Elmars Zemgalis
Encyclopedia
Elmārs Zemgalis is a Latvia
n-American
chess
master and mathematics professor. He was awarded an Honorary Grandmaster title in 2003.
invaded his native Latvia for the second time, Zemgalis fled to Germany
. As a D.P. (Displaced Person
) after World War II
, he played in twelve international tournaments. In 1946, he took second place, behind Wolfgang Unzicker
, in Augsburg
, with 13/16. In 1946, he took second place, behind Fedor Bohatirchuk, in Regensburg
(Klaus Junge
Memorial), with 6.5/9. In 1947, he took second place, behind Lūcijs Endzelīns
in Hanau
(Hermanis Matisons
Memorial). In 1948, he won in Esslingen (Württemberg
-ch), with 7/9. In 1949, he won in Rujtā (Württemberg-ch). In 1949, he tied for first place with Efim Bogoljubow
in Oldenburg
. In 1949, he tied for first place with Leonids Dreibergs
in Esslingen.
In 1951, he emigrated to the United States
, where he became a mathematics
professor. By 1952, Zemgalis had settled in Seattle. He was arguably the top player in the Pacific Northwest for the next fifteen years. In 1952, he won (3:1) a match against Olaf Ulvestad in Seattle. In 1953 and 1959, he won the Washington State championships. In 1962, he won (4.5: 3.5) a match against Viktors Pupols
.
William John Donaldson
wrote a book on his chess career: Elmars Zemgalis: Grandmaster without the title (2001). Zemgalis was awarded the Honorary Grandmaster title by FIDE, the International Chess Federation, in 2003. The site chessgames.com has 42 of his games, while the site mychess.com has 61 of his games.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 and mathematics professor. He was awarded an Honorary Grandmaster title in 2003.
Biography
After the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
invaded his native Latvia for the second time, Zemgalis fled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. As a D.P. (Displaced Person
Displaced person
A displaced person is a person who has been forced to leave his or her native place, a phenomenon known as forced migration.- Origin of term :...
) after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he played in twelve international tournaments. In 1946, he took second place, behind Wolfgang Unzicker
Wolfgang Unzicker
Wolfgang Unzicker was one of the strongest German chess Grandmasters from 1945 to about 1970.He decided against making chess his profession, choosing law instead....
, in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, with 13/16. In 1946, he took second place, behind Fedor Bohatirchuk, in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
(Klaus Junge
Klaus Junge
Klaus Junge was one of the youngest German chess masters.-Biography:...
Memorial), with 6.5/9. In 1947, he took second place, behind Lūcijs Endzelīns
Lucijs Endzelins
Lūcijs Endzelīns was a Latvian-Australian chess master....
in Hanau
Hanau
Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. Its station is a major railway junction.- Geography :...
(Hermanis Matisons
Hermanis Matisons
Hermanis Matisons , , was a Latvian chess player and one of world's most highly regarded chess masters in the early 1930s. He was also a leading endgame composer...
Memorial). In 1948, he won in Esslingen (Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
-ch), with 7/9. In 1949, he won in Rujtā (Württemberg-ch). In 1949, he tied for first place with Efim Bogoljubow
Efim Bogoljubow
Efim Dmitriyevich Bogolyubov was a Russo-German chess grandmaster who won numerous events and played two matches with Alexander Alekhine for the world championship.-Early career:...
in Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
. In 1949, he tied for first place with Leonids Dreibergs
Leonids Dreibergs
Leonids Dreibergs was a Latvian–American chess master.He took 6th at Riga 1930 , took 9th at Kemeri 1939 , and took 5th at Riga 1941 .At the end of World War II, joining the westward exodus in 1944/45, he — along with many other Baltic players, e.g...
in Esslingen.
In 1951, he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he became a mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
professor. By 1952, Zemgalis had settled in Seattle. He was arguably the top player in the Pacific Northwest for the next fifteen years. In 1952, he won (3:1) a match against Olaf Ulvestad in Seattle. In 1953 and 1959, he won the Washington State championships. In 1962, he won (4.5: 3.5) a match against Viktors Pupols
Viktors Pupols
Viktors Pūpols is an American chess master. Known by many local players as "Uncle Vik," he frequently plays at the Tacoma Chess Club. He was the Club Champion in 1955, and some of his games can be viewed online at the club's website. Pupols is currently married to Deborah Petzal-Pupols.-Notable...
.
William John Donaldson
William John Donaldson
William John Donaldson is an International Master of chess. He has been an IM since 1983. He is also an author, organizer, journalist and chess politician...
wrote a book on his chess career: Elmars Zemgalis: Grandmaster without the title (2001). Zemgalis was awarded the Honorary Grandmaster title by FIDE, the International Chess Federation, in 2003. The site chessgames.com has 42 of his games, while the site mychess.com has 61 of his games.