The defending champions come into 2011 with many watching them closely as their near perfect 2010 season has many eagerly looking forward to seeing how well they can perform in their second year.

     While the expectations that last year might place upon them are probably unfair, New England has every reason to be optimistic for 2011.  With all their top performers returning, including both 2010 first team All Stars, IM Robert Hungaski and NM Alex Cherniack, as well as many time star, GM Sam Shankland, the weapons which made New England so successful in 2010 should once again provide them with a very fearsome team.

      But the Nor'easters have also not sat back despite their magical season, as in addition to many of the lineups that so domianted last year that are at their disposal, they have added young up and comer NM Mika Brattain to the cause, and like many other teams will also have the abliity to stack the top three boards giving them some nice flexibility.

     Though it would be hard to manage New England coming even close to doing as well as they did last season, their fans still have every reason to be optimistic.  With their two top players, Shankland and Hungaski, recently making big waves, the former taking third place in the US Championship and the latter scoring a GM-norm in impressive style at the New York International, with them leading the way, New England will definitely be a team to watch out for in 2011 once again.