CANADIAN FORCES CHESS TEAM
24th NATO CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
12-16 August 2013, Warsaw-, Poland
In August 2013, NATO military Chess players will meet in Warsaw, Poland, for the 24th NATO Chess Championship. This annual Championship is open to military personnel and civilians working with National Defence. While being a very competitive FIDE rated Championship, this competition is an excellent way to build friendships amongst NATO chess players that will serve alongside in NATO operations. This year will be Canada’s 10th participation in this Championship.
Best luck to the team!
Major Régis Bellemare: Residing in Gatineau, Major Régis Bellemare is a Logistic Officer working for the Directorate of Land Requirements (DLR) on the Medium Support Vehicle System project. He is the Canadian Forces Chess team Captain and represents Canada on the International Military Chess Committee. He founded Kandahar Airfield (KAF) Chess Club in 2007 and since then, has been the Canadian Military Chess coordinator. He his also the President of Aylmer chess club and held the title of Regional Chess Arbiter of the Quebec Chess Federation. This will be his sixth participation at the NATO Chess Championship (2008 to 2013).
Master-Corporal Philippe Léveillée: Residing in Ottawa, MCpl Philippe Léveillée is a Communicator Research Operator working at the Canadian Forces Station Leitrim. He is currently the Canadian Armed Forces Chess Champion. He is highly involved in developing chess at CFS Leitrim and has been leading his team that became the top Canadian Armed Forces chess team. This will be his first participation to the NATO Chess Championship.
Master-Seaman Alex Lambruschini: MS Lambruschini joined the Naval Reserve in Kingston, Ontario, in 2003. He has served on ships on both coasts including Arctic sovereignty and Great Lakes deployments. During the summer of 2013 he is instructing basic training at Camp Vimy at CFB Valcartier and will return to his position of Recruiter in Thunder Bay in the fall. He has participated twice in the CF Chess Championship, twice in the Canadian Open tournament, and many local tournaments in different parts of the country. He is getting married in August and is looking forward to travelling to Poland for the 2013 NATO Chess Championship with his new bride.
Herb Langer: Herb Langer: From Arnprior, Ontario, is a retired corporal of the Royal Canadian Signals (1975 to 1980) and is recently retired from the public service as a Senior Procurement Officer with the Directorate of Aerospace Procurements, at the National Defence Headquarters for the Department of National Defence. He is self-taught in chess and has the distinction of introducing the Grand Prix system of tournaments to chess in 1981. He also has held the Arnprior Open Chess Championship for 31 consecutive years - the longest-running annual small-town event in Canada. This will be Herb's second participation to the NATO Chess Championship (2012 and 2013).
Corporal Daniel Lord: Corporal Daniel Lord is a member of 12 Regiment Blindé du Canada in Valcartier, Québec. He starts playing in competition last winter and has shown good skills with achieving 2nd and 3rd position in his categories two major tournaments. He is playing at the Charlesbourg chess club in Québec City and he is a very active player with Valcartier chess club while being the tournament director. This will be is first participation to the NATO Chess Championship.
Captain Mario Tremblay: Capt Mario Tremblay is a member of 51 Service Battalion, a reserve unit in Saint-Hubert, Québec, where he is the unit training officer. He secured his place on the team by finished in third place of the Canadian Forces Chess Championship 2013, an impressive achievement since it was only is second participation to a chess tournament. He is looking forward to his first participation to the NATO Chess Championship where he will be accompanied by his new wife.
Follow the team on facebook «Military Chess» and on www.natochess.com