12th Chess Olympiad
1956 chess tournament in Moscow, Russia
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The 12th Chess Olympiad (12-Ñ Ð¨Ð°Ñ Ð¼Ð°ÑÐ½Ð°Ñ Ð¾Ð»Ð¸Ð¼Ð¿Ð¸Ð°Ð´Ð°, 12-ya Shakhmatnaya olimpiada), organized by the FIDE and comprising an open[1] team tournament, as well as several other events designed to promote the game of chess, 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 4thâ6th 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 4â6, 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 4â6, 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 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| «A» |  Soviet Union
| - | 2½ | 2½ | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3½ | 7 | 0 | 0 | 23½ | |
| «A» |  Bulgaria
| 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» |  Poland
| 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» |  Norway
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1½ | - | 2 | 2½ | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | |
| «C» |  Puerto Rico
| 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 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| «A» |  Yugoslavia
| - | 2½ | 3 | 3½ | 3½ | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 23½ | |
| «A» |  Israel
| 1½ | - | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 4 | 3½ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 18 | |
| «A» |  Denmark
| 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» |  Austria
| ½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | - | 1½ | 2½ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 13 | |
| «B» |  France
| 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | 2½ | - | 1½ | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 12½ | |
| «C» |  Mongolia
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | - | 2½ | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7½ | |
| «C» |  Scotland
| 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1½ | - | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 |
- Group 3
| Final | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| «A» |  Argentina
| - | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 3½ | 2½ | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 24 | |
| «A» |  West Germany
| 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» |  Iceland
| 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» |  Finland
| 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» |  Luxembourg
| 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | - | 2½ | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5½ | |
| «C» |  Ireland
| 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 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| «A» |  Hungary
| - | 2½ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 3½ | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 23 | |
| «A» |  Romania
| 1½ | - | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 3½ | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 21½ | |
| «A» |  Czechoslovakia
| 2 | 2 | - | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 21½ | |
| «B» | East Germany
| 2 | 1½ | 2 | - | 1 | 2½ | 3 | 4 | 2½ | 4 | 2 | 2 | 18½ | |
| «B» |  Colombia
| 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» |  Philippines
| ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 2½ | 1 | - | 1½ | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 10 | |
| «C» |  Greece
| ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1½ | 2½ | â | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8½ | |
| «C» |  Iran
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1½ | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8½ |
Final
Final A # Country Players Points MP 1 
Soviet UnionBotvinnik, Smyslov, Keres, Bronstein, Taimanov, Geller 31 2 
YugoslaviaGligoriÄ, MatanoviÄ, Ivkov, KaraklajiÄ, MiliÄ, ÄuraÅ¡eviÄ 26½ 17 3 
HungarySzabó, Barcza, BenkÅ, Szilágyi, Bély, Portisch 26½ 16 4 
ArgentinaNajdorf, Bolbochán, Panno, Pilnik, Sanguineti, Wexler 23 5 
West GermanyUnzicker, Schmid, Darga, Pfeiffer, Niephaus, Teschner 22 12 6 
BulgariaPadevsky, Minev, Kolarov, Tringov, Tsvetkov, Milev 22 10 7 
CzechoslovakiaFilip, Pachman, Å efc, RejfÃÅ, Alster, Ježek 20½ 8 
EnglandGolombek, Penrose, Wade, Milner-Barry, Clarke, Phillips 20 9 
SwitzerlandBlau, Bhend, Walther, Keller, Johner 19 9 10 
DenmarkLarsen, Poulsen, Pedersen, Ingerslev, Nielsen, Enevoldsen 19 8 11 
RomaniaBÄlÄnel, Ciocâltea, Troianescu, Soós, GhiÈescu, RÄdulescu 19 7 12 
IsraelCzerniak, Porat, Aloni, Oren, Dobkin, Smiltiner 15½
Final B # Country Players Points MP 13 
AustriaRobatsch, Dückstein, Kinzel, Prameshuber, Lokvenc, Busek 28 14 
IcelandÃlafsson, Jóhannsson, Möller, Thorbergsson, GÃslason, Guðmundsson 27 15 
SwedenStåhlberg, Stenborg, Sköld, Backlund, Joffe, Ljungqvist 26½ 16 
BelgiumO'Kelly, Dunkelblum, Limbos, Thibaut, Boey, Van den Broeck 23½ 17 
FinlandOjanen, Salo, Rantanen, Fred, Hänninen, Niemelä 22½ 18 
ColombiaCuéllar, Sánchez, De Greiff, Velandia, Restrepo, Reyes Larenas 21 11 19 
NetherlandsPrins, Kramer, Bouwmeester, Mühring, Van Steenis 21 10 20 East GermanyUhlmann, Dittmann, Herrmann, Fuchs, Koch, Platz 20½ 21 
FranceMuffang, Boutteville, Burstein, Noradounguian, Catozzi 19½ 22 
ChileFlores, Letelier, Hausman, Jáuregui, Jiménez Rojas, Mallett 19 9 23 
PolandÅliwa, Plater, DworzyÅski, Gromek, Szapiro, Balcarek 19 7 24 
NorwayVestøl, Morcken, Lindblom, Johannessen, Barda, Rojahn 16½
Final C # Country Players Points MP 25 
PhilippinesBadilles, Campomanes, BenÃtez, Cardoso 24 26 
SaarBenkner, Lorson, Weichselbaumer, Folz V., Both G., Schmidt P. 23 27 
IndiaSapre, Gupta, Mhaiskar, Venkatraman S. 20½ 28 
IranSafvat, Mostafavi-Kachani, Navabi, Lotfy, Assar, Nazarian 19 29 
Puerto RicoColón Romero A., Colón Romero M., Pla, BenÃtez, Borrás, Reissmann 18½ 11 30 
MongoliaZhugder, Zhamsaran, Möömöö, Tumurbator, Tserendagva, Namzhil 18½ 9 31 
ScotlandFairhurst, Fallone, McGowan, Thomson, Middleton, Rose M. 17½ 32 
GreeceSiaperas, Angos, Loverdos, Anastasopoulos, Mastihiadis, Pavlatos 17 33 
IrelandMaher, Reilly, Walsh, Dunphy, Grogan, O'Riordan 13 34 
LuxembourgWantz, Conrady, Schneider, Schmitz F., Philippe, Kremer 9
Final A
| No. | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soviet Union
| - | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 4 | 3 | 3½ | 2½ | 2½ | 10 | 1 | 0 | 31 | |
| 2 | Yugoslavia
| 1½ | - | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2½ | 7 | 1 | 3 | 26½ | |
| 3 | Hungary
| 2½ | 2 | - | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 26½ | |
| 4 | Argentina
| 1½ | 2 | 2½ | - | 1½ | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 1½ | 1½ | 3½ | 4 | 5 | 2 | 23 | |
| 5 | West Germany
| 1 | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | - | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 5 | 4 | 2 | 22 | |
| 6 | Bulgaria
| 1½ | 1 | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | - | 2 | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 22 | |
| 7 | Czechoslovakia
| ½ | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | 2½ | 2 | - | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 20½ | |
| 8 | England
| 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 | Denmark
| ½ | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | 1½ | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 19 | |
| 11 | Romania
| 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 19 | |
| 12 | Israel
| 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 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Austria
| - | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 8 | 1 | 2 | 28 | |
| 14 | Iceland
| 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 | Finland
| 1 | 2 | 1½ | 1 | - | 3 | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 22½ | |
| 18 | Colombia
| 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 | East Germany
| 1 | ½ | 2½ | 2½ | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | - | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 20½ | |
| 21 | France
| 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 | Poland
| 1½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 1 | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | - | 2½ | 2 | 6 | 3 | 19 | |
| 24 | Norway
| 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 | + | â | = | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Philippines
| - | 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
| ½ | 1½ | 2 | - | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | 1½ | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 19 | |
| 29 | Puerto Rico
| 1 | 2 | ½ | 2½ | - | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2½ | 4 | 2 | 3 | 18½ | |
| 30 | Mongolia
| 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 18½ | |
| 31 | Scotland
| 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 17½ | |
| 32 | Greece
| 1 | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | - | 3 | 3½ | 3 | 5 | 1 | 17 | |
| 33 | Ireland
| 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 1½ | 0 | 6 | 3 | 13 | |
| 34 | Luxembourg
| 0 | 0 | 2 | ½ | 1½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 2½ | - | 1 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
Individual medals
- Board 1: Bent Larsen 14 / 18 = 77.8%
- Board 2: Andreas Dückstein 13 / 17 = 76.5%
- Board 3: Paul Keres 9½ / 12 = 79.2%
- Board 4: David Bronstein 11 / 13 = 84.6%
- 1st reserve: Raúl Sanguineti 9 / 11 = 81.8%
- 2nd reserve: 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).