just go in for the kill.”

     Prior to winning the high school championship last month, Fishbein won state titles in the K-3, K-6 and K-8 divisions. He also won the K-3 division of the New England Open in 2006.

“I have a complete collection,” Fishbein said, referring to his championships. He began playing in team and individual tournaments when he was in the first grade.

 When Fishbein entered kindergarten, Schuchman enrolled him in chess classes held by Cape Elizabeth Community Services. On Saturday mornings, Fishbein and other children from the greater Portland area participate in an “open play” chess club in Cape Elizabeth.

   The club is open to K-12 students from all towns and is sponsored by the Cape Elizabeth Community Services program with parents providing coaching and supervision.

Last week, Fishbein competed in the National Junior High Chess Championship in Minneapolis. This was his fifth trip to the national championship where he has been awarded a trophy three times. 

  Fishbein tied his friend, Matthew Reale-Hatem, for 29^th place in the individual competition at the national tournament. The field included 208 players. 

  Reale-Hatem, 13, is in seventh grade at Cape Elizabeth Middle School.

 Fishbein and Reale-Hatem combined for a third place finish among 18 teams with two players in the national team competition.

  Last year, Fishbein placed 16th in the K-5 national tournament. He scored 5 1/2 points. A perfect score in the tournament is seven points.

   When asked what he likes most about chess, Fishbein said he likes the competition. 

“It’s lot’s of fun. It’s my favorite sport,” he said.

Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237 or news@inthesentry.com.