Canadian Chess - Sponsor Us - History of the Canadian Chess Championship

Written and copyright 2011 by David Cohen.
Main web site & contact: Canadian Chess.

History of the Canadian Chess Championship

The Canadian Chess Championship was first held in conjunction with the founding of its sanctioning body, the Chess Federation of Canada, way back in 1872. At first, it was more of an open event, attracting the leading players from across Canada. Later, as the numbers who wanted to enter grew, it was restricted to a Closed all-play-all (round-robin) format. Players had to be invited through their playing strength (national ranking) or else qualify from regional competitions. Recently, a more open format has returned. A combination of minimum playing strength and regional qualifications is still used to attract chess masters from across Canada. However, the Swiss format of pairing players (players doing well play each other next, no knockouts for those who lose) permits a larger attendance.

The Closed is traditionally held whenever the World Chess Championship qualification cycle is in progress. Canada is entitled to send one player directly to the Knockout stage. Other representatives may enter the Pan-American Chess Championship to attempt to qualify for additional places. Seven different provinces have hosted the Championship over the years, with Ontario being the most popular location.

Some notable accomplishments:

A rare feat in the chess world was accomplished not once, but twice, by D. Abraham Yanofsky, when he won the Canadian Closed Chess Championship with a perfect score of 11/11 in 1943 and again in 1959!
Two players won or tied for first in the Canadian Chess Championship a record eight times: D. Abraham Yanofsky and Maurice Fox.
The longest time from first to last appearance in the Canadian Chess Championship: D. Abraham Yanofsky, 49 years (1937-86); and James Narraway, 43 years (1888-1931).
The longest time between appearances in the Canadian Chess Championship: John MacPhail, 32 years (1972-2004).
The longest time between winning or finishing first in a Canadian Chess Championship: Jean Hébert, 29 years (1978-2007).
The longest time between the first and last win of a Canadian Chess Championship: Jean Hébert, 31 years (1978-2009).
The most consecutive decades appearing in a Canadian Chess Championship: D. Abraham Yanofsky, 6 (1930s-1980s); Lawrence Day, 5 (1960s-2000s). Three players could have played in the Canadian Chess Championship in the 2000's, after having played in it in the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and 1990's: Denis Allan, Leon Piasetski, Zvonko Vranesic; they missed the 2000's, but could still compete in the 2010's.
Five players won (or tied for first place in) the Canadian Closed and Open Chess Championships in the same year: Igor Ivanov, 1981 and 1985; Ron Livshits, 1995; Bryon Nickoloff, 1995; Kevin Spraggett, 1996; and Pascal Charbonneau, 2002.
The largest number of players in a Canadian Chess Championship: 69, in 2004 at Toronto.

Canadian Chess Championship

No. Year Location Winner

1 1872 Hamilton, ON Tournament not completed

2 1873 Toronto, ON Albert Ensor

3 1874 Montreal, QC William Hicks

4 1875 Ottawa, ON George Jackson

5 1876 Hamilton, ON Edward Sanderson

6 1877 Quebec City, QC Henry Howe

7 1878 Montreal, QC Jacob Ascher

8 1879 Ottawa, ON Edwin Pope

9 1881 Ottawa, ON Joseph Shaw

10 1882 Quebec City, QC Edward Sanderson

11 1883 Montreal, QC Jacob Ascher, Henry Howe

12 1884 Ottawa, ON François-Xavier Lambert

13 1886 Quebec City, QC Nicholas MacLeod

14 1887 Montreal, QC George Barry *, Nicholas MacLeod

15 1888 Quebec City, QC Nicholas MacLeod *, James Narraway, Edwin Pope

16 1889 Montreal, QC Richard Fleming *, James Narraway

17 1890 Quebec City, QC Robert Short

18 1891 Montreal, QC A. Thomas Davison

19 1892 Toronto, ON William Boultbee

20 1893 Quebec City, QC James Narraway

21 1894 Montreal, QC A. Thomas Davison

22 1897 Orillia, ON James Narraway

23 1898 Toronto, ON James Narraway

24 1899 Montreal, QC Magnus Smith

25 1904 Winnipeg, MB Magnus Smith

26 1906 Montreal, QC Magnus Smith

27 1908 Toronto, ON Joseph Sawyer

28 1910 Montreal, QC John Morrison

29 1913 Winnipeg, MB Charles Blake, John Morrison *

30 1920 Toronto, ON Sydney Gale *, John Harvey

31 1922 Montreal, QC John Morrison

32 1924 Hamilton, ON John Morrison

33 1926 Montreal, QC John Morrison

34 1927 Toronto, ON Maurice Fox

35 1929 Montreal, QC Maurice Fox

36 1931 Hamilton, ON George Eastman, Maurice Fox *, John Morrison

37 1932 Haileybury, ON Maurice Fox

38 1933 Winnipeg, MB Robert Martin

39 1934 Toronto, ON John H. Belson

40 1935 Montreal, QC Maurice Fox

41 1936 Toronto, ON Boris Blumin

42 1937 Quebec City, QC Boris Blumin

43 1938 Toronto, ON Maurice Fox

44 1940 Montreal, QC Maurice Fox

45 1941 Winnipeg, MB D. Abraham Yanofsky

46 1943 Dalhousie, NB D. Abraham Yanofsky

47 1945 Saskatoon, SK D. Abraham Yanofsky, Frank Yerhoff

48 1946 Toronto, ON John H. Belson

49 1947 Quebec City, QC D. Abraham Yanofsky

50 1949 Arvida, QC Maurice Fox

51 1951 Vancouver, BC Povilas Vaitonis

52 1953 Winnipeg, MB Frank Anderson, D. Abraham Yanofsky

53 1955 Ottawa, ON Frank Anderson

54 1957 Vancouver, BC Povilas Vaitonis

55 1959 Montreal, QC D. Abraham Yanofsky

56 1961 Brockville, ON Lionel Joyner

57 1963 Winnipeg, MB D. Abraham Yanofsky

58 1965 Vancouver, BC D. Abraham Yanofsky

59 1969 Pointe Claire, QC Duncan Suttles *, Zvonko Vranesic

60 1972 Toronto, ON Peter Biyiasas

61 1975 Calgary, AB Peter Biyiasas

62 1978 Toronto, ON Jean Hébert

63 1981 Montreal, QC Igor Ivanov

64 1984 Ottawa, ON Kevin Spraggett

65 1985 Edmonton, AB Igor Ivanov, Raymond Stone *

66 1986 Winnipeg, MB Igor Ivanov, Kevin Spraggett

67 1987 Baie-Comeau, QC Igor Ivanov

68 1989 Windsor, ON Kevin Spraggett

69 1991 Scarborough, ON Lawrence Day

70 1992 Kingston, ON Alexandre Lesiège

71 1994 Hamilton, ON Kevin Spraggett

72 1995 Ottawa, ON François Léveillé, Ron Livshits, Bryon Nickoloff

73 1996 Toronto, ON Kevin Spraggett

74 1999 Brantford, ON Alexandre Lesiège

75 2001 Montreal, QC Alexandre Lesiège *, Kevin Spraggett

76 2002 Richmond, BC Pascal Charbonneau *, Kevin Spraggett

77 2004 Toronto, ON Pascal Charbonneau *, Eric Lawson

78 2006 Toronto, ON Igor Zugic

79 2007 Kitchener, ON Jean Hébert, Ron Livshits, Nikolay Noritsyn *, Artem Samsonkin

80 2009 Guelph, ON Jean Hébert

81 2011 Guelph, ON

* winner on tie-break

			Canadian Chess Championship
No.	Year	Location	Winner
1	1872	Hamilton, ON	Tournament not completed
2	1873	Toronto, ON	Albert Ensor
3	1874	Montreal, QC	William Hicks
4	1875	Ottawa, ON	George Jackson
5	1876	Hamilton, ON	Edward Sanderson
6	1877	Quebec City, QC	Henry Howe
7	1878	Montreal, QC	Jacob Ascher
8	1879	Ottawa, ON	Edwin Pope
9	1881	Ottawa, ON	Joseph Shaw
10	1882	Quebec City, QC	Edward Sanderson
11	1883	Montreal, QC	Jacob Ascher, Henry Howe
12	1884	Ottawa, ON	François-Xavier Lambert
13	1886	Quebec City, QC	Nicholas MacLeod
14	1887	Montreal, QC	George Barry *, Nicholas MacLeod
15	1888	Quebec City, QC	Nicholas MacLeod *, James Narraway, Edwin Pope
16	1889	Montreal, QC	Richard Fleming *, James Narraway
17	1890	Quebec City, QC	Robert Short
18	1891	Montreal, QC	A. Thomas Davison
19	1892	Toronto, ON	William Boultbee
20	1893	Quebec City, QC	James Narraway
21	1894	Montreal, QC	A. Thomas Davison
22	1897	Orillia, ON	James Narraway
23	1898	Toronto, ON	James Narraway
24	1899	Montreal, QC	Magnus Smith
25	1904	Winnipeg, MB	Magnus Smith
26	1906	Montreal, QC	Magnus Smith
27	1908	Toronto, ON	Joseph Sawyer
28	1910	Montreal, QC	John Morrison
29	1913	Winnipeg, MB	Charles Blake, John Morrison *
30	1920	Toronto, ON	Sydney Gale *, John Harvey
31	1922	Montreal, QC	John Morrison
32	1924	Hamilton, ON	John Morrison
33	1926	Montreal, QC	John Morrison
34	1927	Toronto, ON	Maurice Fox
35	1929	Montreal, QC	Maurice Fox
36	1931	Hamilton, ON	George Eastman, Maurice Fox *, John Morrison
37	1932	Haileybury, ON	Maurice Fox
38	1933	Winnipeg, MB	Robert Martin
39	1934	Toronto, ON	John H. Belson
40	1935	Montreal, QC	Maurice Fox
41	1936	Toronto, ON	Boris Blumin
42	1937	Quebec City, QC	Boris Blumin
43	1938	Toronto, ON	Maurice Fox
44	1940	Montreal, QC	Maurice Fox
45	1941	Winnipeg, MB	D. Abraham Yanofsky
46	1943	Dalhousie, NB	D. Abraham Yanofsky
47	1945	Saskatoon, SK	D. Abraham Yanofsky, Frank Yerhoff
48	1946	Toronto, ON	John H. Belson
49	1947	Quebec City, QC	D. Abraham Yanofsky
50	1949	Arvida, QC	Maurice Fox
51	1951	Vancouver, BC	Povilas Vaitonis
52	1953	Winnipeg, MB	Frank Anderson, D. Abraham Yanofsky
53	1955	Ottawa, ON	Frank Anderson
54	1957	Vancouver, BC	Povilas Vaitonis
55	1959	Montreal, QC	D. Abraham Yanofsky
56	1961	Brockville, ON	Lionel Joyner
57	1963	Winnipeg, MB	D. Abraham Yanofsky
58	1965	Vancouver, BC	D. Abraham Yanofsky
59	1969	Pointe Claire, QC	Duncan Suttles *, Zvonko Vranesic
60	1972	Toronto, ON	Peter Biyiasas
61	1975	Calgary, AB	Peter Biyiasas
62	1978	Toronto, ON	Jean Hébert
63	1981	Montreal, QC	Igor Ivanov
64	1984	Ottawa, ON	Kevin Spraggett
65	1985	Edmonton, AB	Igor Ivanov, Raymond Stone *
66	1986	Winnipeg, MB	Igor Ivanov, Kevin Spraggett
67	1987	Baie-Comeau, QC	Igor Ivanov
68	1989	Windsor, ON	Kevin Spraggett
69	1991	Scarborough, ON	Lawrence Day
70	1992	Kingston, ON	Alexandre Lesiège
71	1994	Hamilton, ON	Kevin Spraggett
72	1995	Ottawa, ON	François Léveillé, Ron Livshits, Bryon Nickoloff
73	1996	Toronto, ON	Kevin Spraggett
74	1999	Brantford, ON	Alexandre Lesiège
75	2001	Montreal, QC	Alexandre Lesiège *, Kevin Spraggett
76	2002	Richmond, BC	Pascal Charbonneau *, Kevin Spraggett
77	2004	Toronto, ON	Pascal Charbonneau *, Eric Lawson
78	2006	Toronto, ON	Igor Zugic
79	2007	Kitchener, ON	Jean Hébert, Ron Livshits, Nikolay Noritsyn *, Artem Samsonkin
80	2009	Guelph, ON	Jean Hébert
81	2011	Guelph, ON