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TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Geneva Tournament

Bent Larsen8.5/13(+6 -2 =5)[games]
Ulf Andersson8/13(+4 -1 =8)[games]
Roman Dzindzichashvili7.5/13(+2 -0 =11)[games]
Gennadi Sosonko7.5/13(+3 -1 =9)[games]
Ludek Pachman7/13(+2 -1 =10)[games]
Eugenio Torre7/13(+4 -3 =6)[games]
Vladimir Liberzon6.5/13(+2 -2 =9)[games]
Borislav Ivkov6.5/13(+1 -1 =11)[games]
Gudmundur Sigurjonsson6.5/13(+3 -3 =7)[games]
Jan Timman6/13(+2 -3 =8)[games]
Robert Byrne6/13(+1 -2 =10)[games]
Fridrik Olafsson5.5/13(+2 -4 =7)[games]
Werner Hug5/13(+1 -4 =8)[games]
Heikki Westerinen3.5/13(+1 -7 =5)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Geneva (1977)

The event was organized by the Fédération Genevoise des Echecs, under the aegis of Trepp and Chappuis. (1) Twelve GM's and two IM's were invited, and the main attractions on the final list of participants were Viktor Korchnoi and Bent Larsen. They had promised to play immediately after their candidates matches. The Korchnoi - Petrosian Candidates Quarterfinal (1977) dragged out, however, and Korchnoi could not come. He was replaced by Liberzon. Also the Portisch - Larsen Candidates Quarterfinal (1977) dragged out, but Larsen put himself on the train (2) to Geneva and managed to reach round 3. His first two games were played later (on the rest days). The playing venue was Hôtel Méditerranée, and normal playing time was 5-10 pm (40 moves in < 5 hours). (3) Tournament category: 12 (GM norm 7 points). (4) Ties would be decided by Sonneborn-Berger (the newspaper has "Sonnenbrandberg") scores. (5)

The organizers wanted to have the tournament as strong as possible, (4) and hired none other than USCF president Georges Koltanowski as chief arbiter. (6) With the venerable Harry Golombek as assistant. It is in an almost religious atmosphere that the master Golombek, tournament referee, has hit the gong which marks the beginning of two and a half weeks of exciting fight. (7) The draws were many, however (62,6%). Six of the players (Andersson, Sosonko, Torre, Liberzon, Timman and Ólafsson) came straight from Bad Lauterberg (1977) and were tired. (4) Yet Ólafsson played a 115 move game (4) in the last round against Liberzon, trying to extract more than a draw with rook and bishop versus rook. Timman, who had been second to Anatoly Karpov in Germany, was as low as tenth. Larsen too was very tired but seemed to find new energy as the tournament proceeded, to play in the adventurous style for which he is famous. (4) The closing ceremony was on 12 April, after the Ólafsson game had finished. (5)

Geneva, Switzerland, 26 March - 11 April 1977

Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 Pts SonBe 1 GM Larsen 2615 * ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 8½ 2 GM Andersson 2565 ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 8 3 IM Dzindzichashvili 2535 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 7½ 48.25 4 GM Sosonko 2530 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 7½ 45.00 5 GM Pachman 2485 1 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 7 47.00 6 GM Torre 2550 1 0 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 7 43.00 7 GM Liberzon 2550 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 6½ 42.75 8 GM Ivkov 2510 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 6½ 41.00 9 GM Sigurjónsson 2520 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 6½ 39.50 10 GM Timman 2590 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 0 6 39.50 11 GM Byrne 2580 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ 6 37.00 12 GM Ólafsson 2560 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 5½ 13 IM Hug 2445 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ 5 14 GM Westerinen 2430 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ * 3½

Dzindzichashvili made a GM norm. (4) Special prizes went to Larsen, for H Westerinen vs Larsen, 1977 (best game), Liberzon, for V Liberzon vs E Torre, 1977 (brilliancy prize), Andersson, for Ulf Andersson vs E Torre, 1977 (best endgame), and Westerinen, for Timman vs H Westerinen, 1977 (best attack). (4, 5)

In addition to the main event there was the Geneva Junior Championship (23 March - 3 April) and an open tournament of 7 rounds (8-11 April) with about 130 players. (1, 8)

Dates are from Journal de Genève at https://www.letempsarchives.ch/rech..., with a little help from Dutch newspapers at https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten. Both Koltanowski (in Lubbock Avalanche-Journal 29 May 1977 p. 120) and Golombek (in The Times 16 April 1977 p. 10) wrote a report afterwards.

Notes

1) Journal de Genève, 5 March 1977, p. 20.
2) Het Vrije Volk, 28 March 1977, p. 23.
3) Journal de Genève, 24 March 1977, p. 9.
4) The Times, 16 April 1977, p. 10.
5) Journal de Genève, 13 April 1977, p. 9.
6) Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 29 May 1977, p. 120.
7) Journal de Genève, 28 March 1977, p. 7.
8) Journal de Genève, 9 April 1977, p. 9.

Original collection: Game Collection: Geneva 1977 by User: Tabanus.

 page 2 of 4; games 26-50 of 91  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
26. Westerinen vs Pachman  ½-½201977GenevaC67 Ruy Lopez
27. Ivkov vs Sosonko  ½-½171977GenevaE17 Queen's Indian
28. Sosonko vs Andersson  ½-½191977GenevaE19 Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3
29. E Torre vs Westerinen 1-0461977GenevaC92 Ruy Lopez, Closed
30. Timman vs Ivkov 1-0351977GenevaD34 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch
31. G Sigurjonsson vs Larsen  0-1401977GenevaE54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System
32. Dzindzichashvili vs F Olafsson  ½-½251977GenevaE95 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1
33. W Hug vs R Byrne  ½-½131977GenevaB51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack
34. Pachman vs V Liberzon  ½-½281977GenevaE84 King's Indian, Samisch, Panno Main line
35. F Olafsson vs Sosonko  ½-½131977GenevaE12 Queen's Indian
36. R Byrne vs Dzindzichashvili  ½-½141977GenevaB52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack
37. Westerinen vs W Hug  ½-½111977GenevaC10 French
38. V Liberzon vs E Torre 1-0451977GenevaB08 Pirc, Classical
39. G Sigurjonsson vs Pachman 1-0271977GenevaC72 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 5.O-O
40. Andersson vs Timman  ½-½121977GenevaA29 English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto
41. Larsen vs Ivkov ½-½711977GenevaC50 Giuoco Piano
42. Larsen vs Sosonko  1-0461977GenevaA17 English
43. Timman vs F Olafsson  ½-½391977GenevaA30 English, Symmetrical
44. E Torre vs G Sigurjonsson 1-0231977GenevaB96 Sicilian, Najdorf
45. Sosonko vs R Byrne  ½-½191977GenevaE06 Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3
46. W Hug vs V Liberzon  1-0571977GenevaA07 King's Indian Attack
47. Ivkov vs Andersson  ½-½141977GenevaE81 King's Indian, Samisch
48. Pachman vs Larsen 1-0411977GenevaA56 Benoni Defense
49. Dzindzichashvili vs Westerinen  ½-½601977GenevaE74 King's Indian, Averbakh, 6...c5
50. Larsen vs Andersson ½-½441977GenevaB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
 page 2 of 4; games 26-50 of 91  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

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