Povilas Vaitonis Explained

Birth Place:Užpaliai, Kovno Governorate[1]
Birth Date:August 15, 1911
International Master

Chess career

Vaitonis played for Lithuania in one unofficial and four official Chess Olympiads:[3]

Vaitonis played three matches against Vladas Mikėnas. In 1934, he lost a match (2-6). In 1937, he lost (4.5-5.5) and in 1938 he lost (3-9).[4]

Vaitonis may have been the first player to use what is now called the Benko Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5), in its most common move order, in a game against Einar Thorvaldsson at the 1936 Munich non-FIDE Olympiad.[5]

Vaitonis was Lithuanian champion in 1934, 1937, 1938, 1942, and 1944.[6] In July 1943, he took 4th place, behind Birmanas, Romanas Arlauskas, and Leonardas Abramavičius, at the 12th Lithuanian Championship in Vilnius.[7] He left Lithuania just before the advancing Soviet forces to avoid deportation to Siberia or other persecutions of the occupying Soviet regime (e.g., Vladimirs Petrovs). In 1944-45, he joined the exodus of many other Baltic players - such as Arlauskas, Dreibergs, Endzelins, Jursevskis, Mednis, Ozols, Sarapu, Tautvaišas, Zemgalis - to the West.

In 1948, he came to Canada and settled in Hamilton, Ontario. He wrote a weekly chess column for the Hamilton Spectator from 1953 - 55.

In 1949, Vaitonis took 5th place at the Canadian championship at Arvida, Quebec. In 1951 and again in 1957, he won the Canadian championship at Vancouver.[8] [9] In September-October 1952, he took 19th place at the 2nd Interzonal at Stockholm.[10] In 1953, he took 3rd place at the Canadian championship at Winnipeg.[11]

Vaitonis played for Canada in two Olympiads:

He was awarded the International Master title in 1952.[12]

In the 1960s, he continued to participate in Canadian championships and on teams (Lithuanian Chess Club, McMaster University).

Vaitonis was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Chess Hall of Fame in 2011.[13]

Notable games

External links

Notes and References

  1. Kaunas, according to Passengers of the Piriápolis
  2. Web site: Cohen . David . 2018-12-15 . Povilas (Paul) Vaitonis . 2023-08-07 . Canadian Chess Info.
  3. Web site: Vaitonis, Paul . 2023-08-07 . OlimpBase: The Encyclopedia of Team Chess.
  4. Web site: Vladas Mikenas . 2023-08-07 . Chessgames.com.
  5. Web site: Einar Thorvaldsson vs Paul Vaitonis, non-FIDE Munich Olympiad, 1936 . 2023-08-08 . Chessgames.com.
  6. Book: Litmanowicz . Władysław . Giżycki . Jerzy . amp . Szachy od A do Z . Wydawnictwo Sport i Turystyka Warszawa . 1986–1987 . 83-217-2481-7 . pl.
  7. http://www1.omnitel.net/margiris/istorija/ltuch43.html Lietuvos šachmatų istorija
  8. Web site: Sklenka . Stefan (Steve) . 2021-12-04 . 1951 Canadian Chess Championship . 2023-08-07 . Calgary Chess Club.
  9. News: Wright . Stephen . 2021 . Seventy Years Ago: The 1951 Canadian Championship . BCCF Bulletin . 414 .
  10. Web site: Stockholm Interzonal 1952 . 2023-08-07 . Chessgames.com.
  11. Web site: Canadian Closed Champions, 1873-present . 2023-08-07 . BC Chess History.
  12. Web site: CFC - FIDE Titles . 2023-08-07 . Chess Federation of Canada.
  13. Web site: Cohen . David . 2019-06-12 . Inductees - 2011 - Povilas (Paul) Vaitonis . 2023-08-07 . Canadian Chess Hall of Fame.

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