About John Frances Schleinich
John Francis Schleinich
1924-2004
Anyone playing competitive chess in Alberta during the seventies and eighties will remember John Schleinich. He was one of Alberta’s premier chess organizers and tournament directors and was involved in most major chess events that happened then. Many of Alberta’s chess players got their start by playing in one of John’s tournaments.
John, though he did not play in a lot of tournaments (he still managed to obtain a respectable 1706 rating), loved the game of chess and fostered and encouraged other people to play the game. He was instrumental in getting the Alberta Chess Association started, and is truly one of the founding fathers/builders of organized chess in Alberta and in Calgary.
Shortly after John’s arrival to Calgary in 1971, he became very active in the Alberta chess scene. During the 70s and spanning two decades, John was the key director/organizer of all major chess events in Calgary. These included the 1975 Canadian Closed, the 1975 Canadian Open, numerous Alberta Opens, Southern Alberta Opens and many of the weekly tournaments held at the Calgary Chess Club (Calgary Closed, CCC Championship, Calgary Open), etc. Many of these events he organized and directed continuously for many years. He organized the Calgary-Great Falls Montana match. He organized the first ever speed chess tournament in Calgary. He was President of the ACA from its initial incorporation on December 13, 1974 until 1980 when he stepped down to let someone else take over, but remained on the ACA Board as Vice President for the next three years.
As President, John was involved in getting the ACA registered as a society and for getting the ACA its first government grant of $3,000 in 1977 and thus giving the ACA the foothold to get started. This grant is now one of the ACA’s main sources of annual income. The ACA is one of the few organizations fortunate enough to receive government funding and is now one of the most solid chess organizations in Canada.
During that time, John was also the principal contact for the Calgary Chess Club and was the club President until 1983. John was recognized as one of the most active tournament organizers in Alberta on many occasions.
In 1983, due to work commitments, John left organized chess in Alberta when he moved to Toronto. However, he remained a CFC Governor, a position he held from 1975 to 1981 and then from 1982 to 1990.
John was one of a handful of Canadians to hold the highest rank of chess officiating awarded by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). He was awarded the International Arbiter designation in 1977, becoming only the fourth Canadian to receive that honour. To obtain this title, you had to direct at least two major tournaments and speak two languages. John easily surpassed the requirement of having two major tournaments, and spoke 5 languages. John also had a National Tournament Director designation from the CFC.
For his outstanding contribution to chess in Alberta, John was awarded a Honorary ACA Lifetime membership, an honour given to only a few select individuals.
He will be fondly remembered as a very capable chess organizer, for his reputation for running good chess events, and as a builder of chess in Alberta.
John, on behalf of the Alberta Chess Association, thank you for all you have done. Keep on organizing those great tournaments wherever you are. Chess lives on and we know that you are keeping the game alive somewhere. Salute.
Words by Ford Wong and Len Steele (as published in Chess Canada, August 2004).
Photo courtesy of Mary Ann Schleinich
John Francis Schleinich
1924-2004
Anyone playing competitive chess in Alberta during the seventies and eighties will remember John Schleinich. He was one of Alberta’s premier chess organizers and tournament directors and was involved in most major chess events that happened then. Many of Alberta’s chess players got their start by playing in one of John’s tournaments.
John, though he did not play in a lot of tournaments (he still managed to obtain a respectable 1706 rating), loved the game of chess and fostered and encouraged other people to play the game. He was instrumental in getting the Alberta Chess Association started, and is truly one of the founding fathers/builders of organized chess in Alberta and in Calgary.
Shortly after John’s arrival to Calgary in 1971, he became very active in the Alberta chess scene. During the 70s and spanning two decades, John was the key director/organizer of all major chess events in Calgary. These included the 1975 Canadian Closed, the 1975 Canadian Open, numerous Alberta Opens, Southern Alberta Opens and many of the weekly tournaments held at the Calgary Chess Club (Calgary Closed, CCC Championship, Calgary Open), etc. Many of these events he organized and directed continuously for many years. He organized the Calgary-Great Falls Montana match. He organized the first ever speed chess tournament in Calgary. He was President of the ACA from its initial incorporation on December 13, 1974 until 1980 when he stepped down to let someone else take over, but remained on the ACA Board as Vice President for the next three years.
As President, John was involved in getting the ACA registered as a society and for getting the ACA its first government grant of $3,000 in 1977 and thus giving the ACA the foothold to get started. This grant is now one of the ACA’s main sources of annual income. The ACA is one of the few organizations fortunate enough to receive government funding and is now one of the most solid chess organizations in Canada.
During that time, John was also the principal contact for the Calgary Chess Club and was the club President until 1983. John was recognized as one of the most active tournament organizers in Alberta on many occasions.
In 1983, due to work commitments, John left organized chess in Alberta when he moved to Toronto. However, he remained a CFC Governor, a position he held from 1975 to 1981 and then from 1982 to 1990.
John was one of a handful of Canadians to hold the highest rank of chess officiating awarded by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). He was awarded the International Arbiter designation in 1977, becoming only the fourth Canadian to receive that honour. To obtain this title, you had to direct at least two major tournaments and speak two languages. John easily surpassed the requirement of having two major tournaments, and spoke 5 languages. John also had a National Tournament Director designation from the CFC.
For his outstanding contribution to chess in Alberta, John was awarded a Honorary ACA Lifetime membership, an honour given to only a few select individuals.
He will be fondly remembered as a very capable chess organizer, for his reputation for running good chess events, and as a builder of chess in Alberta.
John, on behalf of the Alberta Chess Association, thank you for all you have done. Keep on organizing those great tournaments wherever you are. Chess lives on and we know that you are keeping the game alive somewhere. Salute.
Words by Ford Wong and Len Steele (as published in Chess Canada, August 2004).
Photo courtesy of Mary Ann Schleinich
© 2012 Calgary Chess Club
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2012 John Schleinich Memorial
January 20-22
Calgary Chess Club
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January 20-22
Calgary Chess Club
#274-3359 27 St. N.E.
John Scleinich - 1924-2004
