Chess-Playing Surgeon Earns Top Navy Award


	Official U.S. Navy file photo of Capt. John Perciballi, who won the 'Top Navy Award' trophy at the 45th annual U.S. Armed Forces Open Chess Championship, Oct. 11. Perciballi is a general surgeon attached to Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla.
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Chess-Playing Surgeon Earns Top Navy Award
Story Number: NNS041015-10
Release Date: 10/16/2004 5:44:00 PM

By Rod Duren, Naval Hospital Pensacola Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Navy surgeon Capt. John Perciballi won the 'Top Navy Award' trophy at the 45th annual U.S. Armed Forces Open Chess Championship at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Oct. 11.

The ‘Top Navy Award’ goes to the best Navy player at the tournament. The Armed Forces Open Chess Championship is a non-qualifying event. Twenty of the 80 participants were Navy personnel.

“This game is a natural military war game,” said Perciballi, and “it just keeps getting bigger every year [among those in the Armed Forces].”

The mix of players for the championship included four full academy teams of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Reservists and Guardsmen.

“One of the more interesting notes,” continued Perciballi, “wasn’t the games, but rather that all four service academies sent participants. “You don’t see that very often,” he said.

For the first time in tournament history, the overall champion was an academy cadet, David Jacobs of West Point. The Air Force won top team honors, and the U.S. Military Academy carried off the Commander in Chief trophy. The Navy won a ‘Consultation Match’ against the Marines and Army.

“It was a good tournament all around,” said Perciballi.

Perciballi is currently assigned to Naval Hospital Pensacola.

For related news, visit the Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla., Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/nh_pensacola.

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