Year	|       |	Club Champions	|        |	Under 1700 Champions	|         |	Handicap Winners	|         |	Under 1500 Winners
2024		Andrew McDougall		Mike Eason		Mike Eason		Jacob Carr
2023		Bill McDougall		Mike Spence		Mike Spence		Lloyd Jolley
2022		Rolandas Lukoshius		Jasper Wilson		Steve Smith		Lloyd Jolley
2019		Jaimie Wilson		Mick Plumb		Jaimie Wilson		Les Stubbington
2018		Andrew McDougall		Philip Wake		Chris Squires		Tom Howeson
2017		Rolandas Lukoshius		Alex Miller		Keith Davies		Lloyd Jolley
2016		Bill McDougall		Mick Plumb		Keith Davies		Lloyd Jolley
2015		Bill McDougall		Rafael Harbour		Keith Davies		Mike Spence
2014		Andrew McDougall		Mick Plumb		Keith Davies
2013		Jaimie Wilson		Ian Richardson		Mick Plumb
2012		Jaimie Wilson		Alex Miller		Keith Davies
2011		Ian Judd		John Kalber		Keith Davies
2010		Andrew McDougall		Mick Plumb
2009		Steve Smith		Andy Tate
2008		Steve Smith & Ian Judd		Richard Lilly
2007		Steve Smith		No Contest
2006		Graham Thomas		“
2005		Steve Smith		“
2004		Steve Smith		“
2003		Steve Smith		“
2002		No Contest		“
2001		Ray Williams		“
2000		Steve Smith		“
1999		Steve Smith		“
1998		Bill Emerson		Philip Wake
1997		Ray Williams		Andros Franklin
1996		Nick van Noorden		Mick Plumb
1995		Ray Williams		Lawrence Rackham
1994		Bill Emerson		Jan Richmond
1993		Nick van Noorden		Jan Richmond
1992		Ian Judd
1991		Nick van Noorden
1990		R. Hughes-Hallett
1989		Chris Squires
1988		Dave Pownall
1987		Dave Pownall
1986		Brian Miller
1985		Brian Milner
1984		Brian Milner
1983		Ray Williams
1982		Ray Williams
1981		Keith Davies
1980		Cliff Cropp
1979		Chris Squires
1978		Ray Williams
1977		Ray Williams
1976		Ray Williams
1975		I. M. George
1974		Ray Williams
1973		Ian Richardson
1972		Peter Rayment
1971		Cliff Cropp
1970		Peter Rayment
1969		A. J. Dommett
1968		A. J. Dommett
1967		A. J. Dommett
1966		B. J. Hole
1965		B. J. Hole
1964		B. J. Hole
1963		Rev. H. M. Burdett
1962		F. W. Appleby
1961		Rev. H. M. Burdett
1960		Rev. H. M. Burdett
1959		Rev. H. M. Burdett
1958		F. W. Appleby

Chichester Chess Club Champions 1958 to 2024

The materials below are collated from my personal knowledge and from conversations with
members of Chichester Chess Club, many now deceased.
Updates are very welcome.
There have been 23 holders of the title across the 57 years of the competition since 1958. These arelisted in chronological order of their first win. As an interesting note, in its 67 year history, the championship has not been won by any player consecutively for more than 3 years.

F W Appleby – 1958 and 1962
I once heard said that this was Frank Appleby. Others have believed it was Fred or Fredrick.
Mr Appleby was a county player turning out for Sussex in a 50 board match versus Hampshire in
December 1960. He played on board 44.

Rev. H.M.J. Burdett – 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1963
This unusual name must surely identify a specific individual. I am in communications with Chichester Cathedral to further research their records. The Rev was clearly a very strong player and is believed to be the same person as jointly won the Derby CC Championship in 1931. He was sometime vicar of Dulwich Common and then vicar of Pennington in 1939.

B J Hole – 1964, 1965 and 1966
I once heard said that this was a one Brian Hole. Mr Hole also played in the above county match at Bognor Regis. He played in the A section on board 15. It seems likely therefore that Mr Hole was a meaningfully stronger player than Mr Appleby. Mr Hole played in the Bognor Regis congress in 1959.

A J Dommett – 1967, 1968 and 1969
Alan won this Championship when he was a 17-year-old teenager and one of the strongest juniors in Sussex. He was the youngest player to win the title, a record he held for 58 years. Alan returned to Sussex a few years later and for many years played for Worthing Chess Club, captaining their all-conquering A team. Alan was lost to the competitive chess world when a tragic car accident left Alanneeding full time care although he continued to play in a social context.

P A Rayment – 1970 and 1972
Peter had a long association with the Chichester Club, being its Secretary for many years and a
generous benefactor. He played a high board in a very strong Plessey team within PDCL. At university he gained honours as a sprinter at 440 yards. Peter was a generous benefactor to the club.

C E Cropp – 1971 and 1980
Clifford was a very strong player and was the top board for Chichester for several years. Recently Cliff re-appeared on the chess scene demonstrating significant strength some 50 years after his initial triumph. I first met Cliff on top board when Chichester played a match against Bognor in 1980.– that game was drawn, Chichester won the match.

I A Richardson – 1973
Ian won this tournament on this only occasion defeating no less than 2 past and one future
champion. After time spent away from Chichester, Ian returned to be the club secretary and bridge across the disruption caused by Covid.

R T F Williams – 1974, 76, 77, 78, 82, 83, 95, 97, 2001
At Chichester Chess Club Ray held things together when the Club was in difficulties. He became the face of the Club. At his peak he was a very strong player and captained the A team for many years.
He won the Club Championship no fewer than 9 times, an individual record unlikely to be surpassed any time soon. These titles ranged across 4 decades, the first being in 1974 and the last in 2001.
Ray’s contribution to chess was significant over many years. He lived in Plymouth and played as a schoolboy for Devon. He played when he studied at Imperial College London and later as part of a very strong Plessey team in the PDCL. Ray played for many years at County level, actively turning out for Sussex. Alongside this he undertook many administrative roles, including County delegate to the then BCF, in support of the game and its governance.

I M George – 1975
This single win interrupted what would have been a 5 year winning sequence for Ray Williams.

C R Squires – 1979, 1989
Chris continues to play at Chichester more than 40 years after his initial triumph in a demonstration of longevity seldom seen with a single club.

K Davies – 1981
Keith achieved this title but once however he continued to play for 40 years after his victory. In
latter years he favoured quirky gambit lines, achieving significant success by opponents being
wrongfooted or ill prepared. Keith assisted Jaimie Wilson into Club chess when he was a junior.
Infirmity eventually forced Keith to relinquish serious chess in 2020.

B Milner – 1984, 1985 and 1986
Information is required on this 3 times winner who was clearly a strong player winning at the time when 3 former champions were in action. I once heard said he moved away from the area.

D W Pownall – 1987 and 1988
Little is known of this two times winner. More information required .

R Hughes-Hallett – 1990
More information required on this one-time winner.

N van Norden – 1991, 1993 and 1996
Nick would undoubtedly have won the championship more often had he not moved away from
Chichester. He continued to play chess for several years but is no longer an active player.

I P Judd – 1992, 2008 and 2011
Ian continues to play chess to the highest level and has supported the club with a decade long stint as Treasurer. The title was shared with Steve Smith in 2008 after which rigorous tie break rules were introduced. The title win in 2011 proved to be the swan song of the older generation with the years following proving a hand over to the incoming younger players. Ian won the IBM Cup in 1991.

W Emerson – 1994 and 1998
Bill won these titles when no less than 5 former champions were playing at near their peak. He
would undoubtedly have won more titles had not pressures of work and family driven a break from chess. Bill has recently made a very welcome return to topflight club chess.

S J Smith – 1999, 2000, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08, 09
8 times winner, Steve dominated the title during the noughties. Steve has undertaken a wide variety of roles supporting chess including Chairman of the Chichester club and president of PDCL. Steve continued to play high level chess until the pandemic.
Prior to joining Chichester, Steve won the Bognor championship Hardstone Cup in 1977, 1978 and 1979 . In 1978 he scored 13/14 losing only one game, to strong former London player, Bert Philpott.
Steve played in the PDCL title winning A team for IBM during the eighties and nineties.
Steve also played schoolboy chess in Surrey in the 1960’s with the likes of John Nunn and other, now titled, strong players.

G Thomas – 2006
Graham appeared for this single season at Chichester and interrupted what would have been a 7-year winning sequence for Steve. Far too strong to be described as a coffee house player, he enjoyed enterprising systems offering open lines providing for good counter play.

A McDougall – 2010, 2014, 2018, 2024
Andrew first won this title when a junior player and has since grown in playing strength winning his 4 th title to be the current champion at the time of this update. His tally of 4 titles is 3 rd only to Ray Williams (9) and Steve Smith (8), equal with Rev. Burdett. Most recently he has taken over the role of Club Secretary.

J Wilson – 2012, 2013, 2019
Jaimie has been a constant presence since his first title. An automatic choice for the A team and for the Sussex County team, Jaimie remains a strong contender more than a decade after his first title win.

W McDougall – 2015, 2016, 2023

Bill won these titles when at his peak. He has played in the British championship scoring well in this strongest of tournaments. His peak grading was a tantalising 199!. Bill continues to captain the A team and is secretary of the PDCL.

R Lukhosius – 2017, 2022
Rolandas was still growing in strength when his employment necessitated a move away from the area. An innovative and imaginative player who would undoubtably have been involved in many more tight finishes for the title.

V Gunatilake – 2025
Vinuda won this title with a 100% score in a very strong field. En route to this title Vinuda played and won against no less than 3 former champions. He became the youngest ever winner at the age of 15 years c.300 days thereby beating the longstanding record for this accolade.
Vinuda learned to play chess in Sri Lanka from the age of 6. He quickly achieved success representing Sri Lanka at age 14. In addition to National honours, he won medals in the West Asian Youth Chess Championship in 2022.He represented Sri Lanka in the World Youth Championship in Romania in2022.
After moving to UK, in 2023 he won U16 EJCOA Championship. In 2024 he won U16 title in Isle of
Wight Chess Congress, finishing in 3 rd position in the Open event.

No Contest – 2002, 2020, 2021
The competition in 2002 was abandoned when Ray Williams, defending champion, became
seriously ill and was unable to play. At the time he needed 2 wins against Steve Smith and Peter
Rayment to retain the title and thereby prevent Steve chalking up his third title.
Covid interrupted the tournament in 2020 with about 80% of the games played. There were no games played in 2021 due to Covid.

This update by Steve Smith
27 th May 2025