The 27th Chess Olympiad in Dubai was politically contentious, with Israel barred and several Western nations boycotting, yet the Soviet Union narrowly won.
Key Facts
- Dates
- November 14 – December 2, 1986
- Host city
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Organizer
- FIDE
- Soviet Union margin of victory
- Half a point ahead of England
- Notable boycotting nations
- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands
- US finish
- Bronze medal (led after penultimate round)
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The decision to hold the Olympiad in an Arab nation created a political conflict: Israel, in an official state of war with several Arab countries, was barred from participating. In response, multiple Western European nations including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands boycotted the event, and prominent individual players such as Viktor Korchnoi, Robert Hübner, and Eric Lobron also declined to attend.
The 27th Chess Olympiad took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 14 to December 2, 1986, featuring open and women's team tournaments organized by FIDE. The Soviet Union, fielding world champion Garry Kasparov and former champion Anatoly Karpov, competed in a closely contested open event against England and the United States.
The Soviet Union captured first place only in the final round, finishing just half a point ahead of England. The United States, which had led the standings after the penultimate round, ultimately had to settle for bronze medals. The political controversies surrounding the event continued a pattern of Olympiad disruptions seen in prior editions.