Echesspedia

Spain was the earliest country in Europe to receive the game from the East, via the Moors, and it does in fact contain complete manuscript we have that compiled under the orders of Alfonso the Wise in 1283.

Spain’s first great player was Ruy Lopez, through Spain has never produce such a world figure again. For decades Spain is the one of the main venue for chess players ranging from San Sebastian in 1911 to the great series of tournaments in Majorca, Las Palmas, Madrid, Leon, Malaga, Barcelona, Dos Hermanas Linares and many others.

The Spanish Chess Federation was founded in Barcelona in 1927. The federation has participated in 31 Olympiads, its best achievement was 6th in 1996.

The winners of the Spanish Championship were:

1902 Golmayo, 1912 Golmayo, 1921 Golmayo, 1930 Rey Ardid, 1933 Rey Ardid, 1935 Rey Ardid, 1942 Rey Ardid, 1943 Sanz, J, 1944 Medina, 1945 Medina, 1946 Pomar, 1947 Medina, 1948 Perez, 1949 Medina, 1950 Pomar, 1951 Toran, 1952 Medina, 1953 Toran, 1954 Perez, 1955 Diez del Corral, 1956 Llado, 1957 Pomar, 1958 Pomar, 1959 Pomar, 1960 Perez, 1961 Llado, 1962 Pomar, 1963 Medina, 1964 Medina, 1965 Diez del Corral, 1966 Pomar, 1967 Fernandez, 1968 Visier, 1969 Bellon, 1970 Palacios, 1971 Bellon, 1972 Visier, 1973 Sanz, F J, 1974 Bellon, 1975 Fraguela. 1976 Martin, 1977, 1978 Bellon, 1979 Rivas, 1980 Gomez, 1981 Rivas, 1982 Bellon, 1983 Garcia Padron, 1984 Martin, 1985 De la Villa, 1986 Martín, 1987 Romero, 1988 de la Villa, 1989 José Luis Fernández, 1990 Jordi Magem, 1991 Manuel Rivas, 1992 Mario Gómez,1993 Lluis Comás, 1994 Sergio Cacho, 1995 Muiguel Illescas , 1996 Estremera, 1997 San Segundo, 1998 Illescas, 1999 Illescas, 2000 Martín, 2001 Illescas, 2002 Shirov, 2003 De la Riva, 2004 Illescas, 2005 Arizmendi Martinez, 2006 Vallejo Pons , 2007 Illescas, 2008 Larino, 2009 Vallejo Pons, 2010 Illescas, 2011 Alonso.

Shirov, Vallejo Pons, Illescas and Lopez Martinez at the 2009 European Team Championship