Swiss Chess Championship

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).

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.

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

Year Venue Men's champion 1889 Zürich Max Pestalozzi Artur Popławski 1890 Winterthur Max Pestalozzi Artur Popławski 1892 Basel Oswald 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

Year Venue Men'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 1968 Not 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

Year Venue Men'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 2009 Grächen Viktor Korchnoi 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 2020 Not held 2021 Flims Joe Gallagher 2022 Samnaun Fabian Bänziger 2023 Leukerbad Fabian Bänziger

Women's Champions

Year Venue Women'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 1968 Not 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

Year Venue Women'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 2020 Not held 2021 Flims Lena Georgescu 2022 Samnaun Lena Georgescu 2023 Leukerbad Sofiia Hryzlova

References

• Sunnucks, Anne (1970). The Encyclopaedia of Chess. Hale. ISBN 0-7091-1030-8.
• Whyld, Kenneth (1986). Guinness Chess, The Records. Guinness Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-455-0.
• SSB list of men's champions
• SSB list of women's champions