10/04/2026
ALLISON TRANSMISSION RECLAIMS TITLE OF "INDY'S SMARTEST COMPANY!"
Congrats to the chess team from Allison Transmission for winning our 4th annual Corporate Chess Challenge (presented by CohenMalad, LLP)! This event is a fundraiser for our free Title I school chess programs, so we give a huge thank you to all the companies that competed in teams of four people.
Allison's team is made up of Logan Cross, Sam Baker, Quinn Phillips, and Alex Huffine.
This event started out with Allison Transmission as the second seed running against a top-seeded and defending champion Eli Lilly & Company team.
The teams had history. Allison won the inaugural challenge in 2023, then again in 2024 even when Lilly entered. But last year, Lilly strengthened its team with a national master, leveled up, and took the trophy.
Allison's core players were motivated for a rematch this year, and they discovered a quiet knight in Damion "Quinn" Phillips--a 1600+ player who had not previously known about the team tournament!
The Lilly defending championship team was made up of National Master David Airey, Robert Mesa, Ryan Borys, and Brad King. However, Brad King, the captain and organizer, discovered Tom Crawford--a 2000-level online player--worked at Lilly, so Brad selflessly dropped to Lilly's second team, giving Tom the #2 board on Lilly's now-even-stronger team.
Both teams won the first round easily 3-1 and 3-1, but with some surprises. Logan Cross (1900+)--Allison's top board--got a wake up call when Roche Diagnostics' Connor Brooks (1300+) defeated him. His team came through for him, but for the looming potential final against a national master, he'd need to snap back.
The toughest dark horse was OneAmerica, led by two 1800s Todd Kennedy and Albert Moore. Lilly got them in round 2, but despite great efforts/matches, Lilly prevailed 4-0.
Lilly and Allison entered the third and final round both with 2.0/2.0. Alex Huffine of Allison punched above his weight class to earn a quick draw on board 4 against Ryan Borys (Lilly). Sam Baker (Allison) shortly after earned a victory on board 2 against Tom Crawford (Lilly), getting his powerfully connected Black Rooks to the 2nd rank against Tom's King forced to hide in the open third rank.
Logan (Allison, board #1) had less than 30 seconds, and NM David Airey (Lilly) had two minutes. Logan stole a glance at board #3. If Quinn Phillips (Allison) could pull off an upset there against Robert Mesa (Lilly), his game wouldn't matter.
Quinn and Robert both had a Rook in the endgame, both Kings active, but Robert's two extra pawns were both passed. It was looking grim for Allison. The expected score would be 1.5 to 1.5.
It would come down to Logan v. David. Logan was the White pieces and in severe time pressure. It was a Knight, Bishop, and Rook v the same for David. Even material, with connected "h" to "d" White pawns plus the "a" pawn, against "a-b" pawns and "h-to-e" pawns for Black, both Kings short-castled and hidden on the back rank behind them. Logan's g2 Bishop cut off the far light squares so David's Rook couldn't defend his Queen-side couplet easily.
Trades happened. David's a-b pawns fell, giving Logan an outside passer! Logan still had 30 seconds, but David was now under 20 seconds. David pushed the d pawn in the center for counter play. Logan's advanced Knight on the Queen side centralized and had so many targets. David needed to avoid forks. Wait no, he had to protect his central pawn. No, he had to stop Logan's outside passer.
It was too much to juggle in time pressure, and David flagged. Logan breathed a sigh of relief and looked silently down at the board. Robert eventually grinded out the win on board 3 for Lilly, but it was too little too late.
Allison Transmission had reclaimed the title and received the champion's trophy to add to their collection. Lilly was absolutely gracious in defeat, but if we had the beginning of a rivalry before, it is now a full-fledged (though good-spirited) one.
Here are the podium finishes:
1st Place: Allison Transmission 1 (3.0/3.0)
T-2nd (tiebreak order): Eli Lilly & Company 1, OneAmerica, Eli Lilly & Company 2 (2.0/3.0)
Team Spirit: Roche Diagnostics with their blue T-shirts!
Most importantly, the event netted $8,828 to help continue our Title I school programs with Indianapolis Public Schools, largely thanks to school sponsorships from Lilly, Allison Transmission, Milliman, and a TRIPLE semester sponsorship from CohenMalad, LLP! Stay tuned for our end-of-year campaign and silent auction to keep our scholarships going at out other 14 school programs.
Thanks to Ivy Tech for the great skyline views, and to Indy Chess members Vaughn Laptiste, FM Lester VanMeter, Bob Broughton, and Alex Sprague for standing in as volunteer house players. Thanks to Jerika Eppel for helping TD the event.
