View source for World Senior Chess Championship

{{Short description|Annual chess tournament}}
The '''World Senior Chess Championship''' is an annual [[chess]] tournament established in 1991 by [[FIDE]], the World Chess Federation.

The 2024 tournament took place in Porto Santo, Portugal from November 16–29, 2024.<ref name="chesscom24" />

==Overview==
Originally, the minimum age was 60 years for men, and 50 for women.

Since 2014, the Senior Championship is split in two different age categories, 50+ and 65+, with separate open and women-only tournaments. Participants must reach the age of 50 or 65 years by December 31 of the year of the event.  There is a category for players 75+ which provides special prizes.<ref name="75+" /> 

The championship is organized as an eleven-round [[Swiss system tournament]]. It is an open tournament, and each FIDE member federation may send as many players as desired. The separate women's tournament is held only if there are enough participants (at least 10 women from four different FIDE zones).

The winners of the open tournaments (both age categories) are awarded the title of [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmaster]] if they do not already have it and the winners of the women's tournaments (both age categories) are awarded the title of [[Woman Grandmaster]] if they do not already have it.

So far one [[World Chess Champion]], [[Vasily Smyslov]], has gone on to win the World Senior Championship as well, winning the first such championship aged 70 in 1991. [[Nona Gaprindashvili]] is the only [[Women's World Chess Champion]] to obtain the women's World Senior title as well.

The oldest World Senior Champion, male or female – before the split in two different age categories was made – was [[Viktor Korchnoi]], who won the title at the age of 75 and a half (in 2006, his only participation).<ref name="Korchnoi" />

[[Vlastimil Jansa]] then won the 65+ section at the age of 76 in 2018 (his first gold medal), Gaprindashvili won the same year in the women's group 65+ at the age of 77. [[Julio Ernesto Granda Zuniga]] of Peru (born in 1967) is the youngest Senior World Chess Champion, section 50+, at the age of 50 in 2017.

For comparison, the oldest reigning World Chess Champion ever was [[Wilhelm Steinitz]], who held the title until the age of 58 years, 10 days.<ref name="Older" /> The oldest reigning classical World Chess Champion since the inception of the World Senior Chess championship in 1991 was [[Viswanathan Anand]], who held the title until age 43 when he lost to Magnus Carlsen.

==History==
The 8th World Senior Championship was held 9–23 November 1998 in [[Grieskirchen]], [[Austria]].
[[Vladimir Bagirov]] (Latvia) won the 200-player open section on [[Tie-breaking in Swiss system tournaments|tie-break]] over [[Wolfgang Uhlmann]] (Germany), both with 8.5/11.
Ten players tied a half point behind with 8.0/11, including former World Championship [[Candidates Tournament|Candidates]] [[Mark Taimanov]] and [[Borislav Ivkov]], the first ever [[World Junior Chess Championship|World Junior Chess Champion]].
WGM [[Tamar Khmiadashvili]] (Georgia) won the 24-player women's section outright with 9.5 points.

The 13th World Senior Championship was held 16–29 November 2003 in [[Bad Zwischenahn]], [[Germany]].
IM [[Yuri Shabanov]] (Russia) won the 272-player open section 9.0/11 on tie-break over GM [[Jānis Klovāns]] (Latvia) and IM Vladimir Bukal (Croatia). Khmiadashvili (Georgia) won the 22-player women's section 7.5/9 on tie-break over WGM [[Marta Litinskaya-Shul]] (Ukraine).

The 14th World Senior Championship was held 24 October–5 November 2004 in [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle (Saale)]], Germany. 
IM Yuri Shabanov (Russia) defended his championship, winning the 215-player open section on a tie-break with five players scoring 8.5/11.
GM [[Elena Fatalibekova]] (Russia) won the 19-player women's section outright with 8.0/9.

The 16th World Senior Chess Championship was held 11–23 September 2006 in [[Arvier]], [[Italy]].
Former [[World Chess Championship]] challenger and top seed GM [[Viktor Korchnoi]] (Switzerland) won the 126-player open section 9.0/11.
Competing in his first and sole Seniors' Championship, Korchnoi won his first four games, drew in the fifth round with Jānis Klovāns, and then won the next three again.<ref name="Korchnoi" /> Entering the ninth round with a full point lead, Korchnoi drew his final three games to take the € 3000 gold medal. WGM [[Ludmila Saunina]] (Russia), won the 14-player women's section by a full point, 8.5/11, to earn € 700.

== Winners ==
:{| class="sortable wikitable"
! # !! Year !! City !! Open Tournament winner !! Women's Tournament winner
|-
| 1 || 1991 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Wörishofen]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Vasily|Smyslov}}|2=Russia|3=1991}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Eva|Ladanyine-Karakas}}|2=Hungary}} 
|-
| 2 || 1992 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Wörishofen]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Efim|Geller}}|2=Russia|3=1991}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Eva|Ladanyine-Karakas}}|2=Hungary}}
|-
| 3 || 1993 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Wildbad]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Mark|Taimanov}}|2=Russia|3=1991}}|| {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tatiana|Zatulovskaya}}|2=Russia|3=1991}}
|-
| 4 || 1994 || {{flagathlete|[[Biel/Bienne]]|Switzerland}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Mark|Taimanov}}|2=Russia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Eva|Ladanyine-Karakas}}|2=Hungary}}
|-
| 5 || 1995 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Liebenzell]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Evgeny|Vasiukov}}|2=Russia}}|| {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia|3=1990}}
|-
| 6 || 1996 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Liebenzell]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Alexey|Suetin}}|2=Russia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Valentina|Kozlovskaya}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 7 || 1997 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Wildbad]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Jānis|Klovāns}}|2=Latvia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tatiana|Zatulovskaya}}|2=Russia}} 
|-
| 8 || 1998 || {{flagathlete|[[Grieskirchen]]|Austria}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Vladimir|Bagirov}}|2=Latvia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tamar|Khmiadashvili}}|2=Georgia|3=1990}}
|-
| 9 || 1999 || {{flagathlete|[[Gladenbach]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Jānis|Klovāns}}|2=Latvia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tamar|Khmiadashvili}}|2=Georgia|3=1990}}
|-
| 10 || 2000 || {{flagathlete|[[Rowy, Pomeranian Voivodeship|Rowy]]|Poland}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Oleg|Chernikov}}|2=Russia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Elena|Fatalibekova}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 11 || 2001 || {{flagathlete|[[Arco, Trentino|Arco]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Jānis|Klovāns}}|2=Latvia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Elena|Fatalibekova}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 12 || 2002 || {{flagathlete|[[Naumburg]]|Germany}}|| {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Juzefs|Petkēvičs}}|2=Latvia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Marta|Litinskaya}}|2=Ukraine}}
|- 
| 13 || 2003 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Zwischenahn]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Yuri|Shabanov}}|2=Russia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tamar|Khmiadashvili}}|2=Georgia|3=1990}}
|-
| 14 || 2004 || {{flagathlete|[[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Yuri|Shabanov}}|2=Russia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Elena|Fatalibekova}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 15 ||  2005 || {{flagathlete|[[Lignano Sabbiadoro]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Liuben|Spassov}}|2=Bulgaria}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Ludmila|Saunina}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 16 || 2006 || {{flagathlete|[[Arvier]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Viktor|Korchnoi}}|2=Switzerland}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Ludmila|Saunina}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 17 || 2007 || {{flagathlete|[[Gmunden]]|Austria}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Algimantas|Butnorius}}|2=Lithuania}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Hanna|Ereńska-Barlo}}|2=Poland}}
|-
| 18 || 2008 || {{flagathlete|[[Bad Zwischenahn]]|Germany}} || {{flagathlete|1= {{sortname|Larry|Kaufman}}|2=USA}} and {{nowrap |{{flagathlete|1= {{sortname|Mihai|Suba}}|2=Romania}} }}<ref name="Cowinners" /> || {{flagathlete|1= {{sortname|Tamāra|Vilerte}}|2=Latvia}}
|-
| 19 || 2009 || {{flagathlete|[[Condino]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Mišo|Cebalo}}|2=Croatia}}<ref name="Winners2009" /> || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}}<ref name="Winners2009" />
|-
| 20 || 2010 || {{flagathlete|[[Arco, Trentino|Arco]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Anatoly|Vaisser}}|2=France}}<ref name="Winners2010" /> || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tamar|Khmiadashvili}}|2=Georgia}}<ref name="Winners2010" />
|-
| 21 || 2011 || {{flagathlete|[[Opatija]]|Croatia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Vladimir|Okhotnik}}|2=France}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Galina|Strutinskaya}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 22 || 2012 || {{flagathlete|[[Kamena Vourla]]|Greece}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Jens|Kristiansen}}|2=Denmark}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Galina|Strutinskaya}}|2=Russia}}
|-
| 23 || 2013 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Opatija]]|Croatia}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Anatoly|Vaisser}}|2=France}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Yelena|Ankudinova}}|2=Kazakhstan}}
|-
| 24 || 2014 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Katerini]]|Greece}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Anatoly|Vaisser}}|2=France}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Zurab|Sturua}}|2=Georgia}} (50+) || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Svetlana|Mednikova}}|2=Russia}} (50+)
|-
| 25 || 2015 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Acqui Terme]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Vladimir|Okhotnik}}|2=France}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Predrag|Nikolic}}|2=Bosnia and Herzegovina}} (50+) || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Galina|Strutinskaia}}|2=Russia}} (50+)
|-
| 26 || 2016 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Mariánské Lázně]]|Czech Republic}} || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Anatoly|Vaisser}}|2=France}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Giorgi|Bagaturov}}|2=Georgia}} (50+) || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+) <br>  {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tatiana|Bogumil}}|2=Russia}} (50+) 
|-
| 27 || 2017 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Acqui Terme]]|Italy}} || {{flagathlete|1=[[Evgeny Sveshnikov]]|2=Russia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Julio Granda]]|2=Peru}} (50+) || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Tamar|Khmiadashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Elvira Berend]]|2=Luxembourg}} (50+)
|-
| 28 || 2018 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Bled]]|Slovenia}} ||{{flagathlete|1=[[Vlastimil Jansa]]|2=Czech Republic}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Karen Movsziszian]]|2=Armenia}} (50+) || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+)<br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Elvira Berend]]|2=Luxembourg}} (50+)
|-
| 29 || 2019 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Bucharest]]|Romania}} ||  {{flagathlete|1=[[Rafael Vaganian]]|2=Armenia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Vadim|Shishkin}}|2=Ukraine}} (50+)|| {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Elvira Berend]]|2=Luxembourg}} (50+)
|-
| 30 || 2022 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Assisi]]|Italy}}  || {{flagathlete|1=[[John Nunn]]|2=England}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Zurab Sturua]]|2=Georgia}} (50+)  || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Nona|Gaprindashvili}}|2=Georgia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Elvira Berend]]|2=Luxembourg}} (50+)
|-
| 31 || 2023 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Terrasini]]|Italy}} ||  {{flagathlete|1=[[John Nunn]]|2=England}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Michael Adams (chess player)|Michael Adams]]|2=England}} (50+)  || {{flagathlete|1={{sortname|Galina|Strutinskaia}}|2=Russia}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Monica Calzetta Ruiz]]|2=Spain}} (50+)
|-
| 32 || 2024 ||  {{flagathlete|[[Porto Santo]]|Portugal}} ||  {{flagathlete|1=[[Rainer Knaak]]|2=Germany}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Alexander Shabalov]]|2=United States}} (50+)<ref name="chesscom24" /> ||  {{flagathlete|1=[[Brigitte Burchardt]]|2=Germany}} (65+) <br> {{flagathlete|1=[[Masha Klinova]]|2=Israel}} (50+)<ref name="chesscom24" /> 
|}

== See also ==
* [[European Senior Chess Championship]]
* [[Asian Senior Chess Championship]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Korchnoi">{{cite web |title=Viktor Korchnoi wins World Senior Championship |url=http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3358 |website=chessbase.com | date=23 September 2006 |access-date=16 November 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="Older">{{cite web |last1=Wall |first1=Bill |title=Older Chess Players |url=https://www.chess.com/article/view/older-chess-players |website=chess.com |date=17 April 2012 |access-date=16 November 2024 |ref=OCP}}</ref>
<ref name="Cowinners">{{cite web |title=Presidential Board meeting 1st quarter 2009 |url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/3837-presidential-board-meeting-1st-quarter-2009 |website=FIDE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228130433/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/3837-presidential-board-meeting-1st-quarter-2009 |archive-date=28 February 2019 |quote=The PB corrected the mistake done by the organizer of the World Senior Championship and announced GM Kaufmann and GM Suba as co-winners.}}</ref>
<ref name="Winners2009">{{cite web |last1=Sergio |title=Gaprindashvili and Cebalo become World Senior Champions |url=https://www.chessdom.com/news-2009/world-senior-chess-championship |website=chessdom.com |date=7 November 2009 |access-date=16 November 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="Winners2010">{{cite web |title=Tamar Khmiadashvili and Anatoly Vaisser are World Senior Champions |url=http://tournaments.chessdom.com/news-2010/world-senior-chess-championship |website=chessdom.com |access-date=16 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420225611/http://tournaments.chessdom.com/news-2010/world-senior-chess-championship |archive-date=20 April 2016}}</ref>
<ref name="75+">{{cite web |title=World Senior Championship 2023 prize fund breaks record |url=https://www.fide.com/news/2501 |website=FIDE |access-date=17 November 2024 |date=6 July 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="chesscom24">{{cite news |last1=Doggers |first1=Peter |title=Shabalov, Knaak, Klinova, Burchardt Winners At World Senior Championships |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/shabalov-knaak-klinova-burchardt-win-2024-world-senior-championships |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=chess.com}}</ref>
}}

== General references ==
{{More footnotes needed|date=November 2024}}
* {{citation
| author=FIDE
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608233329/http://www.fide.com/official/handbook.asp?level=DD801
| archive-date=2007-06-08
| title=FIDE Handbook
| url=http://www.fide.com/official/handbook.asp?level=DD801
| contribution=D.VIII.01. World Senior (Women) Championship
}}
* {{citation
| last=Crowther | first=Mark
| date=23 November 1998
| title=THE WEEK IN CHESS 211: 8th World Senior Championships
| url=https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic211.html#7
| publisher=London Chess Center
}}
* {{citation
| last=FIDE
| url=http://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=archiveview&aid=10
| title=World Senior Championship 2003
}}
* {{citation
| last=FIDE
| url=http://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=archiveview&aid=116
| title=World Senior Championship 2004
}}
* {{citation
| title=15th World Senior Chess Championship
| url=http://chess-results.com/tnr2727.aspx?lan=1
| publisher=Chess-Results.com
}}

==External links==
* [https://worldsenior.fpx.pt/ Website for the 2024 tournament in Porto Santo, Portugal]

{{Chess international championships}}
{{Chess}}

[[Category:World championships in chess|Senior]]
[[Category:1991 in chess]]
[[Category:Recurring events established in 1991]]
[[Category:Senior chess competitions]]