1962 chess tournament in Varna, Bulgaria
The official poster of the Olympiad. The 15th Chess Olympiad (Bulgarian : 15-ата Шахматна олимпиада , 15-ata Shahmatna olimpiada ), organized by FIDE and comprising an open[1] team tournament, as well as several other events designed to promote the game of chess , took place between September 15 and October 10, 1962, in Varna, Bulgaria .
The Soviet team with six GMs , led by world champion Botvinnik, lived up to expectations and won their sixth consecutive gold medals, with Yugoslavia and Argentina taking the silver and bronze, respectively.
Results
Preliminaries
A total of 37 teams entered the competition and were divided into four preliminary groups of eight to ten teams each. The top three from each group advanced to Final A, the teams placed 4th-6th to Final B, and the rest to Final C, where they were joined by a Bulgarian "B" team that played outside the contest. All preliminary groups as well as Finals A and B were played as round-robin tournaments , while Final C with 14 teams was played as an 11-round Swiss system tournament .
The Soviet Union took first place in group 1, well ahead of the two German teams, East with half a point more than West. Sweden, Belgium, and Spain took the places 4–6, while Norway, Turkey, and Greece finished at the bottom of the group.
Group 2 was won by the United States, while the Bulgarian hosts and Romania were tied for second place. Israel, Mongolia, and Switzerland made up the middle part of the group, while Puerto Rico and Tunisia had to settle for Final C.
Yugoslavia clinched group 3, ahead of the Netherlands and Czechoslovakia. Poland, Iceland, and Finland had to settle for Final B. Meanwhile, France, Uruguay, Luxembourg, and Cyprus finished at the bottom of the group.
Group 4 was won by Argentina, ahead of Hungary and Austria. Denmark, Cuba, and England made up the middle part of the group, while Albania, India, Iran, and Ireland completed the field.
Final
Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
+
−
=
Points
«A»
Soviet Union
-
3
3½
3
3
4
3
4
4
8
0
0
27½
«A»
East Germany
1
-
2
2½
2½
2½
3½
3½
4
6
1
1
21½
«A»
West Germany
½
2
-
2½
3
2½
2½
4
4
6
1
1
21
«B»
Sweden
1
1½
1½
-
2
3
3
2½
2½
4
3
1
17
«B»
Belgium
1
1½
1
2
-
2½
2
2½
3½
3
3
2
16
«B»
Spain
0
1½
1½
1
1½
-
2½
4
4
3
5
0
16
«C»
Norway
1
½
1½
1
2
1½
-
3
2½
2
5
1
13
«C»
Turkey
0
½
0
1½
1½
0
1
-
3
1
7
0
7½
«C»
Greece
0
0
0
1½
½
0
1½
1
-
0
8
0
4½
Final
Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
+
−
=
Points
«A»
United States
-
2
2½
3½
4
4
4
4
6
0
1
24
«A»
Bulgaria
2
-
2
3½
3½
3
3
3
5
0
2
20
«A»
Romania
1½
2
-
2
3½
4
3½
3½
4
1
2
20
«B»
Israel
½
½
2
-
3
1½
2½
3
3
3
1
13
«B»
Mongolia
0
½
½
1
-
3
3½
2½
3
4
0
11
«B»
Switzerland
0
1
0
2½
1
-
3
2½
3
4
0
10
«C»
Puerto Rico
0
1
½
1½
½
1
-
3
1
6
0
7½
«C»
Tunisia
0
1
½
1
1½
1½
1
-
0
7
0
6½
Final
Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
+
−
=
Points
«A»
Yugoslavia
-
2
2½
2½
3
2½
3
4
4
4
8
0
1
27½
«A»
Netherlands
2
-
2
4
2½
1½
3
3½
2½
4
6
1
2
25
«A»
Czechoslovakia
1½
2
-
2½
1½
2½
3½
3½
4
4
6
2
1
25
«B»
Poland
1½
0
1½
-
2½
4
3½
4
4
4
6
3
0
25
«B»
Iceland
1
1½
2½
1½
-
2
2½
3½
2½
4
5
3
1
21
«B»
Finland
1½
2½
1½
0
2
-
2½
1½
4
4
4
4
1
19½
«C»
France
1
1
½
½
1½
1½
-
3½
4
3½
3
6
0
17
«C»
Uruguay
0
½
½
0
½
2½
½
-
3½
4
3
6
0
12
«C»
Luxembourg
0
1½
0
0
1½
0
0
½
-
3
1
8
0
6½
«C»
Cyprus
0
0
0
0
0
0
½
0
1
-
0
9
0
1½
Final
Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
+
−
=
Points
«A»
Argentina
-
2
3½
2½
3
3½
4
3
4
4
8
0
1
29½
«A»
Hungary
2
-
3
3
2½
3
4
3
3½
4
8
0
1
28
«A»
Austria
½
1
-
2½
2½
2
3
3
3
3½
6
2
1
21
«B»
Denmark
1½
1
1½
-
1½
2½
2½
2½
3½
3
5
4
0
19½
«B»
Cuba
1
1½
1½
2½
-
2½
2½
2½
2
3
5
3
1
19
«B»
England
½
1
2
1½
1½
-
2
4
3
3½
3
4
2
19
«C»
Albania
0
0
1
1½
1½
2
-
2½
3
3
3
5
1
14½
«C»
India
1
1
1
1½
1½
0
1½
-
4
3
2
7
0
14½
«C»
Iran
0
½
1
½
2
1
1
0
-
2½
1
7
1
8½
«C»
Ireland
0
0
½
1
1
½
1
1
1½
-
0
9
0
6½
Final
Final A
#
Country
Players
Points
MP
1
Soviet Union
Botvinnik , Petrosian , Spassky , Keres , Geller , Tal
31½
2
Yugoslavia
Gligorić , Trifunović , Matanović , Ivkov , Parma , Minić
28
3
Argentina
Najdorf , Bolbochán , Panno , Sanguineti , Rossetto , Foguelman
26
4
United States
Fischer , Benko , Evans , R. Byrne , D. Byrne , Mednis
25
5
Hungary
Portisch , Szabó , Bilek , Barcza , Lengyel , Honfi
23
6
Bulgaria
Padevsky , Tringov , Minev , Kolarov , Milev , Popov
21½
7
West Germany
Unzicker , Darga , Schmid , Tröger , Hecht , Mohrlok
21
8
East Germany
Uhlmann , Pietzsch , Malich , Zinn , Fuchs , Liebert
20½
10
9
Romania
Ciocâltea , Ghițescu , Gheorghiu , Soós , Radovici , Günsberger
20½
9
10
Czechoslovakia
Filip , Pachman , Hort , Fichtl , Blatný , Trapl
18½
11
Netherlands
Euwe , Donner , Bouwmeester , Langeweg , Prins , Kramer
18
12
Austria
Robatsch , Dückstein , Beni , Gragger , Kinzel , Lokvenc
10½
Final B
#
Country
Players
Points
MP
MW
HTH
13
Spain
Pomar , del Corral , Puig Pulido , Franco Raymundo , Ridameya Tatche , Serra Olives
26½
16
14
England
Penrose , Clarke , Golombek , Littlewood , Barden , Wade
26½
14
15
Israel
Porat , Aloni , Czerniak , Kraidman , Domnitz , Szapiro
25
16
Cuba
Jiménez , Cobo Arteaga , García , Ortega , Calero
22½
12
17
Sweden
Johansson , Sköld , Nilsson , Buskenström , Olsson , Söderborg
22½
11
4
2½
18
Poland
Śliwa , Balcerowski , Doda , Tarnowski , Schmidt , Filipowicz
22½
11
4
1½
19
Belgium
O'Kelly , Dunkelblum , Limbos , Boey , De Rijcke
22
20
Finland
Ojanen , Raisa , Rantanen , Niemelä , Westerinen , Fred
20½
21
Mongolia
Purevzhav , Möömöö , Myagmarsuren , Chalkhasuren , Tsagan T., Namzhil
20
9
3
22
Switzerland
Blau , Castagna, Roth , Gebauer, Luginbühl
20
9
2
23
Iceland
Ólafsson , Guðmundsson , Pálsson, Thorsteinsson , Torvaldsson, Kristinsson
19
24
Denmark
Kølvig , Holm , From , Søby , Korning , Brinck-Claussen
17
Final C
#
Country
Players
Points
MP
25
Norway
Johannessen , Lindblom , Hoen , Vinje-Gulbrandsen , Zwaig , Stensholt
32½
-
Bulgaria "B"
Filipov, Karastoichev , Daskalov, Bogdanov, Chipev, Burkhanlarsky
29½
26
Albania
Pustina , Duraku , Konçi , Veizaj , Siliqi , Omari
28½
17
27
Tunisia
Belkadi , Lagha , Kchouk , Kahia, Mohsen, Ennigrou
28½
16
28
India
Aaron , Sakhalkar, Ali, Hassan, Nawab, Shukla
26½
29
Iran
Hemmasian , Farboud , Parniani, Safvat , Zandifar
25
30
France
Boutteville , Bergraser , Thiellement , Noradounguian , Ferry , Ravinet P.
23½
31
Puerto Rico
Colón Romero A. , Rivera D., Navas, Reissmann, Colón Romero M. , Prieto Azúar, Rabell Méndez[2]
22½
32
Uruguay
Estrada Degrandi , Etcheverry , Alvarez del Monte , Bauzá , Silva Nazzari
22
33
Greece
Kokkoris , Anastasopoulos , Papapostolou , Vizantiadis , Paidousis , Hadziotis
18½
34
Luxembourg
Conrady, Philippe , Schneider, Zeyen, Aloyse Neu, Leners
18
35
Turkey
Süer , Boysan, Akakinci, Günsav
17
36
Ireland
Reid, Murphy P., Reilly , Loughrey, O'Hare, Cassidy
14½
37
Cyprus
Kleopas, Lantsias, Ioannidis, Fieros
1½
Final «A»
№
Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
+
−
=
Points
1
Soviet Union
-
2½
2½
2½
2½
2½
3½
2½
2
3½
3½
4
10
0
1
31½
2
Yugoslavia
1½
-
2
3
2½
2½
2½
3½
2
3
2½
3
8
1
2
28
3
Argentina
1½
2
-
1
2½
3
2½
1½
3
2
3
4
6
3
2
26
4
United States
1½
1
3
-
2
2½
3½
2
2½
2½
2½
2
6
2
3
25
5
Hungary
1½
1½
1½
2
-
2
3½
2
2
2½
1½
3
3
4
4
23
6
Bulgaria
1½
1½
1
1½
2
-
2
2½
3
2
2
2½
3
4
4
21½
7
West Germany
½
1½
1½
½
½
2
-
2½
3½
2
3½
3
4
5
2
21
8
East Germany
1½
½
2½
2
2
1½
1½
-
2½
2½
1
3
4
5
2
20½
9
Romania
2
2
1
1½
2
1
½
1½
-
2½
3
3½
3
5
3
20½
10
Czechoslovakia
½
1
2
1½
1½
2
2
1½
1½
-
2
3
1
6
4
18½
11
Netherlands
½
1½
1
1½
2½
2
½
3
1
2
-
2½
3
6
2
18
12
Austria
0
1
0
2
1
1½
1
1
½
1
1½
-
0
10
1
10½
Final «B»
№
Country
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
+
−
=
Points
13
Spain
-
½
3
3
2½
3
1½
3
2½
2
3½
2
7
2
2
26½
14
England
3½
-
2½
1½
2½
1½
1½
3½
2½
2
2
3½
6
3
2
26½
15
Israel
1
1½
-
1½
2
3½
2½
3
1
2½
3½
3
6
4
1
25
16
Cuba
1
2½
2½
-
1½
2
1
2
2
2½
2
3½
4
3
4
22½
17
Sweden
1½
1½
2
2½
-
2½
2
2
1
1½
3
3
4
4
3
22½
18
Poland
1
2½
½
2
1½
-
3
2
4
2½
2
1½
4
4
3
22½
19
Belgium
2½
2½
1½
3
2
1
-
2½
1½
1½
1
3
5
5
1
22
20
Finland
1
½
1
2
2
2
1½
-
2½
3½
2½
2
3
4
4
20½
21
Mongolia
1½
1½
3
2
3
0
2½
1½
-
2
2
1
3
5
3
20
22
Switzerland
2
2
1½
1½
2½
1½
2½
½
2
-
2
2
2
4
5
20
23
Iceland
½
2
½
2
1
2
3
1½
2
2
-
2½
2
4
5
19
24
Denmark
2
½
1
½
1
2½
1
2
3
2
1½
-
2
6
3
17
Final «C»
№
Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
+
−
=
Points
25
Norway
4
3
2
2½
2½
3½
2½
2
3
4
3½
9
0
2
32½
33
34
27
26
#
30
31
36
28
35
32
#
Bulgaria 2
2½
2
2½
3½
1½
3
2
4
2½
2
4
7
1
3
29½
32
26
31
33
25
27
28
36
30
29
37
26
Albania
2½
2
3½
1½
3
2
3
2½
3½
2
3
7
1
3
28½
29
#
34
25
27
28
32
31
35
36
33
27
Tunisia
3
3
2
2½
1
1
4
2
4
3½
2½
7
2
2
28½
36
31
25
29
26
#
37
28
33
34
30
28
India
2
2
1
3½
3½
2
2
2
1
4
3½
4
2
5
26½
30
29
32
34
35
26
#
27
25
37
36
29
Iran
1½
2
3½
1½
1½
3½
2½
2
1½
2
3½
4
4
3
25
26
28
35
27
32
37
36
25
34
#
31
30
France
2
2
1
3½
3½
½
1½
4
1½
2½
1½
4
5
2
23½
28
32
33
36
34
25
35
37
#
31
27
31
Puerto Rico
3
1
1½
2
4
3½
1½
1½
2½
1½
½
4
6
1
22½
35
27
#
32
37
33
25
26
36
30
29
32
Uruguay
1½
2
3
2
2½
2
1
2½
4
1
½
4
4
3
22
#
30
28
31
29
35
26
34
37
33
25
33
Greece
0
4
3
½
2
½
2½
2
0
3
1
4
5
2
18½
25
37
30
#
36
31
34
35
27
32
26
34
Luxembourg
4
1
½
½
½
3
1½
1½
2½
½
2½
4
7
0
18
37
25
26
28
30
36
33
32
29
27
35
35
Turkey
1
2½
½
4
½
2
2½
2
½
0
1½
3
6
2
17
31
36
29
37
28
32
30
33
26
25
34
36
Ireland
1
1½
3
½
2
1
1½
0
1½
2
½
1
8
2
14½
27
35
37
30
33
34
29
#
31
26
28
37
Cyprus
0
0
1
0
0
½
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
0
1½
34
33
36
35
31
29
27
30
32
28
#
Individual medals
At the other end of the spectrum, Milton Ioannidis of Cyprus lost all of his 20 games, the worst score ever of any player at any Olympiad.