Povilas Vaitonis

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Povilas (Paul) Vaitonis (born 15 August 1911, in Užpaliai, Lithuania – died 23 April 1983, in Hamilton, Canada) was a Lithuanian–Canadian chess master.

[edit] Biography

Povilas Vaitonis played for Lithuania in four official and one unofficial Chess Olympiads.

In July 1933, he played at second board at 5th Olympiad in Folkestone (+5 –5 =2).
In August 1935, he played at fourth board at 6th Olympiad in Warsaw (+5 –5 =3).
In August/September 1936, he played at third board at unofficial Olympiad in Munich (+12 –6 =2).
In July/August 1937, he played at second board at 7th Olympiad in Stockholm (+8 –5 =5).
In August/September 1939, he played at second board at 8th Olympiad in Buenos Aires (+6 –8 =6).

Vaitonis played three matches against Vladas Mikenas. In 1934, he lost a match (2 : 6). In 1937, he lost a match (4,5 : 5,5). In 1938, he lost a match (3 : 9).

Vaitonis became the Lithuanian Champion in 1934, 1937, 1938, 1942, and 1944. In July 1943, he took 4th place, behind Birmanas, Arlauskas, and Abramavičius, at the 12th Lithuanian Championship in Vilnius. He left Lithuania just before the advancing Soviet forces arrived, to avoid deportation to Siberia or any other persecutions the Soviet occupation (e.g., those of Vladimirs Petrovs). Joining the westward exodus in 1944/45, he – along with many other Baltic players, e.g. Arlauskas, Dreibergs, Endzelins, Jursevskis, Mednis, Ozols, Sarapu, Tautvaišas, Zemgalis, etc. – moved to the West.

In 1948, he emigrated to Canada. In 1949, he took 5th place at Canadian Championship in Arvida, Quebec. In 1951 and in 1957, he won Canadian Championships in Vancouver. In September–October 1952, he took 19th place at the 2nd Interzonal in Saltsjöbaden. In 1953, he took 3rd place in Canadian Championship in Winnipeg.

Paul Vaitonis played for Canada in two olympiads. In September 1954, he played at third board at the 11th Olympiad in Amsterdam (+6 –3 =5). In September/October 1958, he played at third board at the 13th Olympiad in Munich (+4 –5 =5).

In 1952, he was awarded the International Master title by FIDE.