The Icelandic Chess Championship is usually held in Reykjavík. It is organised by the Icelandic Chess Federation (ICF), the body responsible for holding national chess events and for representing Icelandic chess at the World Chess Federation (FIDE). The ICF was founded in 1925 and its main activities include the national chess championship and the bi-annual 'Reykjavik Open' tournament.
The 1998 championship was held in Árborg from 27 October to 7 November. The twelve-player single round-robin tournament (average Elo rating 2335) was won by GM Hannes Stefánsson with 8.0/11 a half point ahead of GM Helgi Grétarsson.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1913 | Pétur Zóphóniasson |
| 1914 | Pétur Zóphóniasson |
| 1915 | Pétur Zóphóniasson |
| 1916 | Pétur Zóphóniasson |
| 1917 | Pétur Zóphóniasson |
| 1918 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1919 | Stefán Olafsson |
| 1920 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1921 | Stefán Olafsson |
| 1922 | Stefán Olafsson |
| 1923 | Friman Olafsson |
| 1924 | Sigurdur Jónsson |
| 1925 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1926 | Sigurdur Jónsson |
| 1927 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1928 | Einar Thorvaldsson |
| 1929 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1930 | Hannes Hafstein |
| 1931 | Ásmundur Ásgeirsson |
| 1932 | Jón Gudmundsson |
| 1933 | Ásmundur Ásgeirsson |
| 1934 | Ásmundur Ásgeirsson |
| 1935 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1936 | Jón Gudmundsson |
| 1937 | Jón Gudmundsson |
| 1938 | Baldur Möller |
| 1939* | Baldur Möller |
| 1940 | Einar Thorvaldsson |
| 1941 | Baldur Möller |
| 1942 | Eggert Gilfer |
| 1943 | Baldur Möller |
| 1944 | Ásmundur Ásgeirsson |
| 1945 | Ásmundur Ásgeirsson |
| 1946 | Ásmundur Ásgeirsson |
| 1947 | Baldur Möller |
| 1948 | Baldur Möller |
| 1949 | Gudmundur Arnlaugsson |
| 1950 | Baldur Möller |
| 1951 | Lárus Johnsen |
| 1952 | Friðrik Ólafsson |
| 1953 | Friðrik Ólafsson |
| 1954 | Gudmundur S Gudmundsson |
| 1955* | Gudmundur S Gudmundsson |
| 1956 | Ingi Randver Jóhannsson |
| 1957 | Friðrik Ólafsson |
| 1958 | Ingi Randver Jóhannsson |
| 1959 | Ingi Randver Jóhannsson |
| 1960 | Freysteinn Thorbergsson |
| 1961 | Friðrik Ólafsson |
| 1962 | Friðrik Ólafsson |
| 1963 | Ingi Randver Jóhannsson |
| 1964 | Helgi Ólafsson (snr.) |
| 1965 | Guðmundur Sigurjónsson |
| 1966 | Gunnar Kristinn Gunnarsson |
| 1967 | Björn Thorsteinsson |
| 1968 | Guðmundur Sigurjónsson |
| 1969 | Friðrik Ólafsson |
| 1970 | Olafur Magnússon |
| 1971 | Jón Kristinsson |
| 1972 | Guðmundur Sigurjónsson |
| 1973 | Olafur Magnússon |
| 1974 | Jón Kristinsson |
| 1975 | Björn Thorsteinsson |
| 1976 | Haukur Angantýsson |
| 1977 | Jón Arnason |
| 1978 | Helgi Ólafsson |
| 1979 | Ingvar Ásmundsson |
| 1980 | Jóhann Hjartarson |
| 1981 | Helgi Ólafsson |
| 1982 | Jón Arnason |
| 1983 | Hilmar Karlsson |
| 1984 | Jóhann Hjartarson |
| 1985 | Karl Thorsteins |
| 1986 | Margeir Pétursson |
| 1987 | Margeir Pétursson |
| 1988 | Jón Arnason |
| 1989 | Karl Thorsteins |
| 1990 | Hédinn Steingrimsson |
| 1991 | Helgi Ólafsson |
| 1992 | Helgi Ólafsson |
| 1993 | Helgi Ólafsson |
| 1994 | Jóhann Hjartarson |
| 1995 | Jóhann Hjartarson |
| 1996 | Helgi Ólafsson |
| 1997 | Jóhann Hjartarson |
| 1998 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 1999 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2000 | Jón Viktor Gunnarsson |
| 2001 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2002 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2003 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2004 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2005 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2006 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2007 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2008 | Hannes Stefánsson |
| 2009 | Henrik Danielsen |
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Lenka Ptacnikova |
Note - no contest was held on the years denoted *. The incumbent champion therefore retained his title.