Viktor Korchnoi entered the Dutch Championship soon after seeking asylum in the Netherlands and turned the event into a procession. The world number two won eleven of thirteen games, drew the other two and finished on 12/13—three and a half points clear of the field.
Korchnoi joins
After winning the 1976 IBM tournament in Amsterdam, Korchnoi asked for asylum in the Netherlands. By the following spring he was among the fourteen championship entrants at Leeuwarden, bringing a world number-two ranking into the national field.
Only two half-points escape
Kick Langeweg and Robert Hartoch were the only players to hold Korchnoi to draws. He defeated everyone else, including defending champion Timman; Donner and Timman shared the next score on 8½, fully three and a half points behind.
Final standings
| # | Player | Score | Record | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korchnoi, Viktor Lvovich | 12/13 | +11 -0 =2 | games |
| =2 | Donner, Jan Hein | 8½/13 | +7 -3 =3 | games |
| =2 | Timman, Jan H | 8½/13 | +7 -3 =3 | games |
| 4 | Ree, Hans | 8/13 | +4 -1 =8 | games |
| 5 | Langeweg, Kick | 7/13 | +3 -2 =8 | games |
| 6 | Ligterink, Gert | 6½/13 | +3 -3 =7 | games |
| 7 | Hartoch, Robert G | 6/13 | +3 -4 =6 | games |
| =8 | Bohm, Hans | 5½/13 | +4 -6 =3 | games |
| =8 | Van der Vliet, Fredrik | 5½/13 | +3 -5 =5 | games |
| =8 | Van Baarle, John | 5½/13 | +2 -4 =7 | games |
| =8 | Van Wijgerden, Cornelis | 5½/13 | +2 -4 =7 | games |
| =12 | Van der Sterren, Paul | 5/13 | +3 -6 =4 | games |
| =12 | Boersma, Paul | 5/13 | +1 -4 =8 | games |
| 14 | Hofland, Leonhard | 2½/13 | +1 -9 =3 | games |
Cross Table
| Rank | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korchnoi, Viktor Lvovich | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | Donner, Jan Hein | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 3 | Timman, Jan H | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 4 | Ree, Hans | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | |
| 5 | Langeweg, Kick | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 6 | Ligterink, Gert | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | |
| 7 | Hartoch, Robert G | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
| 8 | Bohm, Hans | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | |
| 9 | Van der Vliet, Fredrik | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | |
| 10 | Van Baarle, John | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | |
| 11 | Van Wijgerden, Cornelis | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 12 | Van der Sterren, Paul | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 13 | Boersma, Paul | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | |
| 14 | Hofland, Leonhard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ |
Each cell shows the row player's recorded results against the column player. ● = same player.