Leho Laurine
Encyclopedia
Leho Laurine (28 August 1904, St. Petersburg – 31 January 1998, Stockholm
) was an Estonia
n chess master
.
He was Estonian Champion
in 1932 (4th EST-ch), and took 3rd in 1935, behind Paul Keres
, and Gunnar Friedemann
(7th EST-ch).
Throughout the 1930s, he played in the Estonian Club championships. In 1930 he won team silver medal, with Nedsvedski, Vidrik Rootare
and Karring. In 1931 and 1938, he won two team gold medals, firstly with Villard, Karring, and Vladimirs Petrovs
, and then with Paul Felix Schmidt
, Johannes Türn
, Kalde, and Laht.
He played for Estonia in two Chess Olympiad
s.
During World War II, he played the Estonian championships of 1942 and 1943 (both won by Keres). In 1944, Laurine, along with many other Baltic
players (Arlauskas, Dreibergs, Endzelins, Jursevskis, Mednis, Ozols, Sarapu, Tautvaišas, Vaitonis, Zemgalis, etc.) escaped to the West, just before the advancing Soviet
forces arrived, to avoid deportation to Siberia
or any other persecutions resulting from a Soviet occupation, an example being the case of Vladimirs Petrovs
. Laurine left Tallinn
for Germany and then Sweden.
In 1963, he tied for 3rd-4th in Stockholm (Vasily Smyslov
won).
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
) was an Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n chess master
Chess master
A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically prevail against most amateurs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning being clear from context....
.
He was Estonian Champion
Estonian Chess Championship
The first unofficial Estonian Chess Championship was held in 1903, organized by a chess club formed in Reval in 1903 and named for the famous Russian master Mikhail Chigorin. After the World War I, when Estonia became an independent country, official Estonian championships started...
in 1932 (4th EST-ch), and took 3rd in 1935, behind Paul Keres
Paul Keres
Paul Keres , was an Estonian chess grandmaster, and a renowned chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s....
, and Gunnar Friedemann
Gunnar Friedemann
-Biography:Friedemann played several times in Estonian championships at Tallinn. In 1932, he tied for 3rd-4th with Johannes Türn . In 1933, he won the 5th EST–ch. In 1934, he took 3rd, behind Ilmar Raud and Paul Felix Schmidt, at the 6th EST–ch. In 1935, he took 2nd, behind Paul Keres, at the 7th...
(7th EST-ch).
Throughout the 1930s, he played in the Estonian Club championships. In 1930 he won team silver medal, with Nedsvedski, Vidrik Rootare
Vidrik Rootare
Vidrik "Frits" Rootare was an Estonian chess player. His wife, Salme Rootare, was also an Estonian chess player, 15-time Estonian Champion and a Women's International Master ....
and Karring. In 1931 and 1938, he won two team gold medals, firstly with Villard, Karring, and Vladimirs Petrovs
Vladimirs Petrovs
Vladimirs Petrovs or Vladimir Petrov was a Latvian chess master.He was born in Riga, Latvia. Though he learned the game of chess relatively late, at age thirteen, Petrovs made rapid progress. By 1926, at age 19, he won the Riga Championship and finish third in the national championship...
, and then with Paul Felix Schmidt
Paul Felix Schmidt
Paul Felix Schmidt was an Estonian chess International Master, chess writer, and chemist.- Biography :In June 1935, he won, ahead of Paul Keres, at Tallinn. In May 1936, he drew a match against Keres at Pärnu. In 1936, he won the 8th Estonian Championship at Tallinn. In December 1936, he placed...
, Johannes Türn
Johannes Türn
-Biography:Türn played in numerous Estonian championships. In 1923, he took 2nd, behind Paul Rinne, in Tallinn . In 1925, he won in Tallinn . In 1930, he took 2nd, behind Vladas Mikėnas . In 1932, he tied for 3rd-4th with Gunnar Friedemann, behind Leho Laurine, and Rinne...
, Kalde, and Laht.
He played for Estonia in two Chess Olympiad
Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
s.
- In 1935, at third board in 6th Chess Olympiad6th Chess OlympiadThe 6th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between August 16 and August 31, 1935, in Warsaw, Poland...
in Warsaw (+4 -8 =2); - In 1936, at fifth board in 3rd unofficial Chess Olympiad3rd unofficial Chess OlympiadThe 3rd unofficial Chess Olympiad was held by German Chess Federation as a counterpart of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin with reference to 1924 and 1928 events....
in Munich (+5 -7 =3).
During World War II, he played the Estonian championships of 1942 and 1943 (both won by Keres). In 1944, Laurine, along with many other Baltic
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
players (Arlauskas, Dreibergs, Endzelins, Jursevskis, Mednis, Ozols, Sarapu, Tautvaišas, Vaitonis, Zemgalis, etc.) escaped to the West, just before the advancing Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
forces arrived, to avoid deportation to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
or any other persecutions resulting from a Soviet occupation, an example being the case of Vladimirs Petrovs
Vladimirs Petrovs
Vladimirs Petrovs or Vladimir Petrov was a Latvian chess master.He was born in Riga, Latvia. Though he learned the game of chess relatively late, at age thirteen, Petrovs made rapid progress. By 1926, at age 19, he won the Riga Championship and finish third in the national championship...
. Laurine left Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
for Germany and then Sweden.
In 1963, he tied for 3rd-4th in Stockholm (Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
won).