The 77th Swiss Championship was held in Muttenz from 6 to 16 July 1977. The twelve-player Meisterturnier A was described in the preview as the strongest Swiss championship field since the Second World War. Each player met every other player once. More than 400 competitors were expected across the various sections, including Meisterturnier B, women's events, seniors, junior events and a problem-solving competition. The preview named the Gemeindezentrum as the venue; the report of the opening specifically located Meisterturnier A at Hotel Mittenza. Fridolin Jeker of Basel directed the tournament, and Hans Neukomm chaired the organizing committee. The opening included addresses by press officer Paul Müller-Breil, Ulrich Moser and Hans Jakob Schudel, followed by the drawing of lots.

The first round began on 6 July at 17:00. Subsequent rounds were scheduled for 14:00, except rounds 10 and 11, on 15 and 16 July, which began at 08:00. Unfinished games were adjourned after five hours and resumed the following morning or afternoon. The report criticized the large number of draws in the opening rounds. Heinz Schaufelberger's win over Roland Ott was the only decisive game in round 1. In round 2 Meinrad Schauwecker defeated Heinz Wirthensohn, while Andreas Huss beat defending champion Hansjürg Känel. Huss, Schaufelberger and Schauwecker shared the lead with 1½/2.

Huss led with 3½ points after five rounds, ahead of Werner Hug and Schauwecker on 3. Several games were still adjourned. Känel defeated Wirthensohn in round 4, and his round-5 game against Schaufelberger also ended in a win. André Lombard remained unbeaten and won against Ott, Schaufelberger, Känel and Huss. Dieter Keller lost to Walter Bichsel in round 10. In the final round Hug agreed a draw with Lombard after approximately an hour and a half and was the first to congratulate him on his fifth national title. Keller beat Känel to secure clear second place. Schauwecker defeated Huss.

Lombard finished on 7½/11 with four wins and seven draws; Keller scored 7. Schauwecker, Edwin Bhend and Wirthensohn shared third to fifth places with 6½, followed by Hug on 6. Glauser and Huss shared seventh and eighth with 5½; Bichsel scored 5; Känel and Schaufelberger shared tenth and eleventh on 3½; Ott finished on 3. The French report attached to the Biel festival coverage incorrectly states that Lombard drew four games and that Känel finished fifth; the complete crosstable and the final championship report take precedence.

Myrta Ludwig won the parallel women's championship with 6 points, ahead of Vanda Veprek, Solari and Christa Bürgin on 5½. The present files cover only the men's Meisterturnier A.