Chess Olympiad 1956
The 12th Chess Olympiad took place from August 31 to September 25, 1956 in Moscow ( Soviet Union ).
Overview
34 teams took part, who determined the teams for the final groups A to C in four preliminary groups. 197 players took part in the competition, including 20 grandmasters and 35 international champions. Both the opening groups and the final groups A to C were held as round-robin tournaments. The first three teams in each preliminary group qualified for final group A.
It was played in the Central Theater of the Red Army . Igor Bondarevsky from the Soviet Union and Ari Ilmakunnas from Finland acted as referees . The time to consider was two and a half hours for 40 trains, then one hour for 16 trains each time. The placements were determined based on the board points (BP) and team points (MP).
For the first time, the starting field included teams from the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Iran, Mongolia and India.
Results
Preliminary round
- Preliminary group 1
Rg | team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Soviet Union | ● | 2½ | 2½ | 4th | 3 | 4th | 4th | 3½ | 23½ | 14th | 7th | 0 | 0 |
2 | Bulgaria | 1½ | ● | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3½ | 3½ | 19½ | 12 | 6th | 0 | 1 |
3 | Switzerland | 1½ | 1 | ● | 3½ | 2 | 3 | 4th | 3 | 18th | 9 | 4th | 1 | 2 |
4th | Poland | 0 | 1½ | ½ | ● | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4th | 15th | 8th | 4th | 0 | 3 |
5 | Sweden | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | ● | 2½ | 3 | 3½ | 14½ | 7th | 3 | 1 | 3 |
6th | Norway | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1½ | ● | 2 | 2½ | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
7th | Puerto Rico | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ● | 2½ | 7th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
8th | Saarland | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1½ | 1½ | ● | 5½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7th |
- Preliminary group 2
Rg | team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yugoslavia | ● | 2½ | 3 | 3½ | 3½ | 3 | 4th | 4th | 23½ | 14th | 7th | 0 | 0 |
2 | Israel | 1½ | ● | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 4th | 3½ | 18th | 9 | 4th | 1 | 2 |
3 | Denmark | 1 | 2½ | ● | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4th | 3 | 16½ | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
4th | Netherlands | ½ | 2 | 2 | ● | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 4th | 2 | 1 |
5 | Austria | ½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | ● | 1½ | 2½ | 4th | 13 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4th |
6th | France | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | 2½ | ● | 1½ | 3 | 12½ | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4th |
7th | Mongolia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | ● | 2½ | 7½ | 4th | 2 | 0 | 5 |
8th | Scotland | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1½ | ● | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7th |
- Preliminary group 3
Rg | team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Argentina | ● | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 3½ | 2½ | 4th | 4th | 4th | 24 | 13 | 6th | 1 | 1 |
2 | BR Germany | 1½ | ● | 2½ | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 4th | 3½ | 4th | 23 | 13 | 6th | 1 | 1 |
3 | England | 2½ | 1½ | ● | 2 | 2½ | 3½ | 4th | 3 | 3½ | 22½ | 13 | 6th | 1 | 1 |
4th | Iceland | 2 | 2 | 2 | ● | 1 | 2½ | 3 | 4th | 4th | 20½ | 11 | 4th | 3 | 1 |
5 | Chile | ½ | 1½ | 1½ | 3 | ● | 2½ | 1½ | 3½ | 3½ | 17½ | 8th | 4th | 0 | 4th |
6th | Finland | 1½ | 1 | ½ | 1½ | 1½ | ● | 2 | 3½ | 3 | 14½ | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
7th | India | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2½ | 2 | ● | 3½ | 3½ | 12½ | 7th | 3 | 1 | 4th |
8th | Luxembourg | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ● | 2½ | 5½ | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7th |
9 | Ireland | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1½ | ● | 4th | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8th |
- Preliminary group 4
Rg | team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hungary | ● | 2½ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 3½ | 4th | 23 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
2 | Romania | 1½ | ● | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 3½ | 4th | 3 | 21½ | 13 | 6th | 1 | 1 |
3 | Czechoslovakia | 2 | 2 | ● | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 4th | 3 | 4th | 21½ | 12 | 4th | 4th | 0 |
4th | GDR | 2 | 1½ | 2 | ● | 1 | 2½ | 3 | 4th | 2½ | 18½ | 10 | 4th | 2 | 2 |
5 | Colombia | 2 | 1½ | 1½ | 3 | ● | 2 | 1½ | 4th | 2½ | 18th | 8th | 3 | 2 | 3 |
6th | Belgium | ½ | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2 | ● | 3 | 2½ | 1½ | 14½ | 6th | 2 | 2 | 4th |
7th | Philippines | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 2½ | 1 | ● | 1½ | 3 | 10 | 4th | 2 | 0 | 6th |
8th | Greece | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1½ | 2½ | ● | 3 | 8½ | 4th | 2 | 0 | 6th |
9 | Iran | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1½ | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1 | ● | 8½ | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7th |
Finals
- Final group A
Rg | team | code | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Soviet Union | URS | ● | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 4th | 3 | 3½ | 2½ | 2½ | 31 | 20th | 10 | 0 | 1 |
2 | Yugoslavia | YUG | 1½ | ● | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2½ | 26½ | 17th | 7th | 3 | 1 |
3 | Hungary | HUN | 2½ | 2 | ● | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 4th | 26½ | 16 | 6th | 4th | 1 |
4th | Argentina | ARG | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | ● | 1½ | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 1½ | 1½ | 3½ | 23 | 10 | 4th | 2 | 5 |
5 | FRG | GER | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | ● | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 22nd | 12 | 5 | 2 | 4th |
6th | Bulgaria | BUL | 1½ | 1 | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | ● | 2 | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | 22nd | 10 | 4th | 2 | 5 |
7th | Czechoslovakia | CSR | ½ | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | 2½ | 2 | ● | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 20½ | 9 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
8th | England | CLOSELY | 0 | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 2 | ● | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | 2 | 20th | 10 | 3 | 4th | 4th |
9 | Switzerland | SUI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2½ | 1 | 2½ | 1½ | ● | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 19th | 9 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
10 | Denmark | THE | ½ | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | 1½ | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 2 | ● | 3 | 1 | 19th | 8th | 3 | 2 | 6th |
11 | Romania | ROME | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | ● | 2 | 19th | 7th | 2 | 3 | 6th |
12 | Israel | ISR | 1½ | 1½ | 0 | ½ | 1½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 3 | 2 | ● | 15½ | 4th | 1 | 2 | 8th |
- Final group B
Rg | team | code | 13 | 14th | 15th | 16 | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st | 22nd | 23 | 24 | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | Austria | AUT | ● | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 28 | 18th | 8th | 2 | 1 |
14th | Iceland | ISL | 2 | ● | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 1½ | 27 | 15th | 6th | 3 | 2 |
15th | Sweden | SWE | 4th | 2 | ● | 2½ | 2½ | 3½ | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 26½ | 14th | 6th | 2 | 3 |
16 | Belgium | BEL | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | ● | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 23½ | 13 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
17th | Finland | FIN | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 1 | ● | 3 | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 22½ | 11 | 4th | 3 | 4th |
18th | Colombia | COL | 1½ | 1 | ½ | 2 | 1 | ● | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 21st | 11 | 4th | 3 | 4th |
19th | Netherlands | NED | ½ | 1 | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 2 | ● | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1½ | 1 | 21st | 10 | 4th | 2 | 5 |
20th | GDR | GDR | 1 | ½ | 2½ | 2½ | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | ● | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 20½ | 10 | 5 | 0 | 6th |
21st | France | FRA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | ● | 1½ | 2 | 4th | 19½ | 7th | 2 | 3 | 6th |
22nd | Chile | CHI | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2½ | ● | 2½ | 3 | 19th | 9 | 4th | 1 | 6th |
23 | Poland | POLE | 1½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | ● | 2½ | 19th | 7th | 2 | 3 | 6th |
24 | Norway | NOR | ½ | 2½ | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1½ | ● | 16½ | 7th | 3 | 1 | 7th |
- Final group C
Rg | team | code | 25th | 26th | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30th | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | BP | MP | + | = | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th | Philippines | PHI | ● | 1½ | 1½ | 3½ | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4th | 24 | 13 | 6th | 1 | 2 |
26th | Saarland | SAA | 2½ | ● | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 4th | 23 | 15th | 6th | 3 | 0 |
27 | India | IND | 2½ | 2 | ● | 2 | 3½ | 1½ | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 2 | 20½ | 11 | 4th | 3 | 2 |
28 | Iran | IRI | ½ | 1½ | 2 | ● | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 1½ | 3 | 3½ | 19th | 9 | 4th | 1 | 4th |
29 | Puerto Rico | PURE | 1 | 2 | ½ | 2½ | ● | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2½ | 18½ | 11 | 4th | 3 | 2 |
30th | Mongolia | MGL | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | ● | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 18½ | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
31 | Scotland | SCO | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | ● | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 17½ | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
32 | Greece | GRE | 1 | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | ● | 3 | 3½ | 17th | 7th | 3 | 1 | 5 |
33 | Ireland | IRISHMAN | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ● | 1½ | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6th |
34 | Luxembourg | LUX | 0 | 0 | 2 | ½ | 1½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 2½ | ● | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7th |
Best individual percentage results
Board, place Name first Name code Size BP Pn % Board 1 1 Larsen, Bent THE A. 14th 18th 77.8 2 Botvinnik, Mikhail URS A. 9½ 13 73.1 3 Ólafsson, Friðrik ISL B. 13 18th 72.2 Board 2 1 Dückstein, Andreas AUT B. 13 17th 76.5 2 Matanović, Aleksandar YUG A. 11½ 16 71.9 2 Barcza, Gedeon HUN A. 11½ 16 71.9 Board 3 1 Keres, Paul URS A. 9½ 12 79.2 2 Ivkov, Borislav YUG A. 12 16 75.0 3 Möller, Baldur ISL B. 11 16 68.8 Board 4 1 Bronstein, Dawid URS A. 11 13 84.6 2 Tan PHI C. 13 17th 76.5 3 Tringov, Georgi BUL A. 9 12 75.0 Reserve 1 1 Sanguineti, Raúl ARG A. 9 11 88.8 2 Clarke, Peter Hugh CLOSELY A. 9½ 12 79.2 3 Taimanow, Mark URS A. 8½ 11 77.3 Reserve 2 1 Geller, Efim URS A. 7½ 10 75.0 2 Ljungqvist, Lennart SWE B. 7th 10 70.0 3 Milev, Zdravko BUL A. 9 13 69.2
Team of the Soviet Union (Olympic Champion)
Results from preliminary group 1 and final group A.
board Name first Name BP Lots % Pl 1 Botvinnik, Mikhail 9½ 13 73.1 2. 2 Smyslow, Vasily 8½ 13 65.4 4th 3 Keres, Paul 9½ 12 79.2 1. 4th Bronstein, David 11 13 84.6 1. Res 1 Taimanow, Mark 8½ 11 77.3 3. Res 2 Geller, Efim 7½ 10 75.0 1.
Results of the West German players (FRG)
Results from preliminary group 3 and final group A.
board Name first Name BP Lots % Pl 1 Unzicker, Wolfgang 11 18th 61.1 8th. 2 Schmid, Lothar 7½ 13 57.7 10. 3 Darga, Klaus 7½ 14th 53.6 17th 4th Pfeiffer, Gerhard 7½ 11 68.2 5. Res 1 Niephaus, Walter 6½ 10 65.0 5. Res 2 Teschner, Rudolf 5 10 50.0 7th
Results of the Swiss players
Results from preliminary group 1 and final group A.
board Name first Name BP Lots % Pl 1 Blue, Maximilian 9½ 17th 55.9 14th 2 Bhend, Edwin 6½ 16 40.6 22nd 3 Walther, Edgar 10½ 17th 61.8 6th 4th Keller, Dieter 8th 16 50.0 12. Res Johner, Hans 2½ 6th 41.7
Results of the East German players (GDR)
Results from preliminary group 4 and final group B
board Name first Name BP Lots % Pl 1 Uhlmann, Wolfgang 8th 16 50.0 16. 2 Dittmann, Sieghart 5½ 14th 39.3 25th 3 Herrmann, Ludwig 6½ 14th 46.4 21st 4th Fuchs, Reinhart 9½ 15th 63.3 7th Res 1 Koch, Berthold 3½ 7th 50.0 Res 2 Place, Hans 6th 10 60.0 4th
Results of the Saarland players
Results from preliminary group 1 and final group C
board Name first Name BP Lots % space 1 Otto Benkner 5 13 38.5 28. 2 Gerhard Lorson 7th 15th 46.7 17th 3 Ernst Weichselbaumer 6½ 12 54.2 13. 4th Werner Folz 4½ 10 45.0 20th Res 1 Gerhard Both 1 5 20.0 Res 2 Peter Schmitt 6½ 9 50.0
Team lineups
Web links
- 12th Chess Olympiad: Moscow 1956 on Olimpbase (English)
- Report from "Sowetski sport"