Icelandic Chess Championship

The Icelandic Chess Championship is usually held in Reykjavík. It is organised by the Icelandic Chess Federation (ICF), the body responsible for holding national chess events and for representing Icelandic chess at the World Chess Federation (FIDE). The ICF was founded in 1925 and its main activities include the national chess championship and the bi-annual 'Reykjavik Open' tournament.

The 1998 championship was held in Árborg from 27 October to 7 November. The twelve-player single round-robin tournament (average Elo rating 2335) was won by GM Hannes Stefánsson with 8.0/11 a half point ahead of GM Helgi Grétarsson.

The tournament has always been organized as a round robin with the exception of the 100th anniversary tournament in 2013, which was held as a Swiss-style open tournament.

National championship winners

The list of Icelandic champions before 2013 is taken from the Icelandic Chess Federation website.

Year	Winner
1913	Pétur Zóphóniasson
1914	Pétur Zóphóniasson
1915	Pétur Zóphóniasson
1916	Pétur Zóphóniasson
1917	Pétur Zóphóniasson
1918	Eggert Gilfer
1919	Stefán Olafsson
1920	Eggert Gilfer
1921	Stefán Olafsson
1922	Stefán Olafsson
1923	Friman Olafsson
1924	Sigurdur Jónsson
1925	Eggert Gilfer
1926	Sigurdur Jónsson
1927	Eggert Gilfer
1928	Einar Thorvaldsson
1929	Eggert Gilfer
1930	Hannes Hafstein
1931	Ásmundur Ásgeirsson
1932	Jón Gudmundsson
1933	Ásmundur Ásgeirsson
1934	Ásmundur Ásgeirsson
1935	Eggert Gilfer
1936	Jón Gudmundsson
1937	Jón Gudmundsson
1938	Baldur Möller
1939*	Baldur Möller
1940	Einar Thorvaldsson
1941	Baldur Möller
1942	Eggert Gilfer
1943	Baldur Möller
1944	Ásmundur Ásgeirsson
1945	Ásmundur Ásgeirsson
1946	Ásmundur Ásgeirsson
1947	Baldur Möller
1948	Baldur Möller
1949	Gudmundur Arnlaugsson
1950	Baldur Möller
1951	Lárus Johnsen
1952	Friðrik Ólafsson
1953	Friðrik Ólafsson
1954	Gudmundur S Gudmundsson
1955*	Gudmundur S Gudmundsson
1956	Ingi Randver Jóhannsson
1957	Friðrik Ólafsson
1958	Ingi Randver Jóhannsson
1959	Ingi Randver Jóhannsson
1960	Freysteinn Thorbergsson
1961	Friðrik Ólafsson
1962	Friðrik Ólafsson
1963	Ingi Randver Jóhannsson
1964	Helgi Ólafsson sr.
1965	Guðmundur Sigurjónsson
1966	Gunnar Kristinn Gunnarsson
1967	Björn Thorsteinsson
1968	Guðmundur Sigurjónsson
1969	Friðrik Ólafsson
1970	Olafur Magnússon
1971	Jón Kristinsson
1972	Guðmundur Sigurjónsson
1973	Olafur Magnússon
1974	Jón Kristinsson
1975	Björn Thorsteinsson
1976	Haukur Angantýsson
1977	Jón Arnason
1978	Helgi Ólafsson
1979	Ingvar Ásmundsson
1980	Jóhann Hjartarson
1981	Helgi Ólafsson
1982	Jón Arnason
1983	Hilmar Karlsson
1984	Jóhann Hjartarson
1985	Karl Thorsteins
1986	Margeir Pétursson
1987	Margeir Pétursson
1988	Jón Arnason
1989	Karl Thorsteins
1990	Hédinn Steingrimsson
1991	Helgi Ólafsson
1992	Helgi Ólafsson
1993	Helgi Ólafsson
1994	Jóhann Hjartarson
1995	Jóhann Hjartarson
1996	Helgi Ólafsson
1997	Jóhann Hjartarson
1998	Hannes Stefánsson
1999	Hannes Stefánsson
2000	Jón Viktor Gunnarsson
2001	Hannes Stefánsson
2002	Hannes Stefánsson
2003	Hannes Stefánsson
2004	Hannes Stefánsson
2005	Hannes Stefánsson
2006	Hannes Stefánsson
2007	Hannes Stefánsson
2008	Hannes Stefánsson
2009	Henrik Danielsen
2011	Hédinn Steingrimsson
2012	Bragi Thorfinnsson
2013	Hannes Stefánsson
2014	Guðmundur Kjartansson
2015	Hédinn Steingrimsson

Note - no contest was held on the years denoted *. The incumbent champion therefore retained his title.

Women's championship winners

The list of women's champions before 2013 is taken from the Icelandic Chess Federation website.

Year	Winner
1975	Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
1976	Birna Norðdahl
1977	Ólöf Þráinsdóttir
1978	Ólöf Þráinsdóttir
1979	Áslaug Kristinsdóttir
1980	Birna Norðdahl
1981	Sigurlaug Friðþjófsdóttir
1982	Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
1983	Áslaug Kristinsdóttir
1984	Ólöf Þráinsdóttir
1985	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1986	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1987	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1988	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1989	Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
1990	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1991	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1992	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1993	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1994	Áslaug Kristinsdóttir
1995	Ína Björg Árnadóttir
1996	Anna Björg Þorgrímsdóttir
1997	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
1998	Ingibjörg Edda Birgisdóttir
1999	Ingibjörg Edda Birgisdóttir
2000	Harpa Ingólfsdóttir
2001	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
2002	Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
2003	Guðfrídur Lilja Gretarsdóttir
2004	Harpa Ingólfsdóttir
2005	Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
2006	Lenka Ptáčníková
2007	Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
2008	Hallgerður Helga Þorsteinsdóttir
2009	Lenka Ptáčníková
2010	Lenka Ptáčníková
2011	Elsa María Kristínardóttir
2012	Lenka Ptáčníková
2013	Lenka Ptáčníková
2014	Lenka Ptáčníková
2015