The 15th Chess Olympiad (, 15-ata Shahmatna olimpiada), organized by FIDE and comprising a team tournament, took place between September 15 and October 10, 1962, in Varna, Bulgaria.
The Soviet team with six grandmasterss, 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.
Group 1: Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + −
Points «A»
3 3½ 3 3 4 3 4 4
8 0 0 27½ «A» 1
2 2½ 2½ 2½ 3½ 3½ 4
6 1 1 21½ «A» ½ 2
2½ 3 2½ 2½ 4 4
6 1 1 21 «B» 1 1½ 1½
2 3 3 2½ 2½
4 3 1 17 «B» 1 1½ 1 2
2½ 2 2½ 3½
3 3 2 16 «B» 0 1½ 1½ 1 1½
2½ 4 4
3 5 0 16 «C» 1 ½ 1½ 1 2 1½
3 2½
2 5 1 13 «C» 0 ½ 0 1½ 1½ 0 1
3
1 7 0 7½ «C» 0 0 0 1½ ½ 0 1½ 1
0 8 0 4½
Group 2: Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 + −
Points «A»
2 2½ 3½ 4 4 4 4
6 0 1 24 «A» 2
2 3½ 3½ 3 3 3
5 0 2 20 «A» 1½ 2
2 3½ 4 3½ 3½
4 1 2 20 «B» ½ ½ 2
3 1½ 2½ 3
3 3 1 13 «B» 0 ½ ½ 1
3 3½ 2½
3 4 0 11 «B» 0 1 0 2½ 1
3 2½
3 4 0 10 «C» 0 1 ½ 1½ ½ 1
3
1 6 0 7½ «C» 0 1 ½ 1 1½ 1½ 1
0 7 0 6½
Group 3: Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 + −
Points «A»
2 2½ 2½ 3 2½ 3 4 4 4
8 0 1 27½ «A» 2
2 4 2½ 1½ 3 3½ 2½ 4
6 1 2 25 «A» 1½ 2
2½ 1½ 2½ 3½ 3½ 4 4
6 2 1 25 «B» 1½ 0 1½
2½ 4 3½ 4 4 4
6 3 0 25 «B» 1 1½ 2½ 1½
2 2½ 3½ 2½ 4
5 3 1 21 «B» 1½ 2½ 1½ 0 2
2½ 1½ 4 4
4 4 1 19½ «C» 1 1 ½ ½ 1½ 1½
3½ 4 3½
3 6 0 17 «C» 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 2½ ½
3½ 4
3 6 0 12 «C» 0 1½ 0 0 1½ 0 0 ½
3
1 8 0 6½ «C» 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1
0 9 0 1½
Group 4: Final Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 + −
Points «A»
2 3½ 2½ 3 3½ 4 3 4 4
8 0 1 29½ «A» 2
3 3 2½ 3 4 3 3½ 4
8 0 1 28 «A» ½ 1
2½ 2½ 2 3 3 3 3½
6 2 1 21 «B» 1½ 1 1½
1½ 2½ 2½ 2½ 3½ 3
5 4 0 19½ «B» 1 1½ 1½ 2½
2½ 2½ 2½ 2 3
5 3 1 19 «B» ½ 1 2 1½ 1½
2 4 3 3½
3 4 2 19 «C» 0 0 1 1½ 1½ 2
2½ 3 3
3 5 1 14½ «C» 1 1 1 1½ 1½ 0 1½
4 3
2 7 0 14½ «C» 0 ½ 1 ½ 2 1 1 0
2½
1 7 1 8½ «C» 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1½
0 9 0 6½
Final
{| class="wikitable" |+ Final A ! # !!Country !! Players !! Points !! MP |- | style="background:gold;"|1 || || Botvinnik, Petrosian, Spassky, Keres, Geller, Tal || 31½ || |- | style="background:silver;"|2 || || Gligorić, Trifunović, Matanović, Ivkov, Parma, Minić || 28 || |- | style="background:#cc9966;"|3 || || Najdorf, Bolbochán, Panno, Sanguineti, Rossetto, Foguelman || 26 || |- | 4 || || Fischer, Benko, Evans, R. Byrne, D. Byrne, Mednis || 25 || |- | 5 || || Portisch, Szabó, Bilek, Barcza, Lengyel, Honfi || 23 || |- | 6 || || Padevsky, Tringov, Minev, Kolarov, Milev, Popov || 21½ || |- | 7 || || Unzicker, Darga, Schmid, Tröger, Hecht, Mohrlok || 21 || |- | 8 || || Uhlmann, Pietzsch, Malich, Zinn, Fuchs, Liebert || 20½ || 10 |- | 9 || || Ciocâltea, Ghițescu, Gheorghiu, Soós, Radovici, Günsberger || 20½ || 9 |- | 10 || || Filip, Pachman, Hort, Fichtl, Blatný, Trapl || 18½ || |- | 11 || || Euwe, Donner, Bouwmeester, Langeweg, Prins, Kramer || 18 || |- | 12 || || Robatsch, Dückstein, Beni, Gragger, Kinzel, Lokvenc || 10½ ||
{| class="wikitable" |+ Final B ! # !! Country !! Players !! Points !! MP !! MW !! HTH |- | 13 || || Pomar, del Corral, Puig Pulido, Franco Raymundo, Ridameya Tatche, Serra Olives || 26½ || 16 || || |- | 14 || || Penrose, Clarke, Golombek, Littlewood, Barden, Wade || 26½ || 14 || || |- | 15 || || Porat, Aloni, Czerniak, Kraidman, Domnitz, Szapiro || 25 || || || |- | 16 || || Jiménez, Cobo Arteaga, García, Ortega, Calero || 22½ || 12 || || |- | 17 || || Johansson, Sköld, Nilsson, Buskenström, Olsson, Söderborg || 22½ || 11 || 4 || 2½ |- | 18 || || Śliwa, Balcerowski, Doda, Tarnowski, Schmidt, Filipowicz || 22½ || 11 || 4 || 1½ |- | 19 || || O'Kelly, Dunkelblum, Limbos, Boey, De Rijcke || 22 || || || |- | 20 || || Ojanen, Raisa, Rantanen, Niemelä, Westerinen, Fred || 20½ || || || |- | 21 || || Purevzhav, Möömöö, Myagmarsuren, Chalkhasuren, Tsagan T., Namzhil || 20 || 9 || 3 || |- | 22 || || Blau, Castagna, Roth, Gebauer, Luginbühl || 20 || 9 || 2 || |- | 23 || || Ólafsson, Guðmundsson, Pálsson, Thorsteinsson, Torvaldsson, Kristinsson || 19 || || || |- | 24 || ||Kølvig, Holm, From, Søby, Korning, Brinck-Claussen || 17 || || ||
{| class="wikitable" |+ Final C ! # !! Country !! Players !! Points !! MP |- | 25 || || Johannessen, Lindblom, Hoen, Vinje-Gulbrandsen, Zwaig, Stensholt || 32½ || |- | - || "B" || Filipov, Karastoichev, Daskalov, Bogdanov, Chipev, Burkhanlarsky || 29½ || |- | 26 || || Pustina, Duraku, Konçi, Veizaj, Siliqi, Omari || 28½ || 17 |- | 27 || || Belkadi, Lagha, Kchouk, Kahia, Mohsen, Ennigrou || 28½ || 16 |- | 28 || || Aaron, Sakhalkar, Ali, Hassan, Nawab, Shukla || 26½ || |- | 29 || || Hemmasian, Farboud, Parniani, Safvat, Zandifar || 25 || |- | 30 || || Boutteville, Bergraser, Thiellement, Noradounguian, Ferry, Ravinet P. || 23½ || |- | 31 || || Colón Romero A., Rivera D., Navas, Reissmann, Colón Romero M., Prieto Azúar, Rabell MéndezThe extra team-member was allowed to replace withdrawn player on a basis of special permission granted by organizing committee. || 22½ || |- | 32 || || Estrada Degrandi, Etcheverry, Alvarez del Monte, Bauzá, Silva Nazzari || 22 || |- | 33 || || Kokkoris, Anastasopoulos, Papapostolou, Vizantiadis, Paidousis, Hadziotis || 18½ || |- | 34 || || Conrady, Philippe, Schneider, Zeyen, Aloyse Neu, Leners || 18 || |- | 35 || || Süer, Boysan, Akakinci, Günsav || 17 || |- | 36 || || Reid, Murphy P., Reilly, Loughrey, O'Hare, Cassidy || 14½ || |- | 37 || || Kleopas, Lantsias, Ioannidis, Fieros || 1½ ||
Final «A» № Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 + −
Points 1
2½ 2½ 2½ 2½ 2½ 3½ 2½ 2 3½ 3½ 4
10 0 1 31½ 2 1½
2 3 2½ 2½ 2½ 3½ 2 3 2½ 3
8 1 2 28 3 1½ 2
1 2½ 3 2½ 1½ 3 2 3 4
6 3 2 26 4 1½ 1 3
2 2½ 3½ 2 2½ 2½ 2½ 2
6 2 3 25 5 1½ 1½ 1½ 2
2 3½ 2 2 2½ 1½ 3
3 4 4 23 6 1½ 1½ 1 1½ 2
2 2½ 3 2 2 2½
3 4 4 21½ 7 ½ 1½ 1½ ½ ½ 2
2½ 3½ 2 3½ 3
4 5 2 21 8 1½ ½ 2½ 2 2 1½ 1½
2½ 2½ 1 3
4 5 2 20½ 9 2 2 1 1½ 2 1 ½ 1½
2½ 3 3½
3 5 3 20½ 10 ½ 1 2 1½ 1½ 2 2 1½ 1½
2 3
1 6 4 18½ 11 ½ 1½ 1 1½ 2½ 2 ½ 3 1 2
2½
3 6 2 18 12 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
½ 3 3 2½ 3 1½ 3 2½ 2 3½ 2
7 2 2 26½ 14 3½
2½ 1½ 2½ 1½ 1½ 3½ 2½ 2 2 3½
6 3 2 26½ 15 1 1½
1½ 2 3½ 2½ 3 1 2½ 3½ 3
6 4 1 25 16 1 2½ 2½
1½ 2 1 2 2 2½ 2 3½
4 3 4 22½ 17 1½ 1½ 2 2½
2½ 2 2 1 1½ 3 3
4 4 3 22½ 18 1 2½ ½ 2 1½
3 2 4 2½ 2 1½
4 4 3 22½ 19 2½ 2½ 1½ 3 2 1
2½ 1½ 1½ 1 3
5 5 1 22 20 1 ½ 1 2 2 2 1½
2½ 3½ 2½ 2
3 4 4 20½ 21 1½ 1½ 3 2 3 0 2½ 1½
2 2 1
3 5 3 20 22 2 2 1½ 1½ 2½ 1½ 2½ ½ 2
2 2
2 4 5 20 23 ½ 2 ½ 2 1 2 3 1½ 2 2
2½
2 4 5 19 24 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
Board 1: Friðrik Ólafsson 14 / 18 = 77.8% Board 2: Tigran Petrosian 10 / 12 = 83.3% Board 3: Boris Spassky 11 / 14 = 78.6% Board 4: Borislav Ivkov and Raúl Sanguineti 13½ / 16 = 84.4% 1st reserve: Efim Geller 10½ / 12 = 87.5% 2nd reserve: Mikhail Tal 10 / 13 = 76.9%
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.
References
15th Chess Olympiad: Varna 1962 OlimpBase