Estonian Chess Championship
# Estonian Chess Championship

The Estonian Chess Championship is played to determine the Estonian champion in chess.

The first unofficial championship in Estonia was held in 1903 and was organized by a chess club from Tallinn (then Reval, Russian Empire). After World War I, Estonia became independent. In 1923, the first official Estonian championship was held in Tallinn and has since been organized on an annual basis. In 1945, the first women's championship was held.

## Unofficial Championships

    YearCityChampion 1903RevalW. Sohn 1904RevalBernhard Gregory 1905RevalAaron Feinstein 1906RevalAbels 1909RevalKhmelevsky 1910RevalAaron Feinstein

## Official Championships

    #YearHost CityMen's ChampionWomen's Champion 11923TallinnPaul Rinne 21925TallinnJohannes Türn 31930TallinnVladas Mikėnas 41932TallinnLeho Laurine 51933TallinnGunnar Friedemann 61934TallinnIlmar Raud 71935TallinnPaul Keres 81936TallinnPaul Felix Schmidt 91937TallinnPaul Felix Schmidt 101939TallinnIlmar Raud 111941TallinnJohannes Türn 121942TallinnPaul Keres 131943TallinnPaul Keres 141944ViljandiJohannes Türn and August Eller 151945TallinnPaul KeresSalme Rootare 161946TallinnRaul Renter 171947TallinnJüri Randviir 181948TallinnAleksander ArulaidSalme Rootare 191949PärnuJüri Randviir and Raul RenterSalme Rootare 201950TallinnJüri RandviirSalme Rootare 211951TallinnIivo NeiHelju Roosa 221952TartuIivo NeiMarie Orav 231953TartuPaul KeresUrve Kure 241954TallinnJüri RandviirSalme Rootare 251955TallinnAleksander ArulaidAino Kukk 261956TartuIivo NeiSalme Rootare 271957TartuKalju PitksaarSalme Rootare 281958TallinnGunnar UusiUrve Kure 291959TartuGunnar UusiMarie Orav 301960ViljandiIivo NeiSalme Rootare 311961TallinnIivo NeiMaaja Ranniku 321962TartuIivo NeiSalme Rootare 331963TallinnGunnar UusiMaaja Ranniku 341964TallinnAleksander ArulaidSalme Rootare 351965TartuRein EtrukUrve Kure 361966ViljandiGunnar UusiSalme Rootare 371967TallinnHelmuth LuikMaaja Ranniku 381968TartuAarne HermlinMari Kinsigo (off contest) 391969TallinnRein EtrukSalme Rootare 401970TartuHillar KärnerSalme Rootare 411971TallinnIivo NeiSalme Rootare 421972TartuAndres VooremaaSalme Rootare 431973TallinnAndres Vooremaa and Rein EtrukMaaja Ranniku 441974TartuIivo NeiMari Kinsigo (off contest) 451975PärnuHillar KärnerLeili Pärnpuu 461976HaapsaluValter HeuerMari Kinsigo (off contest) 471977ViljandiHillar KärnerTatjana Fomina 481978TallinnBoris RõtovTatjana Fomina 491979TartuGunnar UusiLeili Pärnpuu 501980TallinnGunnar UusiLeili Pärnpuu 511981HaapsaluJaan LudolfMaaja Ranniku 521982TallinnLembit OllMaaja Ranniku 531983PärnuAleksander Veingold and Hillar KärnerTatjana Fomina 541984TallinnHillar KärnerMaaja Ranniku 551985TallinnHillar KärnerSvetlana Zainetdinova 561986TartuJaan EhlvestLeili Pärnpuu 571987HaapsaluHillar KärnerMaaja Ranniku 581988TallinnKalle KiikMaaja Ranniku 591989TallinnOlav SeppTatjana Fomina 601990TallinnMati NeiLeili Pärnpuu 611991TallinnOlav SeppMaaja Ranniku 621992TallinnOlav SeppTatjana Fomina 631993TallinnOlav SeppTuulikki Laesson 641994TallinnOlav SeppMonika Tsõganova 651995TallinnOlav SeppMonika Tsõganova 661996TallinnSergei ZjukinTuulikki Laesson 671997TallinnRoman SergejevMonika Tsõganova 681998TallinnTarvo SeemanTatjana Fomina 691999TallinnKaido KülaotsMonika Tsõganova 702000TallinnMihhail RõtšagovViktoria Baškite (off contest) 712001PühajärveKaido KülaotsMonika Tsõganova 722002Kilingi-NõmmeKaido KülaotsTatjana Fomina 732003TallinnKaido KülaotsTatjana Fomina 742004TallinnMeelis KanepMonika Tsõganova 752005TallinnMeelis KanepMonika Tsõganova 762006TallinnTarvo SeemanValeriya Gansvind 772007TallinnMeelis KanepMonika Tsõganova 782008TallinnKaido KülaotsMonika Tsõganova 792009RakvereKaido KülaotsValeriya Gansvind 802010TartuKaido KülaotsTuuli Vahtra 812011TallinnPavel VorobjovRegina Narva 822012TallinnMark LapidusTatjana Fomina 832013TallinnOttomar LadvaTatjana Fomina 842014TallinnKaido KülaotsMai Narva 852015TallinnOttomar LadvaMargareth Olde 862016TallinnOttomar LadvaMai Narva 872017TallinnIlja SiroshMai Narva 882018TallinnOttomar LadvaMargareth Olde 892019TallinnAleksandr VolodinSofia Blokhin 902020TallinnKaido KülaotsMai Narva 912021TallinnAleksandr VolodinAnastassia Sinitsina 922022TallinnAleksandr VolodinAnastassia Sinitsina 932023ViljandiKaido KülaotsAnastassia Sinitsina
* ^ Latvian Edvīns Ķeņģis won the championship, Külaots was the highest ranking Estonian player.

## Multiple Champions

### Men's Champions

    #Men's ChampionsTitlesYears 1Kaido Külaots101999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2020, 2023 2Iivo Nei81951, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1971, 1974 3Hillar Kärner71970, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987 4Gunnar Uusi61958, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1979, 1980 Olav Sepp61989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 6Paul Keres51935, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1953 7Jüri Randviir41947, 1949, 1950, 1954 Ottomar Ladva42013, 2015, 2016, 2018 9Johannes Türn31925, 1941, 1944 Aleksander Arulaid31948, 1955, 1964 Rein Etruk31965, 1969, 1973 Meelis Kanep32004, 2005, 2007 Aleksandr Volodin32019, 2021, 2022 13Ilmar Raud21934, 1939 Paul Felix Schmidt21936, 1937 Raul Renter21946, 1949 Andres Vooremaa21972, 1973 Tarvo Seeman21998, 2006

### Women's Champions

    #Women's ChampionsTitlesYears 1Salme Rootare151945, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 2Maaja Ranniku101961, 1963, 1967, 1973, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1991 Tatjana Fomina101977, 1978, 1983, 1989, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013 4Monika Tsõganova91994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 5Leili Pärnpuu51975, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1990 6Mai Narva42014, 2016, 2017, 2020 7Urve Kure31953, 1958, 1965 Mari Kinsigo31968, 1974, 1976 Anastassia Sinitsina32021, 2022, 2023 8Margareth Olde22015, 2018 Marie Orav21952, 1959 Tuulikki Laesson21993, 1996 Valeriya Gansvind22006, 2009
