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2009 Navy chess team seeks players

If you’re rehearsed in the use of rooks and practiced in the pushing of pawns, the Navy chess team wants you.

The chess team is looking for six sailors to represent the Navy this May at the inter-service chess tournament, according to a Navy-wide message released Dec. 29. That tournament, at Fort Benning, Ga., will determine who goes on to form an all-military team that will take on America’s allies in June at the NATO chess tournament, which this year is taking place in Germany.

The Army, Air Force and Marine Corps chess teams are also looking for volunteers.

Last year’s U.S. armed forces team only included one Navy member, Lt. Cmdr. Paul Choate, of Fleet Readiness Center Southwest at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. That team finished eighth out of 18 teams; Turkey won the tournament, followed by Germany and Poland. Germany had won each of the preceding 11 tournaments. The U.S. has never won, although the Americans did take second place in 2002.

To apply for this year’s Navy chess team, sailors must submit an application available from the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Web site including their chess ranking, U.S. Chess Federation number and other information by March 13, according to the Navy message.