2004 is very interesting. Polish Military chess has grown up and is getting stronger. Two new chess clubs
started working. The clubs had been opened in Gdynia and Grudziadz. Before the Polish Armed Forces Chess
Championships "Kolobrzeg 2004", the Polish Navy and 2nd Mechanized Corps conducted elimination to select
the best players. In comparison with last year more and stronger players took part in these competitions.
The Champion of 2003 started the first round on the eight desk! It is the best evidence that the Polish
team is getting stronger and stronger. The sensation of the competition was losing in the first game from
Saturnin Skindzier, who had taken the individual 3rd place in the NATO Chess Championship in Denmark.
Although, before last round it was clear that Rafal Przedmojski, a civilian worker of the Polish Air Force
club in Warsaw would be the winner. But nevertheless rivalry for the 2nd place was very sharp. There were
twelve players, who could be runner up and the last round established the final score at least. Finally
second place was taken by Adam Karbowiak from Grudziadz - ELO 2256. Third place wasfor a private Marek
Mariusz from a Unit in Mrzezyno - ELO 2155. They, together with Capitan Saturnin Skindzier from a Unit in
Wegorzewo - ELO 2247, Lieutenant Piotr Bieluszewski from a Unit in Elblag - ELO 2169 and Sergeant Slawomir
Krainski from a Unit in Grudziadz - ELO 2197, will represent the Polish Armed Forces in the XVth NATO Chess
Championship in the Netherlands. We hope that this team in Den Haag will make a bigger surprise than the
team in last competition and they will bring us a few medals (our favourite colour is gold indeed)...
Tomasz Malinowski