The 11th Chess Olympiad (Dutch: De 11e Schaakolympiade), 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 September 4 and September 25, 1954, in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/18/Chess_Olympiad_Amsterdam_1954.jpg/150px-Chess_Olympiad_Amsterdam_1954.jpg)
30 teams had applied, but only 26 took part. The most notable absentees were the United States, who couldn't afford the travelling expenses due to financial difficulties in the USCF.
The Soviet team once again won the event, followed by Argentina and Yugoslavia. Unlike the previous Olympiad, however, they dominated this one completely and crushed all opposition, winning the final by an astounding seven points. Keres' amazing score of 96.4% was an all-time record; he drew his first game (against Nilsson of Sweden) and won the rest.
Results
editPreliminaries
editA total of 26 teams entered the competition and were divided into four preliminary groups of six or seven teams. The top three from each group advanced to Final A, and the rest to Final B. All groups and finals were played as round-robin tournaments.
Group 1 was won by the Soviet Union, well ahead of the Dutch hosts and Iceland. Austria, Finland, and Greece finished in the bottom half.
Argentina took first place in group 2, ahead of Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia. Canada, Italy, and Ireland made up the rest of the group.
Group 3 was won by Israel, ahead of Yugoslavia and Sweden. Denmark, Norway, France, and Saar had to settle for a place in the consolation final.
Hungary clinched group 4, ahead of West Germany and England. Switzerland, Colombia, Belgium, and Luxembourg rounded up the group.
Group 1
Final | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | + | − | = | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
«A» | Soviet Union | - | 2 | 3½ | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16½ | |
«A» | Netherlands | 2 | - | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | |
«A» | Iceland | ½ | 1½ | - | 3 | 3½ | 2½ | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | |
«B» | Austria | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | 3½ | 2 | 3 | 0 | 9½ | |
«B» | Finland | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5½ | |
«B» | Greece | 0 | 1½ | 1½ | ½ | 1 | - | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4½ |
Group 2
Final | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | + | − | = | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
«A» | Argentina | - | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 14 | |
«A» | Bulgaria | 2 | - | 2 | 2½ | 3½ | 3½ | 3 | 0 | 2 | 13½ | |
«A» | Czechoslovakia | 2 | 2 | - | 2½ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 13½ | |
«B» | Canada | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | - | 2½ | 3½ | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10 | |
«B» | Italy | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1½ | - | 3½ | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7½ | |
«B» | Ireland | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | - | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1½ |
Group 3
Final | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | + | − | = | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
«A» | Israel | - | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 | |
«A» | Yugoslavia | 2½ | - | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 1½ | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | |
«A» | Sweden | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | |
«B» | Denmark | 1½ | 1 | 2 | - | 1½ | 3½ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11½ | |
«B» | Norway | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | 2½ | - | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | |
«B» | France | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | ½ | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9½ | |
«B» | Saar | 1 | 2½ | 0 | 2 | 1½ | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
Group 4
Final | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | + | − | = | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
«A» | Hungary | - | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
«A» | West Germany | 1½ | - | 2½ | 3 | 2 | 3½ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16½ | |
«A» | England | 2½ | 1½ | - | 2½ | 1½ | 1½ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13½ | |
«B» | Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 1½ | - | 2½ | 3½ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13½ | |
«B» | Colombia | 0 | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | - | 2½ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12½ | |
«B» | Belgium | 1 | ½ | 2½ | ½ | 1½ | - | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 9 | |
«B» | Luxembourg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Final
editFinal A # Country Players Points MP 1 Soviet Union Botvinnik, Smyslov, Bronstein, Keres, Geller, Kotov 34 2 Argentina Najdorf, J. Bolbochán, Panno, Guimard, Rossetto, Pilnik 27 3 Yugoslavia Pirc, Gligorić, Trifunović, Rabar, Fuderer, Matanović 26½ 4 Czechoslovakia Pachman, Filip, Zíta, Šajtar, Fichtl, Ujtelky 24½ 5 West Germany Unzicker, Schmid, Pfeiffer, Rellstab, Darga, Joppen 23½ 6 Hungary Szabó, Kluger, Barcza, Sándor, Gereben 23 7 Israel Porath, Czerniak, Oren, Aloni, Kniazer 22 8 Netherlands Euwe, Donner, Cortlever, Prins, Kramer, Van Scheltinga 21 9 England Alexander, Penrose, Golombek, Wade, Barden, Clarke 17 7 10 Bulgaria Minev, Neikirch, Milev, Tsvetkov, Bobotsov, Bobekov 17 6 11 Sweden Ståhlberg, Lundin, Stoltz, Hörberg, Nilsson, Goode 15 12 Iceland Friðrik Ólafsson, Guðmundur Guðmundsson, Guðmundur Pálmason,
Guðmundur Ágústsson, Ingi Randver Jóhannsson, Guðmundur Arnlaugsson13½
Final B # Country Players Points MP Head-to-head 13 Switzerland Kupper, Blau, Nievergelt, Bhend, Zimmermann, Walther 37 14 Canada Yanofsky, Anderson, Vaitonis, Bohatyrchuk, Fox, Divinsky 36 21 3 15 Austria Robatsch, Beni, Prameshuber, Lokvenc, Kovács 36 21 1 16 Denmark Larsen, Nielsen A., Nielsen P., Nielsen V., Enevoldsen, Andersen B. 34½ 17 Italy Paoli, Porreca, Norcia, Scafarelli, Calà 28½ 18 Colombia Cuéllar, de Greiff, Sánchez, Rivera, Tejada H., Hernández G. 27½ 19 Belgium O'Kelly, Dunkelblum, Gobert, Lemaire, Franck, Thibaut 27 20 Finland Salo, Vesterinen, Katajisto, Fred, Rantanen 26½ 21 France Bernstein, Raizman, Thiellement, Bergraser, Noradounguian, Burstein 26 22 Saar Benkner, Lorson, Morena, Kastel, Weichselbaumer, Haas 24 23 Norway Morcken, Vestøl, Lindblom, Støre, Flater, Ramm 22 24 Greece Parliaros, Anagnostou, Panagopoulos, Papapavlou 21 25 Ireland Reilly, Kelly, Maher, Walsh, Nash, Rohan 11 26 Luxembourg Doerner, Neu, Philippe, Schneider, Kremer, Jerolim J. 7
Final A
editPlace | Country | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | + | − | = | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Soviet Union | - | 3½ | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 34 | |
2 | Argentina | ½ | - | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 3½ | 8 | 2 | 1 | 27 | |
3 | Yugoslavia | 1½ | 2½ | - | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 7 | 2 | 2 | 26½ | |
4 | Czechoslovakia | 1½ | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 2½ | 5 | 3 | 3 | 24½ | |
5 | West Germany | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | - | 2 | 2½ | ½ | 2½ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 23½ | |
6 | Hungary | 1 | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3½ | 3 | 2 | 6 | 23 | |
7 | Israel | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | - | 3 | ½ | 3 | 2 | 2½ | 5 | 4 | 2 | 22 | |
8 | Netherlands | ½ | 1½ | 1 | 2 | 3½ | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 21 | |
9 | England | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 3½ | 1 | - | 2½ | 1 | 2½ | 3 | 7 | 1 | 17 | |
10 | Bulgaria | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | - | 2½ | 2½ | 2 | 7 | 2 | 17 | |
11 | Sweden | ½ | 1 | 1½ | ½ | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1½ | - | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 15 | |
12 | Iceland | 0 | ½ | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | ½ | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 1½ | 2 | - | 0 | 9 | 2 | 13½ |
Final B
editPlace | Country | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | + | − | = | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | Switzerland | - | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3½ | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 4 | 1 | 3½ | 3½ | 11 | 1 | 1 | 37 | |
14 | Canada | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3½ | 2 | 2½ | 3½ | 3 | 3½ | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 36 | |
15 | Austria | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 36 | |
16 | Denmark | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 1½ | 3 | 3½ | 3 | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 4 | 3½ | 7 | 2 | 4 | 34½ | |
17 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | 1½ | 1 | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 28½ | |
18 | Colombia | ½ | ½ | 1 | 2½ | 2 | - | 2 | 2½ | 1 | 3½ | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 27½ | |
19 | Belgium | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 27 | |
20 | Finland | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | ½ | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | - | 2½ | 2 | 2½ | 1½ | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 26½ | |
21 | France | 1 | ½ | 1½ | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1½ | - | 3 | 1½ | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 6 | 7 | 0 | 26 | |
22 | Saar | 1½ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ½ | 1½ | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 2½ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 24 | |
23 | Norway | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 3 | - | 2½ | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 22 | |
24 | Greece | 3 | 2 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | - | 1½ | 3 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 21 | |
25 | Ireland | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1½ | 1½ | 0 | 1½ | 0 | 0 | 2½ | - | 2½ | 2 | 11 | 0 | 11 | |
26 | Luxembourg | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1½ | - | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
Individual medals
edit- Board 1: Mikhail Botvinnik 8½ / 11 = 77.3%
- Board 2: Frank Anderson 14 / 17 = 82.4%
- Board 3: Gedeon Barcza 12½ / 16 = 78.1%
- Board 4: Paul Keres 13½ / 14 = 96.4%
- 1st reserve: Efim Geller 5 / 7 = 71.4%
- 2nd reserve: Sylvain Burstein 8½ / 11 = 77.3%
Notes and references
edit- ^ Although commonly referred to as the men's division, this section is open to both male and female players.
External links
edit- 11th Chess Olympiad: Amsterdam 1954 OlimpBase