Alvis Vitolinš
Encyclopedia
Alvis Vītoliņš (15 June 1946, Sigulda
– 16 February 1997) was a Latvian chess
master.
Awarded the International Master title in 1980, he was Latvian Champion
in 1973 (jointly), 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1985 (jointly). He committed suicide
by jumping onto the frozen ice of the Gauja
river from a railway bridge in 1997.
His name is attached to the Vitolins Variation in the Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
(1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bb5+) and the Vitolins Variation of the Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
(1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6.Bg5 Bg7 7. Bb5+).
Sigulda
Other twinnings: Keila, Estonia chiatura Georgia-References:* , , , , , and -External links:*...
– 16 February 1997) was a Latvian chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
master.
Awarded the International Master title in 1980, he was Latvian Champion
Latvian Chess Championship
-History:Professional level Latvian chess players have already appeared in the nineteenth century. They participated in chess tournaments and union congresses, organized by the Riga Chess Association. After the World War I, when Latvia became an independent country, official Latvian chess...
in 1973 (jointly), 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1985 (jointly). He committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by jumping onto the frozen ice of the Gauja
Gauja
The Gauja is one of the longest rivers in Latvia, with a length of and a catchment area of . Its source is in the hills southeast of Cēsis. It first flows east and north and forms the border with Estonia for about . South of Valga and Valka, it turns west towards Valmiera, continuing southwest...
river from a railway bridge in 1997.
His name is attached to the Vitolins Variation in the Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
In the opening of a game of chess, the Scheveningen Variation of the Sicilian Defence is one of Black's most ambitious lines in the Open Sicilian...
(1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bb5+) and the Vitolins Variation of the Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
In chess, the Dragon Variation is one of the main lines of the Sicilian Defence and begins with the moves:The name "Dragon" was first coined by Russian chess master and amateur astronomer Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky who noted the resemblance of Black's kingside pawn structure to the constellation...
(1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6.Bg5 Bg7 7. Bb5+).
Notable games
- Lev Gutman vs Alvis Vitolinsh, USSR 1979, Nimzo-Indian Defense: Reshevsky Variation (E46), 0-1
- Alvis Vitolinsh vs Igor Viksni, Riga 1985, Russian Game: Cochrane Gambit, Center Variation (C42), 1-0