Echesspedia

Armenia became a member of FIDE in 1992.
The Federation was established in the mid 1920s, first as a chess section then in the 1930s as the Yerevan Chess federation and in the late 1930s as the Armenian Chess Federation. Since the breakaway from the USSR in 1992, Armenia has become one of the strongest contestants for the top place at the European and world team tournaments with the achievement of winning team gold medals at the Olympiads of 2006 and 2008, at the World Team Championship 2011 and a team silver medal at the European Team Championship in 2007.

Beside that Yerevan has welcomed a multitude of world chess championships: the 1996 Olympiad, the World U20 Championships in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007, some Grand Prix and the World Team Championship in 2001.

In 2009 Armenia was ranked 8^th among the countries (2628) with 27 IGMs, 21 IMs and a total of 53 titled players.

The best known players are: Tigran Petrosian, Genrikh Kasparian, Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Rafael Vaganian and Smbat Lputian.

The national champions were:

1934 Genrikh Kasparian, 1938 Genrikh Kasparian  & Alexandr Dolukhanian, 1939 Alexandr Dolukhanian, 1941 Loris Kalashian & Vazgen Karapetian, 1944 / 1945 Alexandr Kalantar, 1946 Tigran Petrosian, 1947 Genrikh Kasparian & Tigran Petrosian, 1948 Genrikh Kasparian & Tigran Petrosian, 1949 Genrikh Kasparian, 1950 Genrikh Kasparian, 1951 Genrikh Kasparian, 1952 Vladimir Goldin, 1953 Artsrun Sarkisian, 1954 Genrikh Kasparian, 1955 Genrikh Kasparian, 1956 Genrikh Kasparian, 1957 Nikolai Miasnikov, 1958 Eduard Mnatsakanian, 1959 Eduard Mnatsakanian, 1960 Eduard Mnatsakanian, 1961 Vanik Zakarian & Artsrun Sarkisian1962 Eduard Mnatsakanian, 1963 Adolf Demirkhanian, 1964 Levon Grigorian, 1965 Adolf Demirkhanian, 1966 Levon Grigorian, 1967 Eduard Mnatsakanian, 1968 Levon Grigorian, 1969 Levon Grigorian & Karen Grigorian, 1970 Karen Grigorian, 1971 Levon Grigorian, 1972 Levon Grigorian & Karen Grigorian, 1973 Albert Arutunov, 1974 Arshak Petrosian, 1975 Vaagn Voskanian, 1976 Vanik Zakarian & Arshak Petrosian & Gagik Akopian, 1977 Albert Arutunov, 1978 Smbat Lputian, 1979 Slavik Movsisian, 1980 Smbat Lputian, 1981 Karen Movsisian & Vlad Shaboyan, 1982 Hrachik Tavadian, 1983 Ahsot Anastasian, 1984 Vlad Shaboyan, 1985 Ahsot Anastasian, 1986 Ahsot Anastasian, 1987 Ahsot Anastasian, 1988 Ahsot Anastasian, 1989 Armen Hambartsumian, 1990 Artashes Minasian, 1991 Sergei Galdunts, 1992 Artashes Minasian & Ahsot Anastasian, 1993 Artashes Minasian, 1994 Ahsot Anastasian, 1995 Artashes Minasian, 1996 Vladimir Akopian, 1997 Vladimir Akopian, 1998 Smbat Lputian, 1999 Karen Asrian, 2000 Gabriel Sargissian, 2001 Smbat Lputian, 2002 Levon Aronian, 2003 Gabriel Sargissian, 2004 Artashes Minasian, 2005 Ashot Anastasian, 2006 Artashes Minasian, 2007 Karen Asrian, 2008 Karen Asrian, 2009 Arman Pashikian, 2010 Avetik Grigoryan, 2011 Robert Hovhannisyan.