The 23rd Chess Olympiad (), organized by FIDE and comprising an openAlthough commonly referred to as the men's division, this section is open to both male and female players. and a women's tournament, as well as several other events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between October 25 and November 12, 1978, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
After the boycott two years earlier, the Eastern Bloc countries were back, including the Soviet team who, as usual, were huge favourites——but in the end they had to settle for the silver medal. Hungary, led by Lajos Portisch, caused quite an upset by taking the gold medals by a full point. The United States took the bronze.
This tournament also witnessed the debut of China, which placed 20th with six untitled players, and later became a chess power and won the Chess Olympiad in 2014 and 2018.
Open event Sixty-five nations played a 14-round Swiss system tournament. To make for an even number of teams, the Argentine hosts also fielded a "B" team. In the event of a draw, the tie-break was decided first by using the Buchholz system, then by match points.
{| class="wikitable" |+ Open event ! # !! Country !! Players !! Averagerating !! Points !! Buchholz |- | style="background:gold;"|1 || || Portisch, Ribli, Sax, Adorján, Csom, Vadász || 2570 || 37 || |- | style="background:silver;"|2 || || Spassky, Petrosian, Polugaevsky, Gulko, Romanishin, Vaganian || 2620 || 36 || |- | style="background:#cc9966;"|3 || || Kavalek, Browne, Lein, Byrne, Tarjan, Lombardy || 2553 || 35 || |- | 4 || || Hübner, Unzicker, Pfleger, Darga, Hecht, Borik || 2540 || 33 || |- | 5 || || Dzindzichashvili, Liberzon, Kagan, Bleiman, Birnboim, Gruenfeld || 2509 || 32½ || 442.5 |- | 6 || || Gheorghiu, Ciocâltea, Ghițescu, Șubă, Ghindă, Troianescu || 2468 || 32½ || 422.5 |- | 7 || || Hamann, Jakobsen, Kristiansen, Fedder, Høi, Blom || 2416 || 32 || 440.5 |- | 8 || || Schmidt, Kuligowski, Sznapik, Adamski, Pytel, Filipowicz || 2449 || 32 || 437.0 |- | 9 || || Díez del Corral, Pomar, Calvo, Bellón López, Sanz Alonso, Rivas Pastor || 2429 || 32 || 430.5 |- | 10 || || Korchnoi, Hug, Lombard, Wirthensohn, Huss, Bhend || 2484 || 32 || 426.0 |- | 11 || || Hébert, Biyiasas, Day, Piasetski, Nickoloff, Coudari || 2388 || 32 || 422.5 |- | 12 || || Miles, Stean, Keene, Hartston, Mestel, Nunn || 2508 || 31½ || 452.5 |- | 13 || || Radulov, Ermenkov, Tringov, Padevsky, Spasov, Inkiov || 2486 || 31½ || 437.0 |- | 14 || || Timman, Sosonko, Donner, Ree, Ligterink, Langeweg || 2538 || 31½ || 432.5 |- | 15 || || Gligorić, Ljubojević, Matanović, Ivkov, Velimirović, Parma || 2558 || 31 || 438.0 |- | 16 || || Andersson, Ornstein, Schneider, Kaiszauri, Schüssler, Wedberg || 2453 || 31 || 437.5 |- | 17 || || Emma, Bronstein, Hase, Cámpora, Szmetan, Grinberg || 2409 || 31 || 418.0 |- | 18 || || García González, Hernández, Rodríguez Céspedes, Vilela de Acuña, García Martínez, Lebredo Zarragoitia || 2486 || 30½ || 437.0 |- | 19 || || Robatsch, Hölzl, Stoppel, Wittmann, Janetschek, Dür || 2389 || 30½ || 417.0 |- | 20 || || Qi Jingxuan, Chen De, Liu Wenzhe, Liang Jinrong, Chang Tung Lo, Zhang Weida || 2273 || 30½ || 413.5 |- | 21 || || Sisniega, Campos López, Villarreal, Aldrete, Escondrillas, Navarro || 2361 || 30½ || 393.5 |- | 22 || || Westerinen, Rantanen, Hurme, Saren, Raaste, Kivipelto || 2389 || 30 || 421.0 |- | 23 || || García, Gutierrez, Rodríguez, Zapata, de Greiff, Agudelo || 2359 || 30 || 400.5 |- | 24 || || Torre E., Rodríguez, Mascariñas, Bordonada, Torre V., de Guzman || 2405 || 29½ || 407.0 |- | 25 || || Sarapu, Chandler, Small, Stuart, Anderson, Weir || 2270 || 29½ || 396.0 |- | 26 || || Suradiradja, Ardiansyah, Bachtiar, Wotulo, Sampouw, Kileng || 2346 || 29½ || 394.0 |- | 27 || || Trois, van Riemsdijk, Segal, Braga, Másculo, Carvalho || 2355 || 29½ || 393.5 |- | 28 || || Ólafsson F., Sigurjónsson, Ólafsson H., Pétursson, Árnason, Ásmundsson || 2480 || 29 || 423.0 |- | 29 || || Donoso Velasco, Frias Pablaza, Morovic, Silva Sánchez, Scholz Solis, Cifuentes Parada || 2395 || 29 || 417.0 |- | 30 || || Jamieson, Fuller, Shaw, Rogers, Woodhams, Viner || 2399 || 29 || 408.0 |- | 31 || || Wibe, Helmers, Øgaard, Hoen, Johannessen, Heiberg || 2409 || 29 || 398.0 |- | - || Argentina "B" || Giardelli, Seidler, Barbero, Braga, Bernat, Monier || 2329 || 28½ || 413.0 |- | 32 || || Franco Ocampos, Gamarra Cáceres, Riego Prieto, Bogda, Ferreira, Ingolotti || 2278 || 28½ || 411.5 |- | 33 || || Pritchett, Levy, Jamieson, Upton, Giulian, Reid || 2309 || 28 || 404.5 |- | 34 || || Ostos, Fernández, Diaz, Gamboa, Dounia, González || 2253 || 28 || 401.5 |- | 35 || || Arafeh, Hakki, Catalan, Khatib, Kassen M., Khattab || 2200 || 28 || 373.0 |- | 36 || || Haïk, Giffard, Preissmann, Roos, Sellos, Letzelter || 2358 || 27½ || 425.0 |- | 37 || || Estrada Degrandi, Dienavorian Lacherian, Silva Nazzari, Bademian Orchanian, Lamas Baliero, Pazdur González || 2270 || 27½ || 381.5 |- | 38 || || Gonzáles, Delgado, Álvarez, Mateo, Pérez Nivar, Liao Yuan Eu || 2229 || 27½ || 380.5 |- | 39 || || Weeramantry, Aturupane D. H. C., Goonetilleke, Parakrama || 2200 || 27½ || 373.5 |- | 40 || || Jhunjhnuwala K., Valdellon, Kan Wai Shui, Jhunjhnuwala R., Schepel, Jhunjhnuwala N. || 2235 || 27½ || 367.0 |- | 41 || || Cooper, Williams, Hutchings, Jones, Trevelyan, Tyrrell || 2324 || 27 || 403.5 |- | 42 || || Rodríguez Vargas, González Bernal, Vásquez Horna, Vásquez, Pelaez Contti, Robbiano Taboada || 2271 || 27 || 399.5 |- | 43 || || Broomes M., Broomes G., Wharton, Warsali, Brooms || 2200 || 27 || 369.0 |- | 44 || || Takemoto, Matsumoto, Sakurai, Ozaki, Oda, Tanuma || 2200 || 27 || 359.0 |- | 45 || || Stull, Schammo, Milbers, Kirsch, Welz, Philippe || 2219 || 27 || 353.0 |- | 46 || || Jacobsen, Apol, Petersen, Ziska, Midjord, Durhuus || 2200 || 27 || 346.0 |- | 47 || || Schumacher, Wostyn, Mollekens, Van Herck, Larsen, De Hert || 2223 || 26½ || 374.5 |- | 48 || || De León, Batres, Canda, Grajeda, Garrido, Cruz Lorenzana || 2200 || 26½ || 358.0 |- | 49 || || Chorfi, Al-Hamido, Arbouche, El-Amri, Khatib S., Bakali || 2200 || 26½ || 356.0 |- | 50 || || Bouaziz, Belkadi, Tabbane, Kchouk, Hmadi, Zargouni || 2279 || 26 || 390.0 |- | 51 || || Verduga, Pazos, Salvador, Freile, Frank, Márquez || 2266 || 26 || 381.5 |- | 52 || || Chávez Chávez, Zarco Castillo, Mendivil, Alborta, Orestes, Palacios Alvarez || 2213 || 26 || 368.0 |- | 53 || || Cecil Lee, Payne, Courtney Lee, Duchesne, Lum Tong, Chin Fong || 2200 || 26 || 356.5 |- | 54 || || Arafat, Shoumali, Al-Mallah, Bakr, Haddad, Saqqa || 2200 || 26 || 327.5 |- | 55 || || Wong S., Grant, Wong A., Powell || 2200 || 25½ || |- | 56 || || Moraza Choisme, Freyre, Torres, Ochoa, Martínez Buitrago, Ferrao || 2214 || 25 || 373.0 |- | 57 || || Tan Bian Huat, Woo Beng Keong, Hon Kah Seng, Liew Chee Meng, Foo Lum Choon, How || 2200 || 25 || 365.5 |- | 58 || || Shabsh Abdulatif, El-Ageli, Tawengi, Isgeta, Talha, Aburziza M. || 2200 || 23½ || 321.0 |- | 59 || || Bouasria, Radhy Sol, El-Mokhtar, Louly, Maouloud || 2200 || 23½ || 319.5 |- | 60 || || Clua Ballague, Pantebre Martínez, Gómez Abad, Pantebre Martínez, Fité Barris, Vañó || 2200 || 22½ || |- | 61 || || Van Tilbury, Hoyt, Grumer, Chiu Yum San, Hanno, John Turner || 2200 || 22 || |- | 62 || Bermuda || Yerbury, Radford, Harris, Chudleigh, Dill, Lattyak || 2200 || 20½ || |- | 63 || || De Vries, Ciezkowski, Merali, Biringanine || 2200 || 16 || |- | 64 || || Hassan, Saleh, Abdulghafour, Abdul Rahman, Al-Kaitoob, Zainal || 2200 || 12½ || 328.5 |- | 65 || || Hook, Georges, Pickering, Campbell, Downing || 2213 || 12½ || 327.5
Team standing
The following ratings were used to determine the placement (#). BP (sum of board points) TP (sum of team points)
{| class="wikitable" !#||Team||Code||BP||TP||+||=||-||1||2||3||4||5||6||7||8||9||10||11||12||13||14 |- | style="background:gold;"|1 || ||HUN||37||23||10||3||1||SCO3½||POL3||NED3||ESP2½||USA2||URS1½||DEN2||ENG3||BUL2½||GER2||ISL3||SWE3½||ISR2½||YUG3 |- | style="background:silver;"|2 || ||URS||36||23||10||3||1||WLS3||ARG23½||ROM3||CUB3||ENG2||HUN2½||BUL2½||USA3||GER1½||ISR2||SWE2||POL2½||CAN3||NED2½ |- | style="background:#cc9966;"|3 || ||USA||35||23||10||3||1||PAR3||AUT2½||CAN3||AUS3||HUN2||ENG2½||YUG2½||URS1||DEN4||CUB2½||GER2½||ISR2½||POL2||SUI2 |- | 4 || ||GER||33||17||6||5||3||NZL4||CHI2½||CUB1||FIN3||DEN1½||SWE2||WLS4||ARG3||URS2½||HUN2||USA1½||YUG2||ENG2||ISR2 |- | 5 || ||ISR||32½||18||7||4||3||ECU4||BRA2½||ESP1||CAN2½||PHI2||FRA2½||ROM2||FIN3||POL2½||URS2||CUB3½||USA1½||HUN1½||GER2 |- | 6 || ||ROM||32½||16||6||4||4||PUR4||CAN1½||URS1||INA1½||CHN2½||TUN4||ISR2||BUL2||FRA2||ARG23||YUG1½||ISL3||ESP2||ENG2½ |- | 7 || ||DEN||32||20||8||4||2||JPN3||MEX2½||COL3||YUG2||GER2½||CAN3½||HUN2||CUB2||USA0||SUI2½||ENG1||CHI3½||BUL2||AUT2½ |- | 8 || ||POL||32||17||7||3||4||MAS3½||HUN1||HKG2½||BRA4||SWE2½||PHI2||ENG2½||YUG1½||ISR1½||FRA3||ESP2½||URS1½||USA2||CAN2 |- | 9 || ||ESP||32||15||6||3||5||GUA4||VEN2½||ISR3||HUN1½||BUL1½||FIN2||FRA1½||AUS3½||SUI1½||AUT3||POL1½||CUB2||ROM2||SWE2½ |- | 10 || ||SUI||32||19||8||3||3||BEL3||FRA1½||MEX2½||CHN2½||CHI3½||YUG1||BRA2½||SWE2||ESP2½||DEN1½||PHI3||ENG2||AUT2½||USA2 |- | 11 || ||CAN||32||16||7||2||5||LBA4||ROM2½||USA1||ISR1½||SCO3½||DEN½||DOM3½||CHI2||ENG1||PER3||PAR2½||FRA4||URS1||POL2 |- | 12 || ||ENG||31½||15||6||3||5||DOM4||COL3½||ARG2½||BUL2½||URS2||USA1½||POL1½||HUN1||CAN3||SWE1½||DEN3||SUI2||GER2||ROM1½ |- | 13 || ||BUL||31½||16||7||2||5||LUX4||INA3||FRA2½||ENG1½||ESP2½||CUB3||URS1½||ROM2||HUN1½||ISL1||ARG3||NED1½||DEN2||FIN2½ |- | 14 || ||NED||31½||17||7||3||4||URU4||FIN3||HUN1||ARG2½||CUB1||COL2||SWE1½||CHN2||PAR2½||BRA3||ARG23||BUL2½||YUG2||URS1½ |- | 15 || ||YUG||31||18||7||4||3||TUN3½||AUS2½||NOR2½||DEN2||FRA2||SUI3||USA1½||POL2½||CUB1½||ARG2½||ROM2½||GER2||NED2||HUN1 |- | 16 || ||SWE||31||17||7||3||4||HKG3||NOR1½||BEL3½||CHI2½||POL1½||GER2||NED2½||SUI2||CHN3½||ENG2½||URS2||HUN½||FIN2½||ESP1½ |- | 17 || ||ARG||31||16||8||0||6||BOL3||CHN3½||ENG1½||NED1½||COL2½||INA3||ISL2½||GER1||PER3||YUG1½||BUL1||AUT1||NOR2½||VEN3½ |- | 18 || ||CUB||30½||17||7||3||4||PER2½||MAR4||GER3||URS1||NED3||BUL1||PHI3||DEN2||YUG2½||USA1½||ISR½||ESP2||ISL2½||CHN2 |- | 19 || ||AUT||30½||15||7||1||6||GUY2½||USA1½||SCO2½||NZL1½||PAR2||CHN½||HKG3||MAS3½||AUS4||ESP1||FIN2½||ARG3||SUI1½||DEN1½ |- | 20 || ||CHN||30½||15||6||3||5||ISL3||ARG½||DOM3½||SUI1½||ROM1½||AUT3½||FIN2||NED2||SWE½||VEN1½||TUN2½||SYR2½||ECU4||CUB2 |- | 21 || ||MEX||30½||16||7||2||5||TRI3||DEN1½||SUI1½||URU3||VEN1½||PAR1||PUR3||PER1||DOM2½||NOR2||BOL3||ECU3||COL2||ISL2½ |- | 22 || ||FIN||30||14||6||2||6||JAM4||NED1||ARG22½||GER1||PER3||ESP2||CHN2||ISR1||NZL3||COL3||AUT1½||VEN3||SWE1½||BUL1½ |- | 23 || ||COL||30||15||5||5||4||UAE4||ENG½||DEN1||HKG4||ARG1½||NED2||SCO2½||NOR3||ISL2||FIN1||CHI2||PHI2½||MEX2||BRA2 |- | 24 || ||PHI||29½||16||6||4||4||AND2||PER2½||WLS3½||ISL2½||ISR2||POL2||CUB1||INA2½||ARG21½||CHI2½||SUI1||COL1½||SCO3||NZL2 |- | 25 || ||NZL||29½||15||7||1||6||GER0||SRI3||LUX3½||AUT2½||INA1½||BRA1½||MAS3½||ARG22||FIN1||TUN2½||ECU1||JPN3½||PER3||PHI2 |- | 26 || ||INA||29½||14||6||2||6||ZAI4||BUL1||CHI1½||ROM2½||NZL2½||ARG1||VEN2½||PHI1½||NOR1||ECU2||SCO1½||GUA4||AUS2||PAR2½ |- | 27 || ||BRA||29½||14||6||2||6||IVB4||ISR1½||VEN2½||POL0||TUN3||NZL2½||SUI1½||WLS2½||CHI1½||NED1||AUS2||BOL4||PAR1½||COL2 |- | 28 || ||ISL||29||13||6||1||7||CHN1||JPN4||PAR3||PHI1½||AUS2½||VEN3||ARG1½||FRA2½||COL2||BUL3||HUN1||ROM1||CUB1½||MEX1½ |- | 29 || ||CHI||29||14||5||4||5||SRI4||GER1½||INA2½||SWE1½||SUI½||SCO2||JAM4||CAN2||BRA2½||PHI1½||COL2||DEN½||ARG22½||AUS2 |- | 30 || ||AUS||29||15||6||3||5||ISV3½||YUG1½||FAI3½||USA1||ISL1½||NOR2½||PAR2½||ESP½||AUT0||SRI4||BRA2||ARG22½||INA2||CHI2 |- | 31 || ||NOR||29||14||6||2||6||BER3½||SWE2½||YUG1½||FRA1||ECU3||AUS1½||ARG22||COL1||INA3||MEX2||VEN1½||PAR2½||ARG1½||WLS2½ |- | - || Argentina "B"||ARG2||28½||12||5||2||7||JOR4||URS½||FIN1½||PAR2||WLS1½||SYR4||NOR2||NZL3||PHI2½||ROM1||NED1||AUS1½||CHI1½||FRA2½ |-