The British Chess Championships are organised by the English Chess Federation. The main tournament incorporates the British Championship, the English Chess Championships and the British Women's Chess Championship so it is possible, although it has never happened, for one player to win all three titles in the same competition. The English Women's Chess Championship was also incorporated into this event but did not take place in 2015 and was held as a separate competition in 2016. Since 1923 there have been sections for juniors, and since 1982 there has been an over-sixty championship. The championship venue usually changes every year and has been held in different locations in England, Scotland, Wales and once on the Isle of Man.<ref>British Chess Championship Venues at chess.about.com Template:Webarchive</ref>
The championship was originally open to citizens of any Commonwealth country and has previously been won by Mir Sultan Khan (India) and Abe Yanofsky (Canada). After the Indian R. B. Ramesh finished first in 2002 and several other Indians took top prizes at the same event, many top Britons declined to compete in the 2003 championship. Following the victory of Indian Abhijit Kunte in 2003 and criticism that the British Championship was not serving the interests of British players, it was announced that starting in 2004 only British and Irish players would be eligible to take part. Players excluded by these rules are however welcome to participate in the Commonwealth Chess Championship.
BCA Congress (1857–1861)Edit
These were the first large tournaments organised by the British Chess Association, international players were allowed to participate.<ref name="geocities.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Year City Winner 1857 Manchester Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag }} 1858 Birmingham Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag }} 1860 Cambridge Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag }} 1861 Bristol Template:Flagathlete / Flag of Lippe Lippe
London international tournaments (1862–1883)Edit
In July 1862, Adolf Anderssen won the first international tournament organized by the British Chess Association (BCF Congress), held in London. Second place went to Louis Paulsen, followed by John Owen. This was the first round-robin tournament.<ref name="geocities.com" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In August 1872, Wilhelm Steinitz won the second British Chess Federation international tourney, held in London. Second place went to Joseph Henry Blackburne.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The great London 1883 chess tournament was won convincingly by Johannes Zukertort (22 points ouf of 26) ahead of Steinitz (19/26).
# Year City Winner 1* 1862 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:Flagicon Prussia 2* 1872 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:BOH 3* 1883 London Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag Poland}}
BCA Congress (1885–1899)Edit
In 1884, a new British Chess Association was inaugurated. In July 1885, Isidor Gunsberg won the first British Chess Association championship in London. In August 1886, Blackburne and Amos Burn tied for first in the second British Chess Association championship, held in London. Blackburne won the play-off. In December 1887, Burn and Gunsberg tied for first in the third British Chess Association Congress in London.<ref name="geocities.com" />
# Year City Winner 1 1885 London Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag }} 2 1886 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:ENG 3 1887 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:ENG
Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag||Hungary|}}
4 1888 Bradford Template:Flagathlete / {{#invoke:flag }} 5 1889 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:ENG 6 1890 Manchester Template:Flagathlete / Template:Flagicon Prussia 7 1892 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:Flagicon Prussia 8 1895 Hastings Template:Flagathlete 9 1899 London Template:Flagathlete / Template:Flagicon Prussia
BCA Challenge Cup (1866–1872)Edit
The first British Championship was organized by the British Chess Association as an event at the 1866 London Congress. A rule awarded the B.C.A. Challenge Cup permanently to a player who won two consecutive titles. John Wisker accomplished this in 1872 by defeating Cecil De Vere in a play-off. The British Championship was then discontinued until 1904.
Year City Winner 1866 London Template:Flagathlete 1869 London Template:Flagathlete 1870 London Template:Flagathlete 1872 London Template:Flagathlete
British Amateur Championship (1886–1902)Edit
Ten amateur championships were held between 1886 and 1902, but they did not include the strongest players and were unrepresentative, especially in the earlier years.
Year City Winner 1886 London Template:Sort 1887 London Template:Sort 1888 Bradford Template:Sort 1889 London Template:Sort 1890 Manchester Template:Sort 1892 London Template:Sort 1895 Hastings Template:Sort 1897 Southampton Template:Sort 1900 Bath Template:Sort 1902 Norwich Template:Sort
British Championship (1904–present)Edit
The current championship series was begun by the British Chess Federation in 1904. The championship was not held in war years. It was also not held in 1919, 1922, 1927, and 1930 as major international events were then being held in England. José Raúl Capablanca won the BCF Victory Congress held in Hastings 1919 and the 1922 London International tournament,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Alexander Alekhine won the 16th BCC Major Open at Portsmouth/Southsea 1923,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Aron Nimzowitsch and Savielly Tartakower won at London 1927, and Edgard Colle won at Scarborough 1930.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1939 the championship was also not held as the British team was in Buenos Aires for the 8th Chess Olympiad. In that time, Max Euwe won an international tournament at Bournemouth 1939, played during the BCC. The women's championship was held in most of those years.
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- BritBase - List of all British Chess Champions from 1904 to present
- British Champions 1904 – present. The English Chess Federation.