The 17th Chess Olympiad, Havana 1966

The International Chess Federation's (FIDE) 17th Chess Olympiad was held in Havana, Cuba between October 23 and November 20, 1966. 52 teams participated in the event which was a huge success for the socialist host nation just 7 years after the Revolution, 5 years after the Bay of Pigs and 4 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

As was expected at the time, the Soviet team won the gold medal at the tournament with the US winning silver and the Hungarian People's Republic bronze, although the bronze was won on a tie-breaker with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Both Fidel Castro and, most especially, Che were chess aficionados. Che had done quite a lot to promote the game in Cuba both in the creation of chess clubs and national tournaments. In the end, Cuba placed 14th overall. Castro and Che attended many of the matches and related events of the Olympiad. There they met the chess legends Tigran Petrosian, leader of the Soviet team, and Bobby Fischer of the USA.

An account of the Olympiad notes "Those fortunate enough to be present at the Olympiad spoke only in the highest praise and appreciation of the hospitality of their hosts. Fully backed by the Government and Cuban people, the organisers, headed by José Luis Barreras, set a perfect example of their work, and none of the participants will ever forget their friendship and generosity. The 17th Olympiad is now just a memory - but one of the finest in the whole series of Chess Olympiads."

(For the full account see: OlimpBase :: 17th Chess Olympiad, Havana 1966, information)

Here we show a number of photos from the Olympiad with the two towering figures of the Cuban Revolution.