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{{short description|Croatian-Canadian chess player}}
[[File:Replace this image male.svg|200px|right]]
{{Infobox chess player
⚫
''' Zvonko Vranesic ''' (born 4 October 1938, [[Zagreb]]) is a [[Croatia]]n–[[Canadian]] [[International Master]] of [[chess]], and an International Master of [[Correspondence Chess]]. He is an [[electrical engineer]], a [[university]] [[professor]], and a developer of [[computer chess]] software.
|country = [[Canada]]
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|10|4|df=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Zagreb]], Croatia
|title = [[International Master]] (1969)
|peakrating = 2450 (July 1971)
}}
⚫
'''Zvonko Vranesic''' (born 4 October 1938) is a [[Croatia]]n–[[Canadian]] [[International Master]] of [[chess]], and an International Master of [[Correspondence Chess]]. He is an [[electrical engineer]], a [[university]] [[professor]], and a developer of [[computer chess]] software.


==Early life, immigration, education==
==Early life, immigration, education==
Vranesic won the Junior Championship of [[Yugoslavia]] in 1957 <ref>Archive, Chess Federation of Slovenia</ref>. He immigrated to [[Canada]] in October 1958, setting in [[Toronto]]. He graduated in [[Electrical Engineering]] from the [[University of Toronto]], earning bachelor and [[doctoral]] degrees. He began competing with success in Canadian chess tournaments, soon after his arrival. Vranesic won the Toronto City Championship in 1959 (with a perfect score) <ref><I>Canadian Chess Chat</I></ref>, and repeated in 1967, 1970, and 1972. He won the [[Ontario]] Open Championship in 1959 and 1963.<ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessChampionsON.html Canadian Chess Champions - Ontario at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref>
Zvonko Vranešić was born in [[Zagreb]]. He won the Junior Championship of [[Yugoslavia]] in 1957.<ref>Archive, Chess Federation of Slovenia</ref> He immigrated to [[Canada]] in October 1958, settling in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]]. He graduated in [[Electrical Engineering]] from the [[University of Toronto]], earning bachelor and [[doctoral]] degrees. He began competing with success in Canadian chess tournaments, soon after his arrival. Vranesic won the Toronto City Championship in 1959 (with a perfect score),<ref>''Canadian Chess Chat''</ref> and repeated in 1967, 1970, and 1972. He won the [[Ontario]] Open Championship in 1959 and 1963.<ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessChampionsON.html Canadian Chess Champions - Ontario at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref>


==Near-misses in Canadian championships==
==Near-misses in Canadian championships==
Vranesic placed 2nd, with 8/11, in the 1961 Canadian Championship, at [[Brockville, Ontario]] 1961 (Lionel Joyner won); he repeated this placing in the 1963 Canadian Championship, [[Winnipeg]] 1963, with 11.5/15 ([[Daniel Yanofsky]] won).<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> Vranesic placed 2nd, to GM [[Pal Benko]], at the 1964 [[Canadian Open Chess Championship]].<ref>''Canadian Chess Chat'', August 1964.</ref>
Vranesic placed 2nd, with 8/11, in the 1961 [[Canadian Chess Championship]], at [[Brockville|Brockville, Ontario]] 1961 (Lionel Joyner won); he repeated this placing in the 1963 [[Canadian Chess Championship]], [[Winnipeg|Winnipeg, Manitoba]] 1963, with 11.5/15 ([[Daniel Yanofsky]] won).<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> Vranesic placed 2nd, to GM [[Pal Benko]], at the 1964 [[Canadian Open Chess Championship]].<ref>''Canadian Chess Chat'', August 1964.</ref>


He represented Canada in the [[Interzonal]] at [[Amsterdam]] 1964 (Yanofsky had qualified, but declined his place in favour of Vranesic), but placed 24th (last).<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> However, his game was improving with opportunities to compete at high levels. He tied for first place at the Closed [[Canadian Chess Championship]], [[Pointe Claire]] 1969.<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> He earned the [[International Master]] title for this result <ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessTitles.html International Titles by Canadian Chess Players at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref>. But he lost the playoff match (and the right to advance to the 1970 Interzonal) to [[Duncan Suttles]], by 2.5-1.5.
He represented Canada in the [[Interzonal]] at [[Amsterdam]] 1964 (Yanofsky had qualified, but declined his place in favour of Vranesic), but placed 24th (last).<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> However, his game was improving with opportunities to compete at high levels. He tied for first place at the [[Canadian Chess Championship]], [[Pointe-Claire]] 1969.<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> He earned the [[International Master]] title for this result.<ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessTitles.html International Titles by Canadian Chess Players at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref> But he lost the Vancouver playoff match (and the right to advance to the 1970 Interzonal) to [[Duncan Suttles]], by 1.5-0.5.<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref>


==Olympiads==
==Olympiads==
He represented Canada at five [[Chess Olympiad]]s. Here are his detailed results:
He represented Canada at five [[Chess Olympiad]]s. Here are his detailed results:


* In 1964, he played at third board at [[16th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Tel Aviv]] (+4 –6 =5).
* In 1964, he played at third board at [[16th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Tel Aviv]] (+4 –6 =5).
* In 1966, he played at second board at [[17th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Havana]] (+6 –2 =9).
* In 1966, he played at second board at [[17th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Havana]] (+6 –2 =9).
* In 1970, he played at third board at [[19th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Siegen]] (+7 –4 =5).
* In 1970, he played at third board at [[19th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Siegen]] (+7 –4 =5).
* In 1972, he played at third board at [[20th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Skopje]] (+4 –0 =10).
* In 1972, he played at third board at [[20th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Skopje]] (+4 –0 =10).
* In 1980, he played at first reserve board at [[24th Chess Olympiad]] in [[La Valletta]] (+4 –1 =3).
* In 1980, he played at first reserve board at [[24th Chess Olympiad]] in [[La Valletta]] (+4 –1 =3).


His totals in Olympiad play for Canada are (+25 -13 =32), for 58.6 per cent.<ref>http://www.olimpbase.org, the Zvonko Vranesic Olympiad results file.</ref>
His totals in Olympiad play for Canada are (+25 -13 =32), for 58.6 per cent.<ref>http://www.olimpbase.org, the Zvonko Vranesic Olympiad results file.</ref>


One noteworthy Olympiad win came in 1964 at Tel Aviv, when he defeated the Soviet champion GM [[Leonid Stein]]. In 1970, he scored a [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmaster]] norm (a performance rating of over 2600) at Siegen;<ref>http://www.olimpbase.org, the Zvonko Vranesic Olympiad results file.</ref>; this would be his best career performance.<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> He also served as the captain of the 1980 Canadian team <ref><I>En Passant, February 1981</I></ref>, which attained Canada's second-best result to date, ninth place on tiebreak.<ref>[http://www.olimpbase.org, the team results tables for 1924-2008.</ref> Vranesic played chess at a high level, but was never a professional player. He earned the title of [[International Master]] of [[Correspondence Chess]] (IMC) in 1973 <ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessTitles.html International Titles by Canadian Chess Players at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref>. He has been virtually retired from serious chess competition since the mid 1990s.
One noteworthy Olympiad win came in 1964 at Tel Aviv, when he defeated the Soviet champion GM [[Leonid Stein]]. In 1970, he scored a [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmaster]] norm (a performance rating of over 2600) at Siegen;<ref>http://www.olimpbase.org, the Zvonko Vranesic Olympiad results file.</ref> this would be his best career performance.<ref>http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.</ref> He also served as the captain of the 1980 Canadian team,<ref>''En Passant'', February 1981</ref> which attained Canada's second-best result to date, ninth place on tiebreak.<ref>http://www.olimpbase.org, the team results tables for 1924-2008.</ref> Vranesic played chess at a high level, but was never a professional player. He earned the title of [[International Master]] of [[Correspondence Chess]] (IMC) in 1973.<ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessTitles.html International Titles by Canadian Chess Players at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref> He has been virtually retired from serious chess competition since the mid-1990s.


==Professor, computer chess==
==Professor, computer chess==
Dr. Zvonko Vranesic is Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto. He was co-developer of a [[computer chess]] program which competed in Computer Chess Championships.<ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessBiographiesV.html#VRANESIC Zvonko Vranesic biography at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref>
Dr. Zvonko Vranesic is Professor [[Emeritus]], Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto. He was co-developer of a [[computer chess]] program, Chute, which competed in Computer Chess Championships.<ref>[http://web.ncf.ca/bw998/CanadianChess/History/CanadianChessBiographiesV.html#VRANESIC Zvonko Vranesic biography at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen]</ref> Details of his career at the University of Toronto are given at his academic web page.<ref>[http://www.eecg.toronto.edu/~zvonko Univ. of Toronto web page for Zvonko Vranesic]</ref>


==Notable chess games==
==Notable chess games==
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1132287, Zvonko Vranesic vs Leonid Stein, Tel Aviv Olympiad 1964, Modern Benoni Defence (A78), 1-0] Vranesic catches the Soviet champion Stein in an incorrect tactic, gains an advantage, then pursues it relentlessly.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1132287, Zvonko Vranesic vs Leonid Stein, Tel Aviv Olympiad 1964, Modern Benoni Defence (A78), 1-0] Vranesic catches the Soviet champion Stein in an incorrect tactic, gains an advantage, then pursues it relentlessly.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1037439, Zvonko Vranesic vs Lawrence Day, Canadian Zonal Championship, Toronto 1972, Modern Benoni Defence (A79), 1-0] A hard grind between Toronto's top two players eventually goes to the veteran.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1037439, Zvonko Vranesic vs Lawrence Day, Canadian Zonal Championship, Toronto 1972, Modern Benoni Defence (A79), 1-0] A hard grind between Toronto's top two players eventually goes to the veteran.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1434722, David Levy vs Zvonko Vranesic, Lone Pine 1975, Sicilian Defence, Velimirovic Attack (B89), 0-1] The Scot Levy, a well-known chess author and Master, tries the ultra-sharp Velimirovic Attack, but finds his plans dashed.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1434722, David Levy vs Zvonko Vranesic, Lone Pine 1975, Sicilian Defence, Velimirovic Attack (B89), 0-1] The Scot Levy, a well-known chess author and master, tries the ultra-sharp Velimirovic Attack, but finds his plans dashed.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1131129, Zvonko Vranesic vs Kevin Spraggett, Canadian Zonal Championship, Montreal 1981, King's Indian Defence, Saemisch Variation (E84), 1-0] The rising star Spraggett learns that Vranesic is a guru of King's Indian formations.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1131129, Zvonko Vranesic vs Kevin Spraggett, Canadian Zonal Championship, Montreal 1981, King's Indian Defence, Saemisch Variation (E84), 1-0] The rising star Spraggett learns that Vranesic is a guru of King's Indian formations.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1390742, Vladimir Tukmakov vs Zvonko Vranesic, Mississauga Croatia Club International 1990, Modern Benoni Defence (A73), 0-1] The Soviet professional Grandmaster has to concede defeat to the amateur Vranesic.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1390742, Vladimir Tukmakov vs Zvonko Vranesic, Mississauga Croatia Club International 1990, Modern Benoni Defence (A73), 0-1]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}


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[[Category:Croatian chess players]]
[[Category:Croatian chess players]]
[[Category:Chess International Masters]]
[[Category:Chess International Masters]]
[[Category:People from Zagreb]]
[[Category:Chess players from Zagreb]]
[[Category:Yugoslav chess players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav chess players]]
[[Category:Computer chess]]
[[Category:Computer chess people]]
[[Category:Canadian academics in engineering]]
[[Category:Canadian academics in engineering]]
[[Category:University of Toronto alumni]]
[[Category:University of Toronto alumni]]
[[Category:University of Toronto faculty]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Toronto]]
[[Category:Software engineers]]
[[Category:Canadian software engineers]]
[[Category:Engineers from Zagreb]]
[[Category:Croatian emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Chess Olympiad competitors]]
[[Category:Chess players from Toronto]]

Latest revision as of 22:54, 7 October 2024

Zvonko Vranesic
CountryCanada
Born (1938-10-04) 4 October 1938 (age 86)
Zagreb, Croatia
TitleInternational Master (1969)
Peak rating2450 (July 1971)

Zvonko Vranesic (born 4 October 1938) is a Croatian–Canadian International Master of chess, and an International Master of Correspondence Chess. He is an electrical engineer, a university professor, and a developer of computer chess software.

Early life, immigration, education

[edit]

Zvonko Vranešić was born in Zagreb. He won the Junior Championship of Yugoslavia in 1957.[1] He immigrated to Canada in October 1958, settling in Toronto, Ontario. He graduated in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto, earning bachelor and doctoral degrees. He began competing with success in Canadian chess tournaments, soon after his arrival. Vranesic won the Toronto City Championship in 1959 (with a perfect score),[2] and repeated in 1967, 1970, and 1972. He won the Ontario Open Championship in 1959 and 1963.[3]

Near-misses in Canadian championships

[edit]

Vranesic placed 2nd, with 8/11, in the 1961 Canadian Chess Championship, at Brockville, Ontario 1961 (Lionel Joyner won); he repeated this placing in the 1963 Canadian Chess Championship, Winnipeg, Manitoba 1963, with 11.5/15 (Daniel Yanofsky won).[4] Vranesic placed 2nd, to GM Pal Benko, at the 1964 Canadian Open Chess Championship.[5]

He represented Canada in the Interzonal at Amsterdam 1964 (Yanofsky had qualified, but declined his place in favour of Vranesic), but placed 24th (last).[6] However, his game was improving with opportunities to compete at high levels. He tied for first place at the Canadian Chess Championship, Pointe-Claire 1969.[7] He earned the International Master title for this result.[8] But he lost the Vancouver playoff match (and the right to advance to the 1970 Interzonal) to Duncan Suttles, by 1.5-0.5.[9]

Olympiads

[edit]

He represented Canada at five Chess Olympiads. Here are his detailed results:

His totals in Olympiad play for Canada are (+25 -13 =32), for 58.6 per cent.[10]

One noteworthy Olympiad win came in 1964 at Tel Aviv, when he defeated the Soviet champion GM Leonid Stein. In 1970, he scored a Grandmaster norm (a performance rating of over 2600) at Siegen;[11] this would be his best career performance.[12] He also served as the captain of the 1980 Canadian team,[13] which attained Canada's second-best result to date, ninth place on tiebreak.[14] Vranesic played chess at a high level, but was never a professional player. He earned the title of International Master of Correspondence Chess (IMC) in 1973.[15] He has been virtually retired from serious chess competition since the mid-1990s.

Professor, computer chess

[edit]

Dr. Zvonko Vranesic is Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto. He was co-developer of a computer chess program, Chute, which competed in Computer Chess Championships.[16] Details of his career at the University of Toronto are given at his academic web page.[17]

Notable chess games

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Archive, Chess Federation of Slovenia
  2. ^ Canadian Chess Chat
  3. ^ Canadian Chess Champions - Ontario at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen
  4. ^ http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.
  5. ^ Canadian Chess Chat, August 1964.
  6. ^ http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.
  7. ^ http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.
  8. ^ International Titles by Canadian Chess Players at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen
  9. ^ http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.
  10. ^ http://www.olimpbase.org, the Zvonko Vranesic Olympiad results file.
  11. ^ http://www.olimpbase.org, the Zvonko Vranesic Olympiad results file.
  12. ^ http://www.chessmetrics.com, the Zvonko Vranesic results file.
  13. ^ En Passant, February 1981
  14. ^ http://www.olimpbase.org, the team results tables for 1924-2008.
  15. ^ International Titles by Canadian Chess Players at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen
  16. ^ Zvonko Vranesic biography at CanadianChess.info by David Cohen
  17. ^ Univ. of Toronto web page for Zvonko Vranesic
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