# 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

| YearVenueMen's champion 1889ZürichMax Pestalozzi Artur Popławski 1890WinterthurMax Pestalozzi Artur Popławski 1892BaselOswald Corrodi Paul Fahrni 1893BernAlex Popoff 1895ZürichUlrich Bachmann 1896LuzernUlrich Bachmann Alfred Stooss 1897AarauHermann Sack 1898BaselUlrich Bachmann 1899LausanneMoriz Henneberger 1900BernAndreas Duhm 1901St. GallenMax Pestalozzi Eugen Meyer Andreas Duhm Hans Duhm 1902BielEugen Meyer 1903ZürichErnst Müller 1904LuzernWalter Henneberger 1905NeuenburgAlfred Hänni 1906BaselMoriz Henneberger Walter Henneberger 1907SchaffhausenDietrich Duhm Paul Johner Karl Kunz 1908BernHans Johner Paul Johner 1909ZürichMoriz Henneberger 1910GenevaOskar Naegeli 1911DavosMoriz Henneberger Walter Henneberger Kurt Krantz Erwin Voellmy 1912LausanneWalter Henneberger 1913BaselAndreas Duhm 1914MontreuxDietrich Duhm Moriz Henneberger 1920St. GallenErwin Voellmy 1922NeuenburgErwin Voellmy 1923BernHans Johner 1924InterlakenOtto Zimmermann 1925ZürichPaul Johner 1926GenevaWalter Michel 1927BielAdolf Staehelin 1928BaselHans Johner Paul Johner 1929SchaffhausenHans Johner 1930LausannePaul Johner 1931WinterthurHans Johner 1932BernHans Johner Paul Johner | YearVenueMen's champion 1934ZürichHans Johner 1935AarauHans Johner 1936LuzernOskar Naegeli 1937InterlakenHans Johner 1938BaselHans Johner 1939MontreuxHenri Grob 1941Aarau, Basel Bern, ZürichFritz Gygli 1942LausanneJules Ehrat 1943St. GallenMartin Christoffel 1944VeveyPaulin Lob 1945LuganoMartin Christoffel 1946WinterthurErnst Strehle 1947NeuenburgHans Johner 1948BernMartin Christoffel 1949SchaffhausenSerge Tordion 1950LuzernHans Johner 1951GenevaHenri Grob 1952ZürichMartin Christoffel 1953SolothurnMax Blau 1954BaselJosef Kupper 1955RapperswilMax Blau 1956ThunMax Blau 1957LausanneJosef Kupper 1958LuganoDieter Keller 1959BielPaulin Lob 1960BalgachDieter Keller 1961InterlakenDieter Keller 1962St. GallenJosef Kupper 1963BaselDieter Keller 1964MontreuxMarcel Markus 1965BernMarcel Markus 1966LuganoEdwin Bhend 1967BielMax Blau 1968Not held 1969LuzernAndré Lombard 1970RiehenAndré Lombard 1971WinterthurHeinz Schaufelberger 1972LocarnoHeinz Schaufelberger 1973WeggisAndré Lombard 1974WettingenAndré Lombard 1975ZürichWerner Hug 1976AsconaHansjürg Kaenel 1977MuttenzAndré Lombard 1978St. MoritzHansjürg Kaenel 1979BielHeinz Wirthensohn 1980AsconaHansjürg Kaenel 1981BielHeinz Wirthensohn 1982SilvaplanaViktor Korchnoi 1983BadenAndreas Huss 1984ArosaViktor Korchnoi | YearVenueMen's champion 1985SilvaplanaViktor Korchnoi 1986BaselMarkus Klauser 1987LenkRichard Gerber 1988SilvaplanaRoland Ekström 1989BielBeat Züger 1990ArosaIvan Nemet 1991ChiassoJean-Luc Costa 1992LeukerbadHeinz Wirthensohn 1993SilvaplanaJean-Luc Costa 1994LuzernLucas Brunner 1995Villars, OllonYannick Pelletier 1996ArosaViktor Gavrikov 1997SilvaplanaJoe Gallagher 1998EngelbergJoe Gallagher 1999GrächenRoland Ekström 2000PontresinaYannick Pelletier 2001ScuolRoland Ekström 2002LeukerbadYannick Pelletier 2003SilvaplanaFlorian Jenni 2004SamnaunJoe Gallagher 2005Saas AlmagellJoe Gallagher 2006LenzerheideFlorian Jenni 2007LeukerbadJoe Gallagher 2008SamnaunRoland Ekström 2009GrächenViktor Korchnoi 2010LenzerheideYannick Pelletier 2011LeukerbadViktor Korchnoi 2012FlimsJoe Gallagher 2013GrächenAlexandra Kosteniuk 2014BernYannick Pelletier 2015LeukerbadVadim Milov 2016FlimsNoel Studer 2017GrächenYannick Pelletier 2018LenzerheideSebastian Bogner 2019LeukerbadNoel Studer 2020Not held 2021FlimsJoe Gallagher 2022SamnaunFabian Bänziger 2023LeukerbadFabian Bänziger |

## Women's Champions

| YearVenueWomen's champion 1946WinterthurMathilde Laeuger-Gasser 1948BernElisabeth Schild 1950LuzernElisabeth Schild 1951GenfLina Wiget 1953SolothurnAnna Näpfer 1954BaselElisabeth Schild 1955RapperswilAnna Näpfer 1956ThunAnna Näpfer 1957LausanneMadeleine Batchinsky-Gaille 1958LuganoAnna Näpfer 1959BielAnna Näpfer 1960BalgachAnna Näpfer 1961InterlakenMadeleine Batchinsky-Gaille 1963BaselMathilde Laeuger 1964MontreuxMonique Petit 1965BernMaria Fässler Cécile Huser K. Fischler 1966LuganoMathilde Laeuger 1967BielAnna Näpfer 1968Not held 1969LuzernMyrta Ludwig 1970RiehenAnna Näpfer 1971WinterthurElsa Lüssy 1972LocarnoCarla Wettstein 1973WeggisElsa Lüssy 1974WettingenTrudy André 1975ZürichCarla Wettstein 1976AsconaAnna Näpfer 1977MuttenzMyrta Ludwig 1978St. MoritzMyrta Ludwig 1979BielMonique Ruck-Petit 1980AsconaTheres Leu 1981BielVanda Veprek-Bilinski 1982SilvaplanaClaude Baumann 1983BadenErika Vogel 1984ArosaTatiana Lematschko 1985SilvaplanaAnne Knecht 1986BaselTatiana Lematschko 1987LenkClaude Baumann 1988SilvaplanaClaude Baumann 1989BielEvi Reimer | YearVenueWomen's champion 1990ArosaSilvia Schladetzky 1991ChiassoClaude Baumann 1992LeukerbadEvi Grünenwald-Reimer 1993SilvaplanaBarbara Hund 1994LuzernShahanah Schmid 1995Villars, OllonTatiana Lematschko 1996ArosaEvi Grünenwald-Reimer 1997SilvaplanaTatiana Lematschko 1998EngelbergCatherine Thürig 1999GrächenShahanah Schmid 2000PontresinaEvi Grünenwald-Reimer 2001ScuolMonika Seps 2002LeukerbadMonika Seps 2003SilvaplanaTatiana Lematschko 2004SamnaunTatiana Lematschko 2005Saas AlmagellMonika Seps 2006LenzerheideTatiana Lematschko 2007LeukerbadMonika Seps 2008SamnaunTatjana Lematschko 2009GrächenTatjana Lematschko 2010LenzerheideTatjana Lematschko 2011LeukerbadAlexandra Kosteniuk 2012FlimsMonika Seps 2013GrächenAlexandra Kosteniuk 2014BernGundula Heinatz 2015LeukerbadAlexandra Kosteniuk 2016FlimsLaura Stoeri 2017GrächenLena Georgescu 2018LenzerheideGundula Heinatz 2019LeukerbadElena Sedina 2020Not held 2021FlimsLena Georgescu 2022SamnaunLena Georgescu 2023LeukerbadSofiia Hryzlova |
* ↑ "SEM_2019 - SSB". www.swisschess.ch. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
* ↑ "SEM_2018 - SSB". www.swisschess.ch. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
* ↑ schachbund.ch Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
* ↑ schachbund.ch Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine