British Chess Championship

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.

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)
These were the first large tournaments organised by the British Chess Association, international players were allowed to participate.


 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! Year !! City !! Winner
 * 1857 || Manchester || Johann Löwenthal / 🇭🇺
 * 1858 || Birmingham || Johann Löwenthal / 🇭🇺
 * 1860 || Cambridge || Ignaz von Kolisch / 🇭🇺
 * 1861 || Bristol || 🇩🇪 Louis Paulsen (DEU) / [[Image:Flagge Fürstentum Lippe.svg|23px|Flag of Lippe]] Lippe
 * }
 * 1860 || Cambridge || Ignaz von Kolisch / 🇭🇺
 * 1861 || Bristol || 🇩🇪 Louis Paulsen (DEU) / [[Image:Flagge Fürstentum Lippe.svg|23px|Flag of Lippe]] Lippe
 * }
 * }

London international tournaments (1862–1883)
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. In August 1872, Wilhelm Steinitz won the second British Chess Federation international tourney, held in London. Second place went to Joseph Henry Blackburne. The great London 1883 chess tournament was won convincingly by Johannes Zukertort (22 points ouf of 26) ahead of Steinitz (19/26).
 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! # !!Year !!City !! Winner
 * 1* || 1862 || London || 🇩🇪 Adolf Anderssen (DEU) / Prussia
 * 2* || 1872 || London || Wilhelm Steinitz /
 * 3* || 1883 || London || Johannes Zukertort / 🇵🇱
 * }
 * 3* || 1883 || London || Johannes Zukertort / 🇵🇱
 * }
 * }

BCA Congress (1885–1899)
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.
 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! # !!Year !!City !! Winner
 * 1 || 1885 || London || 🇬🇧 Isidor Gunsberg (GBR) / 🇭🇺
 * 2 || 1886 || London || 🇬🇧 Joseph Henry Blackburne (GBR) / 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
 * 3 || 1887 || London || 🇬🇧 Amos Burn (GBR) / 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
 * 2 || 1886 || London || 🇬🇧 Joseph Henry Blackburne (GBR) / 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
 * 3 || 1887 || London || 🇬🇧 Amos Burn (GBR) / 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
 * 3 || 1887 || London || 🇬🇧 Amos Burn (GBR) / 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

🇬🇧 Isidor Gunsberg (GBR) / 🇭🇺
 * 4 || 1888 || Bradford || 🇬🇧 Isidor Gunsberg (GBR) / 🇭🇺
 * 5 || 1889 || London || 🇬🇧 Henry Bird (GBR) / 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
 * 6 || 1890 || Manchester || Siegbert Tarrasch / Prussia
 * 7 || 1892 || London || Emanuel Lasker / Prussia
 * 8 || 1895 || Hastings || 🇺🇸 Harry Nelson Pillsbury (US)
 * 9 || 1899 || London || Emanuel Lasker / Prussia
 * }
 * 7 || 1892 || London || Emanuel Lasker / Prussia
 * 8 || 1895 || Hastings || 🇺🇸 Harry Nelson Pillsbury (US)
 * 9 || 1899 || London || Emanuel Lasker / Prussia
 * }
 * 9 || 1899 || London || Emanuel Lasker / Prussia
 * }

BCA Challenge Cup (1866–1872)
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.


 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! Year !! City !! Winner
 * 1866
 * London
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Cecil De Vere (SCT)
 * 1869
 * London
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Joseph Henry Blackburne (ENG)
 * 1870
 * London
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 John Wisker (ENG)
 * 1872
 * London
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 John Wisker (ENG)
 * }
 * 1872
 * London
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 John Wisker (ENG)
 * }

British Amateur Championship (1886–1902)
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.


 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! Year !! City !! Winner
 * 1886
 * London
 * Walter Montague Gattie
 * 1887
 * London
 * Charles Dealtry Locock
 * 1888
 * Bradford
 * Anthony Alfred Geoffrey Guest
 * 1889
 * London
 * George Edward Wainwright
 * 1890
 * Manchester
 * Daniel Yarnton Mills
 * 1892
 * London
 * E. Jones-Bateman
 * 1895
 * Hastings
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * 1897
 * Southampton
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * 1900
 * Bath
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * 1902
 * Norwich
 * Reginald Pryce Michell
 * }
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * 1900
 * Bath
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * 1902
 * Norwich
 * Reginald Pryce Michell
 * }
 * Reginald Pryce Michell
 * }

British Championship (1904–present)
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, Alexander Alekhine won the 16th BCC Major Open at Portsmouth/Southsea 1923,   Aron Nimzowitsch and Savielly Tartakower won at London 1927, and Edgard Colle won at Scarborough 1930. 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.
 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! Year !! City !! Men's Champion !! Women's Champion Nottingham (W) Akshaya Kalaiyalahan
 * 1904
 * Hastings
 * William Ewart Napier
 * Kate Belinda Finn
 * 1905
 * Southport
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Kate Belinda Finn
 * 1906
 * Shrewsbury
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Frances Dunn Herring (née Gwilliam)
 * 1907
 * London
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Frances Dunn Herring (née Gwilliam)
 * 1908
 * Tunbridge Wells
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Grace Curling (née Ellis)
 * 1909
 * Scarborough
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Gertrude Alison Anderson
 * 1910
 * Oxford
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Mary Mills Houlding
 * 1911
 * Glasgow
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Mary Mills Houlding
 * 1912
 * Richmond
 * Richard Griffith
 * Gertrude Alison Anderson
 * 1913
 * Cheltenham
 * Frederick Yates
 * Amabel Nevill Moseley (née Jeffreys)
 * 1914
 * Chester
 * Frederick Yates
 * Mary Mills Houlding
 * 1915–1918
 * no contest
 * no contest
 * 1919
 * Hastings
 * no contest
 * Edith Holloway
 * 1920
 * Edinburgh
 * Roland Scott
 * Agnes Stevenson (née Lawson)
 * 1921
 * Malvern
 * Frederick Yates
 * Gertrude Alison Anderson
 * 1922
 * London
 * no contest
 * Edith Charlotte Price
 * 1923
 * Southsea
 * George Alan Thomas
 * Edith Charlotte Price
 * 1924
 * Southport
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Edith Charlotte Price
 * 1925
 * Stratford-upon-Avon
 * Henry Ernest Atkins
 * Agnes Stevenson (née Lawson)
 * 1926
 * Edinburgh
 * Frederick Yates
 * Agnes Stevenson (née Lawson)
 * 1927
 * no contest
 * no contest
 * 1928
 * Tenby
 * Frederick Yates
 * Edith Charlotte Price
 * 1929
 * Ramsgate
 * Mir Sultan Khan
 * Mary Dinorah Gilchrist
 * 1930
 * Scarborough
 * no contest
 * Agnes Stevenson (née Lawson)
 * 1931
 * Worcester
 * Frederick Yates
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell) Amy Eleanor Wheelwright
 * 1932
 * London
 * Mir Sultan Khan
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell)
 * 1933
 * Hastings
 * Mir Sultan Khan
 * Miss Fatima
 * 1934
 * Chester
 * George Alan Thomas
 * Mary Dinorah Gilchrist
 * 1935
 * Great Yarmouth
 * William Winter
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell)
 * 1936
 * Bournemouth (M)
 * 1930
 * Scarborough
 * no contest
 * Agnes Stevenson (née Lawson)
 * 1931
 * Worcester
 * Frederick Yates
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell) Amy Eleanor Wheelwright
 * 1932
 * London
 * Mir Sultan Khan
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell)
 * 1933
 * Hastings
 * Mir Sultan Khan
 * Miss Fatima
 * 1934
 * Chester
 * George Alan Thomas
 * Mary Dinorah Gilchrist
 * 1935
 * Great Yarmouth
 * William Winter
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell)
 * 1936
 * Bournemouth (M)
 * Great Yarmouth
 * William Winter
 * Edith Michell (née Tapsell)
 * 1936
 * Bournemouth (M)
 * Bournemouth (M)
 * William Winter
 * Edith Holloway
 * 1937
 * Blackpool
 * William Fairhurst
 * Rowena Mary Dew
 * 1938
 * Brighton
 * C. H. O'D. Alexander
 * Minnie Musgrave
 * 1939
 * Bournemouth
 * no contested Championship
 * Elaine Saunders
 * 1940–1945
 * no contest
 * no contest
 * 1946
 * Nottingham
 * Robert Forbes Combe
 * Elaine Saunders
 * 1947
 * Harrogate
 * Harry Golombek
 * Eileen Betsy Tranmer
 * 1948
 * London
 * Reginald Broadbent
 * Edith Charlotte Price
 * 1949
 * Felixstowe
 * Harry Golombek
 * Eileen Betsy Tranmer
 * 1950
 * Buxton
 * Reginald Broadbent
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1951
 * Swansea
 * Ernest Klein
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1952
 * Chester
 * Robert Wade
 * no contest
 * 1953
 * Hastings
 * Abraham Yanofsky
 * Eileen Betsy Tranmer
 * 1954
 * Nottingham
 * Leonard Barden Alan Phillips
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1955
 * Aberystwyth
 * Harry Golombek
 * Joan Doulton Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1956
 * Blackpool
 * C. H. O'D. Alexander
 * Elaine Pritchard (née Saunders)
 * 1957
 * Plymouth
 * Stefan Fazekas
 * Anne Sunnucks
 * 1958
 * Leamington
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Anne Sunnucks
 * 1959
 * York
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1960
 * Leicester
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1961
 * Aberystwyth
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Eileen Betsy Tranmer
 * 1962
 * Whitby
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1963
 * Bath
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)
 * 1964
 * Whitby
 * Michael Haygarth
 * Anne Sunnucks
 * 1965
 * Hastings
 * Peter Lee
 * Elaine Pritchard (née Saunders)
 * 1966
 * Sunderland
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Margaret Eileen Clarke Gillian Moore
 * 1967
 * Oxford
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew) Dinah Margaret Dobson
 * 1968
 * Bristol
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Dinah Margaret Dobson (later Mrs Norman)
 * 1969
 * Rhyl
 * Jonathan Penrose
 * Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew) Dinah Margaret Dobson
 * 1970
 * Coventry
 * Robert Wade
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1971
 * Blackpool
 * Raymond Keene
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1972
 * Brighton
 * Brian Eley
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1973
 * Eastbourne
 * William Hartston
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1974
 * Clacton
 * George Botterill
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1975
 * Morecambe
 * William Hartston
 * Sheila Jackson
 * 1976
 * Portsmouth
 * Jonathan Mestel
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1977
 * Brighton
 * George Botterill
 * Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
 * 1978
 * Ayr
 * Jonathan Speelman
 * Sheila Jackson
 * 1979
 * Chester
 * Robert Bellin
 * Jana Miles (née Malypetrova)
 * 1980
 * Brighton
 * John Nunn
 * Sheila Jackson
 * 1981
 * Morecambe
 * Paul Littlewood
 * Sheila Jackson
 * 1982
 * Torquay
 * Tony Miles
 * Jane Garwell, Mrs Richmond
 * 1983
 * Southport
 * Jonathan Mestel
 * Rani Hamid Helen Milligan (née Scott)
 * 1984
 * Brighton
 * Nigel Short
 * Bhagyashree Sathe (now Thipsay) Vasanti Unni (née Khadilkar)
 * 1985
 * Edinburgh
 * Jonathan Speelman
 * Rani Hamid
 * 1986
 * Southampton
 * Jonathan Speelman
 * Susan Arkell (née Walker, now Lalic)
 * 1987
 * Swansea
 * Nigel Short
 * Cathy Forbes (now Warwick)
 * 1988
 * Blackpool
 * Jonathan Mestel
 * Cathy Forbes (now Warwick)
 * 1989
 * Plymouth
 * Michael Adams
 * Rani Hamid
 * 1990
 * Eastbourne
 * James Plaskett
 * Susan Arkell (née Walker, now Lalic)
 * 1991
 * Eastbourne
 * Julian Hodgson
 * Susan Arkell (née Walker, now Lalic)
 * 1992
 * Plymouth
 * Julian Hodgson
 * Susan Arkell (née Walker, now Lalic)
 * 1993
 * Dundee
 * Michael Hennigan
 * Saheli Dhar
 * 1994
 * Norwich
 * William Watson
 * Cathy Forbes (now Warwick)
 * 1995
 * Swansea
 * Matthew Sadler
 * Harriet Hunt
 * 1996
 * Nottingham
 * Chris Ward
 * Harriet Hunt
 * 1997
 * Hove
 * Michael Adams Matthew Sadler
 * Harriet Hunt
 * 1998
 * Torquay
 * Nigel Short
 * Susan Lalic (née Walker)
 * 1999
 * Scarborough
 * Julian Hodgson
 * Harriet Hunt
 * 2000
 * Street
 * Julian Hodgson
 * Humpy Koneru
 * 2001
 * Scarborough
 * Joe Gallagher
 * Melanie Buckley
 * 2002
 * Torquay
 * Ramachandran Ramesh
 * Humpy Koneru
 * 2003
 * Edinburgh
 * Abhijit Kunte
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2004
 * Scarborough
 * Jonathan Rowson
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2005
 * Isle of Man
 * Jonathan Rowson
 * no contest
 * 2006
 * Swansea
 * Jonathan Rowson
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2007
 * Great Yarmouth
 * Jacob Aagaard
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2008
 * Liverpool
 * Stuart Conquest
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2009
 * Torquay
 * David Howell
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2010
 * Canterbury
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2011
 * Sheffield
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2012
 * North Shields
 * Gawain Jones
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2013
 * Torquay
 * David Howell
 * Sarah Hegarty (now Longson)
 * Scarborough
 * Julian Hodgson
 * Harriet Hunt
 * 2000
 * Street
 * Julian Hodgson
 * Humpy Koneru
 * 2001
 * Scarborough
 * Joe Gallagher
 * Melanie Buckley
 * 2002
 * Torquay
 * Ramachandran Ramesh
 * Humpy Koneru
 * 2003
 * Edinburgh
 * Abhijit Kunte
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2004
 * Scarborough
 * Jonathan Rowson
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2005
 * Isle of Man
 * Jonathan Rowson
 * no contest
 * 2006
 * Swansea
 * Jonathan Rowson
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2007
 * Great Yarmouth
 * Jacob Aagaard
 * Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant
 * 2008
 * Liverpool
 * Stuart Conquest
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2009
 * Torquay
 * David Howell
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2010
 * Canterbury
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2011
 * Sheffield
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2012
 * North Shields
 * Gawain Jones
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2013
 * Torquay
 * David Howell
 * Sarah Hegarty (now Longson)
 * 2011
 * Sheffield
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2012
 * North Shields
 * Gawain Jones
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2013
 * Torquay
 * David Howell
 * Sarah Hegarty (now Longson)
 * David Howell
 * Sarah Hegarty (now Longson)
 * 2014
 * Aberystwyth
 * David Howell Jonathan Hawkins
 * Amy Hoare
 * 2015
 * Coventry
 * Jonathan Hawkins
 * Akshaya Kalaiyalahan
 * 2016
 * Bournemouth
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2017
 * Llandudno
 * Gawain Jones
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2018
 * Hull
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2019
 * Torquay
 * Michael Adams
 * Jovanka Houska
 * 2021
 * Hull
 * Nicholas Pert
 * Harriet Hunt
 * 2022
 * Torquay
 * Harry Grieve
 * Lan Yao
 * 2023
 * Leicester
 * Michael Adams
 * Lan Yao
 * 2024
 * Hull
 * }
 * Lan Yao
 * 2023
 * Leicester
 * Michael Adams
 * Lan Yao
 * 2024
 * Hull
 * }
 * Hull
 * }
 * }
 * }