About us

The NATO Chess Championships (both team and individual) have been organised since 1989 with the exceptions of 1993 and 2020. Additionally, twelve so-called NATO chess tournaments were conducted from 1978 to 1988 as well as in 1993.

The championship is essentially an individual tournament, with a team tournament incorporated. Each of the thirty NATO member states are entitled to have six players on their national team, and two players on a so called NATO Team. The four highest results from the national team count for the team's ranking. It is therefore mandatory that players sharing the same nationality do not play against each other. Winning the individual tournament is an honour, of course, but together winning the team trophy of "King Canut" is the ultimate prize!

In 1993 the International Military Chess Committee was formed to represent the NATO Chess community to other parties and coordinate organisational matters. The committee is responsible for all chess related aspects of the championships.

IMCC Chairmen:

1991 - 2011 Brigadier-General RNLA (ret.) Hendrik Steffers (The Netherlands)

2011 - 2021 COL Tomasz Malinowski (Poland)

2021 - LTCOL (2023 COL) Sławomir Kędzierski (Poland)

IMCC Secretaries:

1991 - 1998 MAJ RNLA Gert-Jan Ludden (The Netherlands)

1998 - 2011 CDR (2004 CPT) RNLN Harm-Theo Wagenaar (The Netherlands)

2011 - 2021 MAJ Sławomir Kędzierski (Poland)

2021 - LT Dariusz Sycz (Poland)

* Military ranks given are of the date of taking office.

Contact:

IMCC Chairman COL Sławomir Kędzierski: chairman-AT-natochess.com

IMCC Secretary CPT Dariusz Sycz: secretary-AT-natochess.com

Webmaster: Jan Cheung: webmaster-AT-natochess.com

Contacts for the team captains of each nation can be found in the documents section.