Scottish Chess Championship
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Chess Championship is organised by Chess Scotland
, formerly the Scottish Chess Association. It has been running since 1884, and nowadays takes the form of a nine round tournament played over two weekends and the week in between. Auxiliary tournaments, such as grading-limited sections and a senior championship take place over the final seven days.
The championship can only be won by players who would be eligible to compete internationally for Scotland, but sometimes a titled player of another nationality is invited to compete in order to make title norms
more likely.
In 2008 the Championship was replaced by an international open, and the 2009 tournament being held in Edinburgh attracted nine Grandmasters. The 2010 event took place in Hamilton.
Recent notable winners include Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
in 2003 – the first woman player to win the Scottish Championship, and Jonathan Rowson
, who became the first Scottish player to clinch the Grandmaster title on home soil in 1999, and did the Scottish / British
double in 2004.
The current Tournament Arbiter is Alex McFarlane.
Chess Scotland
Chess Scotland is the governing body for chess in Scotland. It was formed in 2001 with the merger of the Scottish Chess Association and the Scottish Junior Chess Association.It is one of the oldest national chess associations in the world...
, formerly the Scottish Chess Association. It has been running since 1884, and nowadays takes the form of a nine round tournament played over two weekends and the week in between. Auxiliary tournaments, such as grading-limited sections and a senior championship take place over the final seven days.
The championship can only be won by players who would be eligible to compete internationally for Scotland, but sometimes a titled player of another nationality is invited to compete in order to make title norms
Grandmaster norm
A norm in chess is one of the requirements to receive a title such as Grandmaster from FIDE.- Grandmaster norm :In order to qualify for the title of Grandmaster of chess, a title awarded by FIDE, the World Chess Federation, a player must achieve three or more grandmaster norms in events covering a...
more likely.
In 2008 the Championship was replaced by an international open, and the 2009 tournament being held in Edinburgh attracted nine Grandmasters. The 2010 event took place in Hamilton.
Recent notable winners include Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
Ketevan Revazovna Arakhamia-Grant is a Georgian -born Scottish Grandmaster of chess.-Chess career:...
in 2003 – the first woman player to win the Scottish Championship, and Jonathan Rowson
Jonathan Rowson
Jonathan Rowson is Scotland's third chess Grandmaster, after Paul Motwani and Colin McNab, and has played first board at recent Chess Olympiads. He is also a chess author.-Career:...
, who became the first Scottish player to clinch the Grandmaster title on home soil in 1999, and did the Scottish / British
British Chess Championship
The British Chess Championship is organised by the English Chess Federation. There are separate championships for men and women. 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...
double in 2004.
The current Tournament Arbiter is Alex McFarlane.
Winners
- 1884 - J Crum
- 1885 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1886 - GE Barbier
- 1887 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1888 - George Henry MackenzieGeorge Henry MackenzieGeorge Henry Mackenzie was a Scottish–American chess master....
- 1889 - J Marshall
- 1890 - WN Walker
- 1891 - JD Chambers
- 1892 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1893 - WN Walker
- 1894 - WC Spens
- 1895 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1896 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1897 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1898 - GB Fraser
- 1899 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1900 - Daniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton MillsDaniel Yarnton Mills was a Scottish chess master.He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on eight occasions and was British Amateur Champion in 1890.He also represented Great Britain in all the cable matches between Great Britain and the United States...
- 1901 - RC Macdonald
- 1902 - E Macdonald
- 1903 - J Borthwick
- 1904 - RC Macdonald
- 1905 - RC Macdonald
- 1906 - RC Macdonald
- 1907 - W Gibson
- 1908 - AJ Mackenzie
- 1909 - AJ Mackenzie
- 1910 - GW Richmond
- 1911 - JA McKee
- 1912 - W Gibson
- 1913 - AJ Mackenzie
- 1914 - W Gibson
- 1915 - C Wardhaugh
- 1920 - P Wenman
- 1921 - W Gibson
- 1922 - W Gibson
- 1923 - W Gibson
- 1924 - C Heath
- 1925 - G Page
- 1926 - JA McKee
- 1927 - RC Macdonald
- 1928 - RC Macdonald
- 1929 - W Gibson
- 1930 - W Gibson
- 1931 - W Gibson
- 1932 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1933 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1934 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1935 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1936 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1937 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1938 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1939 - Max PaveyMax PaveyMax Pavey was an American chess master and medical doctor. Pavey was of at least International Master strength.- Biography :...
- 1946 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1947 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1948 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1949 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1950 - PB Anderson
- 1951 - AA Thomson
- 1952 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1953 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1954 - PB Anderson
- 1955 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1956 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1957 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1958 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1959 - P Coast
- 1960 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1961 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
- 1962 - William FairhurstWilliam FairhurstDr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
- 1963 - M Fallone
- 1964 - AM Davie
- 1965 - James Macrae AitkenJames Macrae AitkenJames Macrae Aitken was a Scottish chess player.In 1938 he received a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of 'The Trial of George Buchanan Before the Lisbon Inquisition'.He was Scottish champion in 1935, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1965, the latter jointly with PM...
, PM Jamieson - 1966 - AM Davie
- 1967 - G Bonner
- 1968 - David LevyDavid Levy (chess player)David Neil Laurence Levy , is a Scottish International Master of chess, a businessman noted for his involvement with computer chess and artificial intelligence, and the founder of the Computer Olympiads and the Mind Sports Olympiads. He has written more than 40 books on chess and computers.- Life...
- 1969 - AM Davie
- 1970 - G Bonner
- 1971 - E Holt, RM McKay
- 1972 - G Bonner
- 1973 - PM Jamieson
- 1974 - RM McKay
- 1975 - DNL Levy, S Swanson
- 1976 - RM McKay
- 1977 - CW PritchettCraig PritchettCraig W Pritchett is a Scottish chess International Master who has written several chess books. He has represented Scotland nine times in Chess Olympiads from 1966–1990. He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on two occasions , and played in two Zonal tournaments...
- 1978 - PA MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year...
- 1979 - RM McKay
- 1980 - Danny KopecDanny KopecDr. Danny Kopec is an international chess master, author, and computer science professor at Brooklyn College. He graduated from Dartmouth College in the class of 1975...
- 1981 - G Morrison
- 1982 - RM McKay
- 1983 - CA McNabColin McNabColin A. McNab was Scotland's second chess Grandmaster, fulfilling the requirements for the title in 1992 just after Paul Motwani. After achieving his three norms, he strained to get his rating up to the required 2500 level, and is possibly unique among Grandmasters in only achieving a published...
- 1984 - CSM Thomson
- 1985 - ML Condie, RM McKay
- 1986 - Paul MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year...
- 1987 - Paul MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year...
- 1988 - RM McKay
- 1989 - ML Condie
- 1990 - SR Mannion
- 1991 - Colin McNabColin McNabColin A. McNab was Scotland's second chess Grandmaster, fulfilling the requirements for the title in 1992 just after Paul Motwani. After achieving his three norms, he strained to get his rating up to the required 2500 level, and is possibly unique among Grandmasters in only achieving a published...
- 1992 - Paul MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year...
- 1993 - Colin McNabColin McNabColin A. McNab was Scotland's second chess Grandmaster, fulfilling the requirements for the title in 1992 just after Paul Motwani. After achieving his three norms, he strained to get his rating up to the required 2500 level, and is possibly unique among Grandmasters in only achieving a published...
, Paul MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year... - 1994 - JF Parker
- 1995 - SR Mannion, Colin McNabColin McNabColin A. McNab was Scotland's second chess Grandmaster, fulfilling the requirements for the title in 1992 just after Paul Motwani. After achieving his three norms, he strained to get his rating up to the required 2500 level, and is possibly unique among Grandmasters in only achieving a published...
, JK Shaw - 1996 - DM Bryson
- 1997 - DM Bryson
- 1998 - JK Shaw
- 1999 - Jonathan RowsonJonathan RowsonJonathan Rowson is Scotland's third chess Grandmaster, after Paul Motwani and Colin McNab, and has played first board at recent Chess Olympiads. He is also a chess author.-Career:...
- 2000 - AJ Norris, JK Shaw
- 2001 - Jonathan RowsonJonathan RowsonJonathan Rowson is Scotland's third chess Grandmaster, after Paul Motwani and Colin McNab, and has played first board at recent Chess Olympiads. He is also a chess author.-Career:...
- 2002 - Paul MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year...
- 2003 - Paul MotwaniPaul MotwaniPaul Motwani is of Scottish/Indian descent and was Scotland's first chess Grandmaster . Born in Glasgow but growing up in Dundee , he became World Cadet Champion in 1978, and won the first of his seven Scottish Championship titles that year...
, Ketevan Arakhamia-GrantKetevan Arakhamia-GrantKetevan Revazovna Arakhamia-Grant is a Georgian -born Scottish Grandmaster of chess.-Chess career:... - 2004 - Jonathan RowsonJonathan RowsonJonathan Rowson is Scotland's third chess Grandmaster, after Paul Motwani and Colin McNab, and has played first board at recent Chess Olympiads. He is also a chess author.-Career:...
- 2005 - Craig PritchettCraig PritchettCraig W Pritchett is a Scottish chess International Master who has written several chess books. He has represented Scotland nine times in Chess Olympiads from 1966–1990. He has won the Scottish Chess Championships on two occasions , and played in two Zonal tournaments...
- 2006 - Jonathan Grant (chess player)
- 2007 - Andrew Muir
- 2008 - Alan Tate
- 2009 - Iain Gourlay (Scottish Champion 6.5), GM S. Arun Prasad (Open Winner 7.5)
- 2010 - Andrew Greet
- 2011 - Ketevan Arakhamia-GrantKetevan Arakhamia-GrantKetevan Revazovna Arakhamia-Grant is a Georgian -born Scottish Grandmaster of chess.-Chess career:...