State Champions

The Alabama State Chess Championship (ASCC) is typically held every year in September. Considered to be the state’s preeminent event, the Alabamian who wins the ASCC’s top section brings with it the state’s most sought-after title, that of Alabama State Champion. See below for a complete list of all state champions dating back to 1954!

Reigning state champion: CHIBUZO ILONZE (Pictured above)

• 2021 – Chibuzo Ilonze (5.0/5) – Full Crosstable
• 2020 – Scott Varagona (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2019 – Scott Varagona / Matthew Puckett (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2018 – Scott Varagona / Tyler Freeman (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2017 – Scott Varagona (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2016 – Bill Melvin (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2015 – Scott Varagona (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2014 – Stephen Adams (4.0/5) – Full Crosstable
• 2013 – Scott Varagona (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2012 – Bryan Tillis / Charles Meidinger (4.5/6)  – Full Crosstable
• 2011 – Will Stevenson (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2010 – Emory Tate (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2009 – Bradley Denton / Will Stevenson (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2008 – Scott Varagona / Joe Jurjevich / Brent Inman / Alex Weiner (4.0/5) – Full Crosstable
• 2007 – Scott Varagona (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2006 – Joe Jurjevich / Brent Inman / Calvin Bomar (4.0/5) – Full Crosstable
• 2005 – Scott Varagona (4.0/5) – Full Crosstable
• 2004 – Gerald Larson / Ozgur Aktunc (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2003 – Joseph Marcrum (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2002 – Joe Jurjevich / Charles Meidinger / Scott Varagona (3.5/5) – Full Crosstable
• 2001 – Bill Melvin (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 2000 – Bill Melvin (5.0/7)  – Full Crosstable
• 1999 – Andy Reeder / Matthew Puckett (4.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 1998 – Bill Melvin (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 1997 – Bill Melvin / Andrew Whatley (4.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 1996 – Brent Inman / Rhodes Peele (4.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 1995 – Kyle Therrell / Bill Melvin / Andrew Whatley (5.5/7) – Full Crosstable
• 1994 – Charles Meidinger (7.0/7) – Full Crosstable
• 1993 – Scott Godfrey (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable
• 1992 – Kyle Therrell / Charles Meidinger / Bill Melvin (4.5/6) – Full Crosstable
• 1991 – Hisham Sunna / Charles Meidinger (4.5/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 17)
• 1990 – Bill Melvin (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 7)
• 1989 – Joe Jurjevich (6.0/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 12)
• 1988 – Mark Walton (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 7)
• 1987 – Kyle Therrell / Tom Denton (4.5/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 10)
• 1986 – Stuart Rachels (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 6)
• 1985 – Stuart Rachels (5.5/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 3)
• 1984 – Stuart Rachels (6.0/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 3)
• 1983 – Stuart Rachels / Tom Denton (6.0/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 4)
• 1982 – Kyle Therrell / Stuart Rachels (5.5/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 3)
• 1981 – Kyle Therrell (6.0/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 16)
• 1980 – Steve Hudson / Joe Jurjevich (5.0/6) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 4)
• 1979 – Steve Hudson (7.0/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 6)
• 1978 – Joe Jurjevich (6.5/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 9)
• 1977 – Fredrich Bittner (6.5/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 11)
• 1976 – Steve Hudson (6.5/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 7)
• 1975 – Elias Antonas (7.0/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 2)
• 1974 – Charles Irvine (7.0/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 2)
• 1973 – Charles Irvine (6.5/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 3)
• 1972 – Ken Williamson (5.5/7) – Full Crosstable (Pg. 2)
• 1971 – Ken Williamson (?/?)
• 1970 – Charles Irvine (?/7)
• 1969 – Charles Irvine (7.0/7)
• 1968 – Charles Cleveland (6.5/7)
• 1967 – Marty Appleberry (?/?)
• 1966 – Milan Momic (6.5/7)
• 1965 – Gordon Bates (6.0/6)
• 1964 – Brad Gambrell (6.0/7)
• 1963 – Milan Momic (7.0/7)
• 1962 – Milan Momic (7.0/7)
• 1961 – Brad Gambrell (7.0/7)
• 1960 – Rodney Baine (7.0/7)
• 1959 – Frand Di Paula (5.5/7)
• 1958 – Brade Wade (6.5/7)
• 1957 – Ken Williamson (5.0/7)
• 1956 – Michael Deleanu (6.0/7)
• 1955 – Edmund Godbold (5.5/7)
• 1954 – Gordon Bates (5.5/6)

For more details about the above records, please see the below spreadsheet, revised as of July 2022, written by Scott Varagona. If you have more information about some of these state champions or believe you can help us fill in some of the missing final scores and crosstables, contact Scott at alabama.chess.editor@gmail.com.

New State Champions List 2022

Highlights