Robert Huebner,
gold medal on board 1
The 20th Chess Olympiad took place from September 18 to October 13, 1972 in Skopje ( Yugoslavia , today in North Macedonia ). The venue was the Pavilion Halls .
Overview
Template: checkerboard / maintenance / new
63 teams took part, who determined the teams for the final groups A to D in eight preliminary groups. 373 players took part in the competition, including 35 grandmasters and 68 international masters. Round tournaments were held both in the opening groups and in the final groups . The first two teams per opening group qualified for the final group A. Wales, Malaysia, Syria and Iraq were there for the first time.
The tournament director was Jordan Ivanovski from Yugoslavia. Max Euwe from the Netherlands and Alexander Kotow from the Soviet Union acted as main 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 on the basis of board points (BP), team points (MP), direct comparison and a special Berger system.
Award for the best lot
The prize for the best game went to Vlastimil Hort (CSR) for his black win against Werner Hug (SUI).
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 b6 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. 0–0 Be7 6. d4 0–0 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4 Bxe4 9. Bf4 d6 10. Qd2 Nd7 11. Rfd1 h6 12. Ne1 f5 13. Bxe4 fxe4 14. Qc2 Nf6 15. f3 g5 16. Be3 De8 17. Kg2 Qh5 18. h3 Qg6 19.Rac1 Rf7 20. fxe4 g4 21. h4 e5 22. Qd3 Nxe4 23.Nc2 Raf8 24. Bg1 Bxh4 25.gxh4 Rf3 26.Ne3 Rg3 + 27.Kh1 Rf2 0: 1
Results
Preliminary round
Preliminary group 1
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
Soviet Union
●
3½
4th
2½
4th
4th
4th
22nd
12
6th
0
0
2
Denmark
½
●
3
2
2½
3
4th
15th
0 9
4th
1
1
3
Belgium
0
1
●
3
3
3½
3½
14th
0 8th
4th
0
2
4th
Cuba
1½
2
1
●
2½
2½
3½
13
0 7th
3
1
2
5
Finland
0
1½
1
1½
●
4th
3½
11½
0 4th
2
0
4th
6th
Dominican Republic
0
1
½
1½
0
●
3
0 6th
0 2
1
0
5
7th
Luxembourg
0
0
½
½
½
1
●
0 2½
0 0
0
0
6th
Preliminary group 2
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
Yugoslavia
●
2
3½
3
3
4th
3
4th
22½
13
6th
1
0
2
Switzerland
2
●
2
1½
2½
3½
3½
4th
19th
10
4th
2
1
3
Peru
½
2
●
2
2½
4th
4th
4th
19th
10
4th
2
1
4th
England
1
2½
2
●
3
2½
3½
4th
18½
11
5
1
1
5
Brazil
1
1½
1½
1
●
3½
4th
3
15½
0 6th
3
0
4th
6th
Japan
0
½
0
1½
½
●
2½
3
0 8th
0 4th
2
0
5
7th
Syria
1
½
0
½
0
1½
●
1½
0 5
0 0
0
0
7th
8th
Cyprus
0
0
0
0
1
1
2½
●
0 4½
0 2
1
0
6th
Preliminary group 3
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
Hungary
●
2
3
3½
3
4th
4th
4th
23½
13
6th
1
0
2
Poland
2
●
2½
3
4th
3
4th
3½
22nd
13
6th
1
0
3
Norway
1
1½
●
3½
3
3½
3½
4th
20th
10
5
0
2
4th
Indonesia
½
1
½
●
3½
3
4th
3
15½
0 8th
4th
0
3
5
Scotland
1
0
1
½
●
3½
2½
3
11½
0 6th
3
0
4th
6th
Bolivia
0
1
½
1
½
●
2
3
0 8th
0 3
1
1
5
7th
Morocco
0
0
½
0
1½
2
●
2½
0 6½
0 3
1
1
5
8th
Lebanon
0
½
0
1
1
1
1½
●
0 5
0 0
0
0
7th
Preliminary group 4
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
BR Germany
●
4th
3½
4th
3
3½
3
4th
25th
14th
7th
0
0
2
Argentina
0
●
3
2½
2
4th
3
4th
18½
11
5
1
1
3
Iceland
½
1
●
2½
3½
3
3½
3½
17½
10
5
0
2
4th
Greece
0
1½
1½
●
3
1½
2½
4th
14th
0 6th
3
0
4th
5
New Zealand
1
2
½
1
●
2
3
4th
13½
0 6th
2
2
3
6th
Mexico
½
0
1
2½
2
●
2
3
11
0 6th
2
2
3
7th
France
1
1
½
1½
1
2
●
3½
10½
0 3
1
1
5
8th
guernsey
0
0
½
0
0
1
½
●
0 2
0 0
0
0
7th
Preliminary group 5
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
Czechoslovakia
●
3
3½
3
2
4th
4th
4th
23½
13
6th
1
0
2
Spain
1
●
2½
2½
4th
1½
4th
4th
19½
10
5
0
2
3
Mongolia
½
1½
●
2
3½
2½
4th
3½
17½
0 9
4th
1
2
4th
Israel
1
1½
2
●
2
3
3½
4th
17th
0 8th
3
2
2
5
Portugal
2
0
½
2
●
2½
3½
3
13½
0 8th
3
2
2
6th
Ireland
0
2½
1½
1
1½
●
3
3
12½
0 6th
3
0
4th
7th
Hong Kong
0
0
0
½
½
1
●
3½
0 5½
0 2
1
0
6th
8th
Malaysia
0
0
½
0
1
1
½
●
0 3
0 0
0
0
7th
Preliminary group 6
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
GDR
●
3
2½
3
3½
3½
4th
4th
23½
14th
7th
0
0
2
Sweden
1
●
2½
2
3½
4th
3
4th
20th
11
5
1
1
3
Canada
1½
1½
●
2½
2½
2½
4th
3½
18th
10
5
0
2
4th
Italy
1
2
1½
●
2½
2½
4th
3½
17th
0 9
4th
1
2
5
Wales
½
½
½
1½
●
2½
3
3
11½
0 6th
3
0
4th
6th
Turkey
½
0
1½
1½
1½
●
1½
3½
10
0 2
1
0
6th
7th
Singapore
0
1
1½
0
1
2½
●
3
0 9
0 4th
2
0
5
8th
Malta
0
0
0
½
1
½
1
●
0 3
0 0
0
0
7th
Preliminary round group 7
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
Bulgaria
●
1½
3
2
2½
3½
4th
4th
20½
11
5
1
1
2
Netherlands
2½
●
2
2½
3
2
4th
4th
20th
12
5
2
0
3
Albania
1
2
●
2½
3½
3½
4th
3
19½
11
5
1
1
4th
Colombia
2
1½
1½
●
2
3½
2½
3
16
0 8th
3
2
2
5
Australia
1½
1
½
2
●
4th
3
4th
16
0 7th
3
1
3
6th
Puerto Rico
½
2
½
½
0
●
4th
3
10½
0 5
2
1
4th
7th
Iraq
0
0
0
1½
1
0
●
3
0 5½
0 2
1
0
6th
8th
Andorra
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
●
0 4th
0 0
0
0
7th
Preliminary group 8
Rg
team
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
United States
●
2
2
3
3½
3
4th
4th
21½
12
5
2
0
2
Romania
2
●
2
2
3
3½
4th
4th
20½
11
4th
3
0
3
Philippines
2
2
●
2
3½
2
4th
4th
19½
10
3
4th
0
4th
Austria
1
2
2
●
3½
2
2½
3½
16½
0 9
3
3
1
5
Tunisia
½
1
½
½
●
4th
3
4th
13½
0 6th
3
0
4th
6th
Iran
1
½
2
2
0
●
4th
3½
13
0 6th
2
2
3
7th
Faroe Islands
0
0
0
1½
1
0
●
4th
0 6½
0 2
1
0
6th
8th
Virgin Islands
0
0
0
½
0
½
0
●
0 1
0 0
0
0
7th
Finals
Final round A
Rg
team
code
1
2
3
4th
5
6th
7th
8th
9
10
11
12
13
14th
15th
16
BP
MP
+
=
-
1
Soviet Union
URS
●
1½
2½
2
2½
2½
3
2½
3
3½
3½
3
3½
2
3
4th
42
26th
12
2
1
2
Hungary
HUN
2½
●
2½
2½
2
2½
2½
2½
2½
3½
3½
3
2
4th
1½
3½
40½
26th
12
2
1
3
Yugoslavia
YUG
1½
1½
●
1½
2
2
2
3
3
2½
3
3
3½
3
2½
4th
38
21st
9
3
3
4th
Czechoslovakia
CSR
2
1½
2½
●
1½
2½
2½
2½
2
1½
1½
2½
3½
2½
4th
3
35½
20th
9
2
4th
5
FRG
GER
1½
2
2
2½
●
2½
2½
2½
2½
2½
2½
2
2
3
2
3
35
23
9
5
1
6th
Bulgaria
BUL
1½
1½
2
1½
1½
●
2½
3
2½
2½
2
2½
2½
2
2½
2
32
18th
7th
4th
4th
7th
Romania
ROME
1
1½
2
1½
1½
1½
●
2
2
3
2½
2½
2½
3½
2
2½
31½
16
6th
4th
5
8th
Netherlands
NED
1½
1½
1
1½
1½
1
2
●
2½
3
3
2
2½
1½
2
2½
29
13
5
3
7th
9
United States
United States
1
1½
1
2
1½
1½
2
1½
●
2½
3
3
1½
2½
2½
2
29
13
5
3
7th
10
GDR
GDR
½
½
1½
2½
1½
1½
1
1
1½
●
2½
2
2
3
4th
2½
27½
12
5
2
8th
11
Spain
ESP
½
½
1
2½
1½
2
1½
1
1
1½
●
2
3½
3
1½
3
26th
10
4th
2
9
12
Poland
POLE
1
1
1
1½
2
1½
1½
2
1
2
2
●
2
2
2
2
24½
0 8th
0
8th
7th
13
Denmark
THE
½
2
½
½
2
1½
1½
1½
2½
2
½
2
●
2
2½
1½
23
0 9
2
5
8th
14th
Argentina
ARG
2
0
1
1½
1
2
½
2½
1½
1
1
2
2
●
2½
2
22½
0 9
2
5
8th
15th
Sweden
SWE
1
2½
1½
0
2
1½
2
2
1½
0
2½
2
1½
1½
●
1
22½
0 8th
2
4th
9
16
Switzerland
SUI
0
½
0
1
1
2
1½
1½
2
1½
1
2
2½
2
3
●
21½
0 8th
2
4th
9
Final round B
Rg
team
code
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
23
24
25th
26th
27
28
29
30th
31
BP
MP
+
=
-
17th
England
CLOSELY
●
2½
2
2½
3
2
2½
3½
2½
3½
3
3
3
1½
2½
2½
37
24
11
2
1
18th
Israel
ISR
1½
●
3
1½
3½
2
2½
3
2
3½
2½
3
3½
3
2
36½
21st
9
3
2
19th
Canada
CAN
2
1
●
1
2½
2½
2
2½
2
3
3
2½
2½
4th
2½
1½
33
21st
9
3
2
20th
Philippines
PHI
1½
2½
3
●
1½
2½
½
2
3
2½
1
2
3
2½
3½
31½
18th
8th
2
4th
21st
Norway
NOR
1
½
1½
2½
●
1
1½
3
3
2
2
3½
3
3
3
1
30½
16
7th
2
5
22nd
Cuba
CUB
2
2
1½
1½
3
●
3
1½
2½
2
2½
2
2
2
2½
2½
30th
16
5
6th
3
23
Austria
AUT
1½
1½
2
3½
2½
1
●
2
2½
2½
1½
1
3½
2
3
3
30th
16
5
6th
3
24
Iceland
ISL
½
1
1½
2
1
2½
2
●
2
3
2½
2½
2
2½
4th
3½
29
16
6th
4th
4th
25th
Colombia
COL
1½
2
2
½
1
1½
1½
2
●
2
3
2
2½
2½
3
2½
27
13
4th
5
5
26th
Indonesia
INA
½
½
1
1½
2
2
1½
1
2
●
3½
1½
3
4th
1½
2
25½
0 9
3
3
8th
27
Italy
ITA
1
1½
1
3
2
1½
2½
1½
1
½
●
1
2½
2
4th
1½
25th
10
4th
2
8th
28
Mongolia
MGL
1
1
1½
2
½
2
3
1½
2
2½
3
●
1
2½
1
24½
11
4th
3
7th
29
Greece
GRE
1
½
1½
1
1
2
½
2
1½
1
1½
3
●
2½
2
21st
0 7th
2
3
9
30th
Belgium
BEL
2½
1
0
1½
1
2
2
1½
1½
0
2
1½
1½
●
2½
1
20½
0 7th
2
3
9
31
Peru
BY
1½
2
1½
½
1
1½
1
0
1
2½
0
3
2
1½
●
19th
0 6th
2
3
9
Albania
ALB
1½
2½
3
1½
1
½
1½
2
2½
3
●
The team from Albania did not play against Israel in round 8 for political reasons and left the tournament after three more rounds. She was taken out of the evaluation. The results achieved so far are listed here, but not included in the overall ratings.
Final round C
Rg
team
code
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
BP
MP
+
=
-
32
Australia
OUT
●
3
2
3
2
3½
3½
3
3
4th
3
2½
3
3
2½
4th
45
28
13
2
0
33
Finland
FIN
1
●
3
2
2
3½
2½
3
2
3½
2½
3½
2½
3
4th
4th
42
25th
11
3
1
34
Scotland
SCO
2
1
●
2
2½
2½
2½
1½
3
2½
2
2½
3½
3½
4th
4th
39
23
10
3
2
35
Iran
IRI
1
2
2
●
3½
3
1
1½
2½
3
3
3
3
3½
3
2½
37½
22nd
10
2
3
36
Brazil
BRA
2
2
1½
½
●
1½
2
2½
3
2½
2
2
3½
3
4th
3½
35½
19th
7th
5
3
37
Portugal
POR
½
½
1½
1
2½
●
1½
3½
2
2½
2
2½
2
4th
3
3½
32½
17th
7th
3
5
38
Turkey
DOOR
½
1½
1½
3
2
2½
●
1½
3½
4th
1
2
1½
2
2
2½
31
14th
5
4th
6th
39
Ireland
IRISHMAN
1
1
2½
2½
1½
½
2½
●
2½
1
2
2
2
1½
3½
2½
28½
15th
6th
3
6th
40
Puerto Rico
PURE
1
2
1
1½
1
2
½
1½
●
2½
4th
2½
2
3½
2
1½
28½
12
4th
4th
7th
41
Mexico
MEX
0
½
1½
1
1½
1½
0
3
1½
●
3
3
2
3
2
3
26½
12
5
2
8th
42
Tunisia
TO DO
1
1½
2
1
2
2
3
2
0
1
●
2
1½
2
2½
3
26½
12
3
6th
6th
43
Wales
WHALE
1½
½
1½
1
2
1½
2
2
1½
1
2
●
2
2½
2
3½
26½
10
2
6th
7th
44
New Zealand
NZL
1
1½
½
1
½
2
2½
2
2
2
2½
2
●
1
2
2½
25th
12
3
6th
6th
45
Dominican Republic
DOM
1
1
½
½
1
0
2
2½
½
1
2
1½
3
●
2½
2½
21½
10
4th
2
9
46
Bolivia
BOL
1½
0
0
1
0
1
2
½
2
2
1½
2
2
1½
●
2
19th
0 6th
0
6th
9
47
Japan
JPN
0
0
0
1½
½
½
1½
1½
2½
1
1
½
1½
1½
2
●
15½
0 3
1
1
13
Final round D
Rg
team
code
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
BP
MP
+
=
-
48
France
FRA
●
2
3
4th
3
4th
1½
2½
3½
3
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
46½
25th
12
1
1
49
Singapore
SIN
2
●
3½
3
3½
3
2½
3½
2½
3
3½
2½
4th
3
3
42½
27
13
1
0
50
Malta
MLT
1
½
●
2½
3
1
3½
2½
2
2½
2½
2
3½
3
2½
32
20th
9
2
3
51
Hong Kong
HKG
0
1
1½
●
1½
2½
3½
1½
2
2½
3
3
3½
2½
2½
30½
17th
8th
1
5
52
Lebanon
LIB
1
½
1
2½
●
2
2½
2½
2
2
2
3
2½
3
3½
30th
18th
7th
4th
3
53
Luxembourg
LUX
0
1
3
1½
2
●
2
3
2½
3½
2
3
½
2½
3
29½
17th
7th
3
4th
54
Faroe Islands
FAR
2½
1½
½
½
1½
2
●
1½
3½
2½
2½
2½
2
2½
3½
29
16
7th
2
5
55
Syria
SYR
1½
½
1½
2½
1½
1
2½
●
2
1
1½
2½
3½
3½
3
28
13
6th
1
7th
56
Cyprus
CYP
½
1½
2
2
2
1½
½
2
●
2½
2
2½
3
2½
3
27½
15th
5
5
4th
57
Morocco
MAR
1
1
1½
1½
2
½
1½
3
1½
●
2½
2½
1½
2
4th
26th
10
4th
2
8th
58
Andorra
AND
0
½
1½
1
2
2
1½
2½
2
1½
●
2½
1
2½
3½
24
11
4th
3
7th
59
Malaysia
MAS
0
1½
2
1
1
1
1½
1½
1½
1½
1½
●
2½
2½
4th
23
0 7th
3
1
10
60
guernsey
GCI
0
0
½
½
1½
3½
2
½
1
2½
3
1½
●
1½
2½
20½
0 9
4th
1
9
61
Iraq
IRQ
0
1
1
1½
1
1½
1½
½
1½
2
1½
1½
2½
●
3½
20½
0 5
2
1
11
62
Virgin Islands
VIR
0
1
1½
1½
½
1
½
1
1
0
½
0
1½
½
●
10½
0 0
0
0
14th
Best individual percentage results
Board, place
Name first Name
code
group
Result
percent
Board 1
1
Huebner, Robert
GER
A.
15 from 18
83.3
2
Hort, Vlastimil
CSR
A.
14½ from 18
80.6
3
Browne, Walter Shawn
OUT
C.
17½ from 22
79.5
Board 2
1
Korchnoi, Viktor
URS
A.
11 out of 15
73.3
2
Bilek, István
HUN
A.
11½ from 16
71.9
3
Hartston, William Roland
CLOSELY
B.
12 of 17
70.6
Board 3
1
Ljubojević, Ljubomir
YUG
A.
15½ from 19
81.6
2
Smyslov, Vassily
URS
A.
11 of 14
78.6
3
Cuartas, Carlos Enrique
COL
B.
13 from 18
72.2
Board 4
1
Tal, Mikhail
URS
A.
14 out of 16
87.5
2
Kaldor, Avraham
ISR
B.
12½ from 16
78.1
3
Biyiasas, Peter
CAN
B.
11½ from 15
76.7
Reserve 1
1
Karpov, Anatoly
URS
A.
13 out of 15
86.7
2
Balshan, Amikam
ISR
B.
13 out of 16
81.3
3
Sawadkuhi, Massoud Amir
IRI
C.
12 out of 15
80.0
3
Rantanen, Yrjö
FIN
C.
12 out of 15
80.0
Reserve 2
1
Haik, Aldo
FRA
D.
11 out of 12
91.7
2
Shaw, Terrey Ian
OUT
C.
11 out of 15
73.3
3
Dueball, Jürgen
GER
A.
9 out of 13
69.2
Team of the Soviet Union (Olympic Champion)
Results from preliminary group 1 and final group A.
Results of the West German players (FRG)
Results from preliminary group 4 and final group A.
Results of the East German players (GDR)
Results from preliminary group 6 and final group A
Team lineups
Web links
<img src="https://de.wikipedia.org//de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" title="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;">