12th Chess Olympiad

1956 chess tournament in Moscow, Russia right|thumb|150px|The official logo of the Olympiad The 12th Chess Olympiad (ru 12-я Шахматная олимпиада, 12-ya Shakhmatnaya olimpiada), organized by the FIDE and comprising a team tournament, took place between August 31 and September 25, 1956, in Moscow, Soviet Union. The host nation were double defending champions and naturally huge favourites, and they lived up to expectations. Although their victory margin wasn't as big as two years before, they still won comfortably, with Yugoslavia and Hungary taking home the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Results Preliminaries A total of 34 teams entered the competition and were divided into four preliminary groups of eight or nine teams. The top three from each group advanced to Final A, the teams placed 4th–6th to Final B, and the rest to Final C. All groups and finals were played as round-robin tournaments. Group 1 was won by the Soviet hosts, well ahead of Bulgaria and Switzerland. Poland, Sweden, and Norway took the places 4–6, while Puerto Rico and Saar finished at the bottom of the group. Yugoslavia took first place in group 2, ahead of Israel and Denmark. Netherlands, Austria, and France made up the middle part of the group, while Mongolia and Scotland had to settle for the bottom. Group 3 was won by Argentina, ahead of West Germany and England. Iceland, Chile, and Finland took the places 4–6, while India, Luxembourg, and Ireland finished at the bottom of the group. Hungary clinched group 4, ahead of Romania and Czechoslovakia. East Germany, Colombia, and Belgium made up the middle part of the group, while the Philippines, Greece, and Iran completed the field. Group 1 Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 + − = Points «A» URS 1955 - 2½ 2½ 4 3 4 4 3½ 7 0 0 23½ «A» Bulgaria 1948 1½ - 3 2½ 2½ 3 3½ 3½ 6 1 0 19½ «A» Switzerland 1½ 1 - 3½ 2 3 4 3 4 2 1 18 «B» POL 1928 0 1½ ½ - 3 3 3 4 4 3 0 15 «B» Sweden 1 1½ 2 1 - 2½ 3 3½ 3 3 1 14½ «B» 0 1 1 1 1½ - 2 2½ 1 5 1 9 «C» PUR 1952 0 ½ 0 1 1 2 - 2½ 1 5 1 7 «C» Saar ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1½ 1½ - 0 7 0 5½ Group 2 Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 + − = Points «A» - 2½ 3 3½ 3½ 3 4 4 7 0 0 23½ «A» 1½ - 1½ 2 3 2½ 4 3½ 4 2 1 18 «A» 1 2½ - 2 2 2 4 3 3 1 3 16½ «B» Netherlands ½ 2 2 - 2½ 3 3 3 4 1 2 16 «B» ½ 1 2 1½ - 1½ 2½ 4 2 4 1 13 «B» FRA 1794 1 1½ 2 1 2½ - 1½ 3 2 4 1 12½ «C» Mongolia 1945 0 0 0 1 1½ 2½ - 2½ 2 5 0 7½ «C» 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 1½ - 0 7 0 5 Group 3 Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + − = Points «A» - 2½ 1½ 2 3½ 2½ 4 4 4 6 1 1 24 «A» 1½ - 2½ 2 2½ 3 4 3½ 4 6 1 1 23 «A» England 2½ 1½ - 2 2½ 3½ 4 3 3½ 6 1 1 22½ «B» 2 2 2 - 1 2½ 3 4 4 4 1 3 20½ «B» Chile ½ 1½ 1½ 3 - 2½ 1½ 3½ 3½ 4 4 0 17½ «B» 1½ 1 ½ 1½ 1½ - 2 3½ 3 2 5 1 14½ «C» India 0 0 0 1 2½ 2 - 3½ 3½ 3 4 1 12½ «C» 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ - 2½ 1 7 0 5½ «C» 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1½ - 0 8 0 4 Group 4 Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + − = Points «A» HUN 1949 - 2½ 2 2 2 3½ 3½ 3½ 4 5 0 3 23 «A» Romania 1952 1½ - 2 2½ 2½ 2½ 3½ 4 3 6 1 1 21½ «A» 2 2 - 2 2½ 2 4 3 4 4 0 4 21½ «B» GDR 1949 2 1½ 2 - 1 2½ 3 4 2½ 4 2 2 18½ «B» 2 1½ 1½ 3 - 2 1½ 4 2½ 3 3 2 18 «B» Belgium ½ 1½ 2 1½ 2 - 3 2½ 1½ 2 4 2 14½ «C» PHI 1936 ½ ½ 0 1 2½ 1 - 1½ 3 2 6 0 10 «C» Greece royal ½ 0 1 0 0 1½ 2½ – 3 2 6 0 8½ «C» Iran 1925 0 1 0 1½ 1½ 2½ 1 1 - 1 7 0 8½ Final {| class="wikitable" |+ Final A ! # !!Country !! Players !! Points !! MP |- | style="background:gold;"|1 || URS 1955 || Botvinnik, Smyslov, Keres, Bronstein, Taimanov, Geller || 31 || |- | style="background:silver;"|2 || || Gligorić, Matanović, Ivkov, Karaklajić, Milić, Đurašević || 26½ || 17 |- | style="background:#cc9966;"|3 || HUN 1949 || Szabó, Barcza, Benkő, Szilágyi, Bély, Portisch || 26½ || 16 |- | 4 || || Najdorf, Bolbochán, Panno, Pilnik, Sanguineti, Wexler || 23 || |- | 5 || || Unzicker, Schmid, Darga, Pfeiffer, Niephaus, Teschner || 22 || 12 |- | 6 || Bulgaria 1948 || Padevsky, Minev, Kolarov, Tringov, Tsvetkov, Milev || 22 || 10 |- | 7 || || Filip, Pachman, Šefc, Rejfíř, Alster, Ježek || 20½ || |- | 8 || England || Golombek, Penrose, Wade, Milner-Barry, Clarke, Phillips || 20 || |- | 9 || Switzerland || Blau, Bhend, Walther, Keller, Johner || 19 || 9 |- | 10 || || Larsen, Poulsen, Pedersen, Ingerslev, Nielsen, Enevoldsen || 19 || 8 |- | 11 || Romania 1952 || Bălănel, Ciocâltea, Troianescu, Soós, Ghițescu, Rădulescu || 19 || 7 |- | 12 || || Czerniak, Porat, Aloni, Oren, Dobkin, Smiltiner || 15½ || |- |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Final B ! # !!Country !! Players !! Points !! MP |- | 13 || || Robatsch, Dückstein, Kinzel, Prameshuber, Lokvenc, Busek || 28 || |- | 14 || || Ólafsson, Jóhannsson, Möller, Thorbergsson, Gíslason, Guðmundsson || 27 || |- | 15 || Sweden || Ståhlberg, Stenborg, Sköld, Backlund, Joffe, Ljungqvist || 26½ || |- | 16 || Belgium || O'Kelly, Dunkelblum, Limbos, Thibaut, Boey, Van den Broeck || 23½ || |- | 17 || || Ojanen, Salo, Rantanen, Fred, Hänninen, Niemelä || 22½ || |- | 18 || || Cuéllar, Sánchez, De Greiff, Velandia, Restrepo, Reyes Larenas || 21 || 11 |- | 19 || Netherlands || Prins, Kramer, Bouwmeester, Mühring, Van Steenis || 21 || 10 |- | 20 || GDR 1949 || Uhlmann, Dittmann, Herrmann, Fuchs, Koch, Platz|| 20½ || |- | 21 || FRA 1794 || Muffang, Boutteville, Burstein, Noradounguian, Catozzi || 19½ || |- | 22 || Chile || Flores, Letelier, Hausman, Jáuregui, Jiménez Rojas, Mallett || 19 || 9 |- | 23 || POL 1928 || Śliwa, Plater, Dworzyński, Gromek, Szapiro, Balcarek || 19 || 7 |- | 24 || || Vestøl, Morcken, Lindblom, Johannessen, Barda, Rojahn || 16½ || |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Final C ! # !!Country !! Players !! Points !! MP |- | 25 || PHI 1936 || Badilles, Campomanes, Benítez, Cardoso || 24 || |- | 26 || Saar || Benkner, Lorson, Weichselbaumer, Folz V., Both G., Schmidt P. || 23 || |- | 27 || India || Sapre, Gupta, Mhaiskar, Venkatraman S. || 20½ || |- | 28 || Iran 1925 || Safvat, Mostafavi-Kachani, Navabi, Lotfy, Assar, Nazarian || 19 || |- | 29 || PUR 1952 || Colón Romero A., Colón Romero M., Pla, Benítez, Borrás, Reissmann || 18½ || 11 |- | 30 || Mongolia 1945 || Zhugder, Zhamsaran, Möömöö, Tumurbator, Tserendagva, Namzhil || 18½ || 9 |- | 31 || || Fairhurst, Fallone, McGowan, Thomson, Middleton, Rose M.|| 17½ || |- | 32 || Greece royal || Siaperas, Angos, Loverdos, Anastasopoulos, Mastihiadis, Pavlatos || 17 || |- | 33 || || Maher, Reilly, Walsh, Dunphy, Grogan, O'Riordan || 13 || |- | 34 || || Wantz, Conrady, Schneider, Schmitz F., Philippe, Kremer || 9 || |} Final A No. Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 + − = Points 1 URS 1955 - 2½ 1½ 2½ 3 2½ 3½ 4 3 3½ 2½ 2½ 10 1 0 31 2 1½ - 2 2 2½ 3 2½ 2½ 3 3 2 2½ 7 1 3 26½ 3 HUN 1949 2½ 2 - 1½ 2 2 2½ 2 3 2½ 2½ 4 6 1 4 26½ 4 1½ 2 2½ - 1½ 1½ 3 2½ 2 1½ 1½ 3½ 4 5 2 23 5 1 1½ 2 2½ - 2½ 1½ 2 1½ 2½ 2½ 2½ 5 4 2 22 6 Bulgaria 1948 1½ 1 2 2½ 1½ - 2 1½ 3 2½ 1½ 3 4 5 2 22 7 ½ 1½ 1½ 1 2½ 2 - 2 1½ 2 3 3 3 5 3 20½ 8 0 1½ 2 1½ 2 2½ 2 - 2½ 1½ 2½ 2 3 4 4 20 9 Switzerland 1 1 1 2 2½ 1 2½ 1½ - 2 2 2½ 3 5 3 19 10 ½ 1 1½ 2½ 1½ 1½ 2 2½ 2 - 3 1 3 6 2 19 11 Romania 1952 1½ 2 1½ 2½ 1½ 2½ 1 1½ 2 1 - 2 2 6 3 19 12 1½ 1½ 0 ½ 1½ 1 1 2 1½ 3 2 - 1 8 2 15½ Final B No. Country 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 + − = Points 13 - 2 0 2 3 2½ 3½ 3 3 3 2½ 3½ 8 1 2 28 14 2 - 2 1½ 2 3 3 3½ 3 2½ 3 1½ 6 2 3 27 15 Sweden 4 2 - 2½ 2½ 3½ 2½ 1½ 3 1½ 2 1½ 6 3 2 26½ 16 Belgium 2 2½ 1½ - 3 2 1 1½ 2 3 2½ 2½ 5 3 3 23½ 17 1 2 1½ 1 - 3 1½ 2½ 3 3 2 2 4 4 3 22½ 18 1½ 1 ½ 2 1 - 2 2½ 2½ 2 3 3 4 4 3 21 19 Netherlands ½ 1 1½ 3 2½ 2 - 3 2 3 1½ 1 4 2 5 21 20 GDR 1949 1 ½ 2½ 2½ 1½ 1½ 1 - 1½ 3 2½ 3 5 6 0 20½ 21 FRA 1794 1 1 1 2 1 1½ 2 2½ - 1½ 2 4 2 6 3 19½ 22 Chile 1 1½ 2½ 1 1 2 1 1 2½ - 2½ 3 4 6 1 19 23 POL 1928 1½ 1 2 1½ 2 1 2½ 1½ 2 1½ - 2½ 2 6 3 19 24 ½ 2½ 2½ 1½ 2 1 3 1 1 1 1½ - 3 7 1 16½ Final C No. Country 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 + − = Points 25 PHI 1936 - 1½ 1½ 3½ 3 2½ 2 3 3 4 6 2 1 24 26 Saar 2½ - 2 2½ 2 2 2½ 3 2½ 4 6 0 3 23 27 India 2½ 2 - 2 3½ 1½ 1½ 2½ 3 2 4 2 3 20½ 28 Iran 1925 ½ 1½ 2 - 1½ 2½ 3 1½ 3 3½ 4 4 1 19 29 PUR 1952 1 2 ½ 2½ - 2 3 3 2 2½ 4 2 3 18½ 30 Mongolia 1945 1½ 2 2½ 1½ 2 - 2 2 2 3 2 2 5 18½ 31 2 1½ 2½ 1 1 2 - 2½ 2 3 3 3 3 17½ 32 Greece royal 1 1 1½ 2½ 1 2 1½ - 3 3½ 3 5 1 17 33 1 1½ 1 1 2 2 2 1 - 1½ 0 6 3 13 34 0 0 2 ½ 1½ 1 1 ½ 2½ - 1 7 1 9 Individual medals Board 1: DEN Bent Larsen 14 / 18 = 77.8% Board 2: AUT Andreas Dückstein 13 / 17 = 76.5% Board 3: URS 1955 Paul Keres 9½ / 12 = 79.2% Board 4: URS 1955 David Bronstein 11 / 13 = 84.6% 1st reserve: ARG Raúl Sanguineti 9 / 11 = 81.8% 2nd reserve: URS 1955 Efim Geller 7½ / 10 = 75.0% Due to a special rule for the top board at Olympiads, Larsen's result automatically earned him the GM title (the rule has since been abolished). References 12th Chess Olympiad: Moscow 1956 OlimpBase 12 Olympiad 12 Chess Olympiad 12 Olympiad 12 Category:1956 in Soviet sport Chess Olympiad Chess Olympiad Chess Olympiad