Illinois Chess Champions
The first Illinois Open Chess Championship was held in 1960, one year before the Illinois Chess Association was formed in 1961. The chart below is a complete list of Illinois Open Champions from 1975 to 2010, which was the 51st Annual Illinois Open.
Thanks to Carl Dolson for compiling this list of champions. If you have older issues of the ICB or know who the Illinois Champions were in the years from 1960-1974, please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
| Year | Tournament Site | Illinois Champion | Number of Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Chicago | Eugene Martinovsky | 127 |
| Ed Formanek | |||
| 1976 | Chicago | Andrew Karklins | 106 |
| John Tums | |||
| Edward Friedman | |||
| Kurt Stein | |||
| 1977 | Hinsdale | Steve Tennant | 103 |
| 1978 | LaGrange | Roy Benedek | 145 |
| 1979 | Chicago | Allen Kornfeld | 138 |
| Ove Kroll | |||
| David Sprenkle | |||
| 1980 | Peoria | David Sprenkle | 69 |
| Willliam Harris | |||
| Paul Cripe | |||
| Timothy Kras | |||
| Leo Kaushansky | |||
| 1981 | Peoria | Leo Kaushansky | 92 |
| 1982 | St Charles | Albert Chow | 91 |
| 1983 | Peoria | Eugene Martinovsky | 51 |
| 1984 | Hinsdale | Albert Chow | 131 |
| 1985 | Rosemont | Robert Gruchacz | 175 |
| Albert Chow | |||
| James Thinnsen | |||
| 1986 | Chicago | Ricardo Szmetan | 142 |
| 1987 | Rosemont | Leo Kaushansky | 149 |
| 1988 | Peru | Peter Pelts | 75 |
| 1989 | Peoria | Dmitry Gurevich | 98 |
| 1990 | Oak Brook | Dmitry Gurevich | 141 |
| 1991 | Rosemont | Andrew Karklins | 142 |
| 1992 | Rosemont | Peter Pelts | 152 |
| Joseph Splinter | |||
| 1993 | Rosemont | Dmitry Gurevich | 185 |
| Andrew Karklins | |||
| Peter Pelts | |||
| Steven Szpisjak | |||
| 1994 | Rosemont | Angelo Young | 153 |
| Josh Manion | |||
| 1995 | Aurora | Albert Chow | 152 |
| 1996 | Rosemont | Albert Chow | 201 |
| Arnufo Benesa | |||
| 1997 | Elk Grove Village | Osmand Palos | 157 |
| Josh Manion | |||
| 1998 | Oak Brook | Osmand Palos | 205 |
| 1999 | Arlington Heights | Dmitry Gurevich | 240 |
| 2000 | Arlington Heights | Dmitry Gurevich | 233 |
| 2001 | Arlington Heights | Dmitry Gurevich | 247 |
| 2002 | Northbrook | Angelo Young | 210 |
| Albert Chow | |||
| 2003 | Arlington Heights | Nazar Firman | 202 |
| 2004 | Lake Villa | Yury Shulman | 197 |
| Stanislau Smiatankin | |||
| Angelo Young | |||
| 2005 | Arlington Heights | Yury Shulman | 140 |
| Vladimir Georgiev | |||
| Angelo Young | |||
| 2006 | Lombard | Angelo Young | 101 |
| 2007 | Lombard | Angelo Young | 131 |
| 2008 | Lombard | Angelo Young | 114 |
| Alexandr Stamnov | |||
| Albert Chow | |||
| Jon Burgess | |||
| 2009 | Oak Brook | Florin Felecan | 124 |
| Mesgen Amanov | |||
| 2010 | Oak Brook | Dmitry Gurevich | 135 |
| 2011 | Oak Brook | Mesgen Amanov | 138 |
| Angelo Young | |||
| Aung Zin | |||
| 2012 | Oak Brook | Nikola Mitkov | 145 |
| Dmitry Gurevich | |||
| 2013 | Oak Brook | Nikola Mitkov | 138 |
| Mesgen Amanov | |||
| 2014 | Northbrook | Vladmir Georgiev | 152 |
| 2015 | Northbrook | Alexander Goldin | 186 |
| Nikola Mitkov | |||
| Florin Felecan | |||
| 2016 | Northbrook | Vladimir Georgiev | 186 |
| Dmitry Gurevich | |||
| 2017 | Northbrook | Vladimir Georgiev | 214 |
| Nikola Mitkov | |||
| 2018 | Downers Grove | Nikola Mitkov | 206 |
| 2019 | Downers Grove | Vladimir Georgiev | 212 |
| 2021 | Northbrook | Jack Heller | 137 |
| Kevin Velazquez | |||
| 2022 | Northbrook | George Li | 195 |
| Tugstumur Yesuntumur | |||
| 2023 | Northbrook | Tugstumur Yesuntumur | 149 |
| 2024 | Lisle | Jonathan Kogen | 260 |