Swiss Chess Championship

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The Swiss Chess Championship is held annually during two weeks of July. It is organised by the Swiss Chess Federation (the SSB), which has been a member of the overall governing body, Swiss Olympic, since 2000. The SSB is itself a relatively new organising body, created in 1995 as a fusion of two older organisations; these were the former Swiss Chess Federation (the SSV, founded 1889 for the inaugural Championship and prior to 1960, known as the Swiss Chess Association) and the Swiss Worker Chess Federation (the SASB, founded 1923).

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From its inception, the Championship format was a 10-player all-play-all, open to both nationals and overseas players. The title of Swiss Champion was however reserved for the highest placed Swiss national. Various changes have been implemented along the way, particularly in respect of the introduction of new Championship categories. The two world wars prevented the Championship from taking place on a small number of occasions, but due to Switzerland's neutral status, the event was less badly affected than in many other countries. There was no competition held in 1968 due to the clash with the Chess Olympiad held in Lugano.

In 2008 the Championship underwent major changes, including running two alternate formats effectively in parallel. The changes were aimed at keeping the tournament accessible to home and overseas players, while expanding the range of opportunities for nationals, both in terms of the Championship itself and also for Elo rating and title seeking purposes. This radically different approach gave rise to a two-year cycle, comprising an open tournament every odd year and a closed (Swiss nationals only) tournament every even year.

Since 2018, the Championship is conducted as an annual, closed, 10-Player Single Round Robin Invitational featuring the best Swiss chess players. Since 2019, The Women's title is distributed in a 6-Player Double Round Robin Invitational. The title for Swiss Junior Champion is awarded to the best placed U20-player in the parallel Master Tournament. Whilst both closed title tournaments are reserved for Switzerland's chess elite, The Master Tournament still features many foreign players. Yet, only Swiss players are eligible for the U20 title. Furthermore, the best placed Swiss player is awarded a spot in the title tournament of the following year. [1] [2]

Throughout the event's long history, several players have won multiple titles, but Hans Johner earns a special mention for his 12 titles, spanning an incredible forty-two years (1908–1950). Joe Gallagher, a seven-times Champion, has dual nationality and also won the British Championship in 2001, a unique achievement.

Open Champions

YearVenueMen's champion
1889 Zürich Max Pestalozzi
Artur Popławski
1890 Winterthur Max Pestalozzi
Artur Popławski
1892 Basel Oscar Corrodi
Paul Fahrni
1893 Bern Alex Popoff
1895 Zürich Ulrich Bachmann
1896 Luzern Ulrich Bachmann
Alfred Stooss
1897 Aarau Hermann Sack
1898 Basel Ulrich Bachmann
1899 Lausanne Moriz Henneberger
1900 Bern Andreas Duhm
1901 St. Gallen Max Pestalozzi
Eugen Meyer
Andreas Duhm
Hans Duhm
1902 Biel Eugen Meyer
1903 Zürich Ernst Müller
1904 Luzern Walter Henneberger
1905 Neuenburg Alfred Hänni
1906 Basel Moriz Henneberger
Walter Henneberger
1907 Schaffhausen Dietrich Duhm
Paul Johner
Karl Kunz
1908 Bern Hans Johner
Paul Johner
1909 Zürich Moriz Henneberger
1910 Geneva Oskar Naegeli
1911 Davos Moriz Henneberger
Walter Henneberger
Kurt Krantz
Erwin Voellmy
1912 Lausanne Walter Henneberger
1913 Basel Andreas Duhm
1914 Montreux Dietrich Duhm
Moriz Henneberger
1920 St. Gallen Erwin Voellmy
1922 Neuenburg Erwin Voellmy
1923 Bern Hans Johner
1924 Interlaken Otto Zimmermann
1925 Zürich Paul Johner
1926 Geneva Walter Michel
1927 Biel Adolf Staehelin
1928 Basel Hans Johner
Paul Johner
1929 Schaffhausen Hans Johner
1930 Lausanne Paul Johner
1931 Winterthur Hans Johner
1932 Bern Hans Johner
Paul Johner
YearVenueMen's champion
1934 Zürich Hans Johner
1935 Aarau Hans Johner
1936 Luzern Oskar Naegeli
1937 Interlaken Hans Johner
1938 Basel Hans Johner
1939 Montreux Henri Grob
1941 Aarau, Basel
Bern, Zürich
Fritz Gygli
1942 Lausanne Jules Ehrat
1943 St. Gallen Martin Christoffel
1944 Vevey Paulin Lob
1945 Lugano Martin Christoffel
1946 Winterthur Ernst Strehle
1947 Neuenburg Hans Johner
1948 Bern Martin Christoffel
1949 Schaffhausen Serge Tordion
1950 Luzern Hans Johner
1951 Geneva Henri Grob
1952 Zürich Martin Christoffel
1953 Solothurn Max Blau
1954 Basel Josef Kupper
1955 Rapperswil Max Blau
1956 Thun Max Blau
1957 Lausanne Josef Kupper
1958 Lugano Dieter Keller
1959 Biel Paulin Lob
1960 Balgach Dieter Keller
1961 Interlaken Dieter Keller
1962 St. Gallen Josef Kupper
1963 Basel Dieter Keller
1964 Montreux Marcel Markus
1965 Bern Marcel Markus
1966 Lugano Edwin Bhend
1967 Biel Max Blau
1968Not held
1969 Luzern André Lombard
1970 Riehen André Lombard
1971 Winterthur Heinz Schaufelberger
1972 Locarno Heinz Schaufelberger
1973 Weggis André Lombard
1974 Wettingen André Lombard
1975 Zürich Werner Hug
1976 Ascona Hansjürg Kaenel
1977 Muttenz André Lombard
1978 St. Moritz Hansjürg Kaenel
1979 Biel Heinz Wirthensohn
1980 Ascona Hansjürg Kaenel
1981 Biel Heinz Wirthensohn
1982 Silvaplana Viktor Korchnoi
1983 Baden Andreas Huss
1984 Arosa Viktor Korchnoi
YearVenueMen's champion
1985 Silvaplana Viktor Korchnoi
1986 Basel Markus Klauser
1987 Lenk Richard Gerber
1988 Silvaplana Roland Ekström
1989 Biel Beat Züger
1990 Arosa Ivan Nemet
1991 Chiasso Jean Luc Costa
1992 Leukerbad Heinz Wirthensohn
1993 Silvaplana Jean Luc Costa
1994 Luzern Lucas Brunner
1995 Villars, Ollon Yannick Pelletier
1996 Arosa Viktor Gavrikov
1997 Silvaplana Joe Gallagher
1998 Engelberg Joe Gallagher
1999 Grächen Roland Ekström
2000 Pontresina Yannick Pelletier
2001 Scuol Roland Ekström
2002 Leukerbad Yannick Pelletier
2003 Silvaplana Florian Jenni
2004 Samnaun Joe Gallagher
2005 Saas Almagell Joe Gallagher
2006 Lenzerheide Florian Jenni
2007 Leukerbad Joe Gallagher
2008 Samnaun Roland Ekström [3]
2009 Grächen Viktor Korchnoi [4]
2010 Lenzerheide Yannick Pelletier
2011 Leukerbad Viktor Korchnoi
2012 Flims Joe Gallagher
2013 Grächen Alexandra Kosteniuk
2014 Bern Yannick Pelletier
2015 Leukerbad Vadim Milov
2016 Flims Noel Studer
2017 Grächen Yannick Pelletier
2018 Lenzerheide Sebastian Bogner
2019 Leukerbad Noel Studer
2020Not held
2021 Flims Joe Gallagher
2022 Samnaun Fabian Bänziger

Women's Champions

YearVenueWomen's champion
1946 Winterthur Mathilde Laeuger-Gasser
1948 Bern Elisabeth Schild
1950 Luzern Elisabeth Schild
1951 Genf Lina Wiget
1953 Solothurn Anna Näpfer
1954 Basel Elisabeth Schild
1955 Rapperswil Anna Näpfer
1956 Thun Anna Näpfer
1957 Lausanne Madeleine Batchinsky-Gaille
1958 Lugano Anna Näpfer
1959 Biel Anna Näpfer
1960 Balgach Anna Näpfer
1961 Interlaken Madeleine Batchinsky-Gaille
1963 Basel Mathilde Laeuger
1964 Montreux Monique Petit
1965 Bern Maria Fässler
Cécile Huser
K. Fischler
1966 Lugano Mathilde Laeuger
1967 Biel Anna Näpfer
1968Not held
1969 Luzern Myrta Ludwig
1970 Riehen Anna Näpfer
1971 Winterthur Elsa Lüssy
1972 Locarno Carla Wettstein
1973 Weggis Elsa Lüssy
1974 Wettingen Trudy André
1975 Zürich Carla Wettstein
1976 Ascona Anna Näpfer
1977 Muttenz Myrta Ludwig
1978 St. Moritz Myrta Ludwig
1979 Biel Monique Ruck-Petit
1980 Ascona Theres Leu
1981 Biel Vanda Veprek-Bilinski
1982 Silvaplana Claude Baumann
1983 Baden Erika Vogel
1984 Arosa Tatiana Lematschko
1985 Silvaplana Anne Knecht
1986 Basel Tatiana Lematschko
1987 Lenk Claude Baumann
1988 Silvaplana Claude Baumann
1989 Biel Evi Reimer
YearVenueWomen's champion
1990 Arosa Silvia Schladetzky
1991 Chiasso Claude Baumann
1992 Leukerbad Evi Grünenwald-Reimer
1993 Silvaplana Barbara Hund
1994 Luzern Shahanah Schmid
1995 Villars, Ollon Tatiana Lematschko
1996 Arosa Evi Grünenwald-Reimer
1997 Silvaplana Tatiana Lematschko
1998 Engelberg Catherine Thürig
1999 Grächen Shahanah Schmid
2000 Pontresina Evi Grünenwald-Reimer
2001 Scuol Monika Seps
2002 Leukerbad Monika Seps
2003 Silvaplana Tatiana Lematschko
2004 Samnaun Tatiana Lematschko
2005 Saas Almagell Monika Seps
2006 Lenzerheide Tatiana Lematschko
2007 Leukerbad Monika Seps
2008 Samnaun Tatjana Lematschko
2009 Grächen Tatjana Lematschko
2010 Lenzerheide Tatjana Lematschko
2011 Leukerbad Alexandra Kosteniuk
2012 Flims Monika Seps
2013 Grächen Alexandra Kosteniuk
2014 Bern Gundula Heinatz
2015 Leukerbad Alexandra Kosteniuk
2016 Flims Laura Stoeri
2017 Grächen Lena Georgescu
2018 Lenzerheide Gundula Heinatz
2019 Leukerbad Elena Sedina
2020Not held
2021 Flims Lena Georgescu
2022 Samnaun Lena Georgescu
  1. "SEM_2019 - SSB". www.swisschess.ch. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  2. "SEM_2018 - SSB". www.swisschess.ch. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  3. schachbund.ch Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
  4. schachbund.ch Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine

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