Vadim Virny
Encyclopedia
Vadim Aleksandrovich Virny ' onMouseout='HidePop("78709")' href="/topics/Kharkiv">Kharkiv
, Ukrainian SSR
) is a German
(formerly Soviet
) International draughts
player, an International Grandmaster. He was a European champion, World vice-champion and two-times World team champion in International draughts in 1980s.
Vadim Virny's father is Alexander Yakovlevich Virny, well known as a draughts
coach and an author of several draughts textbooks.
, defeating another young Soviet player, Alexander Dybman
, in the final barrage. In 1983, at the age of 18, he became a European champion in Deventer
(Netherlands
) and was awarded a Grandmaster title. A month before that he took a second place, losing only to the reigning World champion Harm Wiersma
, at a prestigious VOLMAC-Trophy tournament that was later recognized by the World Draughts Federation
as a World championship. As a silver medalist he had the right to play a World championship match against the reigning champion next year.
In 1984 Virny met Wiersma in a World championship match and drew it (1+ 18= 1-), a result that allowed Wiersma to retain his crown. During this year he also played in a World championship tournament in Senegal but only shared places 4-5.
In 1985 the Soviet team including Virny won a World Zonal Cup, an unofficial World championship. In 1986 the Soviet Grandmasters won Draughts Olympiade, which is currently counted by the World Draughts Federation as a World team championship. Another team title was won by Virny as a member of the Soviet team at 1989 World team championship in Verona
. In between, Virny also won a silver medal at the individual 1987 European championship.
In addition to his international titles, Vadim Virny was three-times (in 1983, 1985 and 1989) silver medalist of the Soviet championships in International draughts and a bronze medalist in 1982.
with his wife, multiple World champion Elena Altchul, and started an IT career, paying less attention to sports. Only in the new millennium he started regularly playing again. In 2006 he won a silver medal at the Netherlands Open championship, the next year he became a silver medalist at the German national championship, and then in 2008—2010 won the national chempionships three times in a row He returned to the European championships in 2008 and 2010, taking, accordingly, 4th and 5th places.
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
) is a German
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...
(formerly 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....
) International draughts
International draughts
International draughts is a board game, one of the variants of draughts. It is played on a 10×10 board with alternatingly dark and light squares, of which only the 50 dark ones are used. There are two players on opposite sides, with 20 pieces each, light for one player and dark for the other...
player, an International Grandmaster. He was a European champion, World vice-champion and two-times World team champion in International draughts in 1980s.
Vadim Virny's father is Alexander Yakovlevich Virny, well known as a draughts
Draughts
Draughts is a group of abstract strategy board games between two players which involve diagonal moves of uniform pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over the enemy's pieces. Draughts developed from alquerque...
coach and an author of several draughts textbooks.
Early achievements
Vadim became a draughts master when he was 13 years old. In 1979, at 14, he won a bronze medal at the World junior championship and the next year for the first time took part in the Soviet championship finals, sharing places 6—10. In 1981 he won the World junior championship in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, defeating another young Soviet player, Alexander Dybman
Alexander Dybman
Alexander Borisovich Dybman was a Soviet International draughts player, two-times World champion in 1986 and 1987 and four-times Soviet champion in International draughts....
, in the final barrage. In 1983, at the age of 18, he became a European champion in Deventer
Deventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
(Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) and was awarded a Grandmaster title. A month before that he took a second place, losing only to the reigning World champion Harm Wiersma
Harm Wiersma
Harm Wiersma is a Dutch draughts player and former politician. He is a six-time world champion in draughts and former MP.- Biography :...
, at a prestigious VOLMAC-Trophy tournament that was later recognized by the World Draughts Federation
World Draughts Federation
The FMJD is the international body uniting national draughts federations. It was founded in 1947 by four Federations: France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland....
as a World championship. As a silver medalist he had the right to play a World championship match against the reigning champion next year.
In 1984 Virny met Wiersma in a World championship match and drew it (1+ 18= 1-), a result that allowed Wiersma to retain his crown. During this year he also played in a World championship tournament in Senegal but only shared places 4-5.
In 1985 the Soviet team including Virny won a World Zonal Cup, an unofficial World championship. In 1986 the Soviet Grandmasters won Draughts Olympiade, which is currently counted by the World Draughts Federation as a World team championship. Another team title was won by Virny as a member of the Soviet team at 1989 World team championship in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
. In between, Virny also won a silver medal at the individual 1987 European championship.
In addition to his international titles, Vadim Virny was three-times (in 1983, 1985 and 1989) silver medalist of the Soviet championships in International draughts and a bronze medalist in 1982.
Since 1990s
In 1992 Vadim Virny moved to GermanyGermany
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...
with his wife, multiple World champion Elena Altchul, and started an IT career, paying less attention to sports. Only in the new millennium he started regularly playing again. In 2006 he won a silver medal at the Netherlands Open championship, the next year he became a silver medalist at the German national championship, and then in 2008—2010 won the national chempionships three times in a row He returned to the European championships in 2008 and 2010, taking, accordingly, 4th and 5th places.
Personal record at the World and European championships
| Year | Level | Venue | Tournament / Match | Result | Placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | WC |  AmsterdamAmsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... |
Tournament | 3+ 11= 0- | 2 |
| 1983 | EC | Deventer Deventer Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in... |
Tournament | 8+ 3= 0- | 1 |
| 1984 | WC |  MoscowMoscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... / RotterdamRotterdam Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre... |
Match against Harm Wiersma Harm Wiersma Harm Wiersma is a Dutch draughts player and former politician. He is a six-time world champion in draughts and former MP.- Biography :... |
1+ 18= 1- | 2 |
| 1984 | WC |  DakarDakar Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland... |
Tournament | 3+ 16= 0- | 4-5 |
| 1987 | EC | Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... |
Tournament | 9+ 4= 0- | 2 |
| 2008 | EC |  TallinnTallinn 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... |
Tournament (Swiss) | 3+ 6= 0- | 4 |
| 2010 | EC |  MurzasichleMurzasichle Murzasichle is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Poronin, within Tatra County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Poronin, east of Zakopane, and south of the regional capital Kraków.... |
Tournament (Swiss) | 3+ 6= 0- | 5 |
External links
- Profile at the Website of the Netherlands Draughts Federation