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.
For 2008, major changes are planned for the Championship, including two alternate formats effectively running in parallel. The changes are 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 will give rise to a two-year cycle, comprising an open tournament every odd year and a closed (Swiss nationals only) tournament every even 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 six-times Champion, has dual nationality and also won the British Championship in 2001, a unique achievement.
Men's Champions
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Year |
Venue |
Men's champion |
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 |
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 |
Lukas 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 |
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Women's Champions
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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 |
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 |
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Year |
Venue |
Women's champion |
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 |
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 |
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