Bohatyrchuk Fedor Parfenovich (14.11.1892 – 04.09.1984)

Canadian International Master (1954) born in Ukraine. Doctor in medicine.

Among his best chess achievements are the victory in the championship of Kiev ahead of Efim Bogoljubov in 1910, the third place in  his first all-Russia in 1912,  third in the Soviet championship of 1923 and 1925 and received the title of Soviet Master. In 1927 he tied first in  the Soviet Championship with Gregory Levenfish and then again third in 1931 and 1934. In 1937 he asked the Soviet authority to quit chess for medical practice but was answered to continue in his work and ‘raising the cultural level of the masses’. However, unexpected wins against Mikhail Botvinnik in 1927, 1933 and 1935 (plus a draw in 1931) became ‘fatal’ to his chess career.

Having left Kiev together with his family in 1943, he lived in Czechia and in Germany for some time, where he became a member of the pro-Nazi Liberation Movement of Russian peoples headed by the General Andrei Vlassov. Nominated  at the head of the Ukrainian National Council until 1944, he was then arrested by the Allies. Being cleared of a nazi criminal charge he immigrated to Canada and later got a Canadian citizenship.

Soon he began to teach at the Ottawa University and became Master Professor of Radiology. He resumed his chess career by playing few Canadian championships without success and also the 1954 Olympiad in Amsterdam. Later he became a correspondence player and got the title of International Master in 1967.