Johannes Türn (27 May 1899, in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

– 8 March 1993, in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

) was an

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

player.

Biography

Türn played in numerous Estonian championships. In 1923, he took 2nd, behind Paul Rinne, in Tallinn (1st EST-ch). In 1925, he won in Tallinn (2nd EST-ch). In 1930, he took 2nd, behind

Vladas Mikėnas Vladas Mikėnas (17 April 1910 – 3 November 1992) was a Lithuanian and Soviet chess player and journalist. He was awarded the titles of International Master and Honorary Grandmaster by FIDE. Early career Vladas Mikėnas played for Lithuani ...

(3rd EST-ch). In 1932, he tied for 3rd-4th with Gunnar Friedemann, behind

Leho Laurine Leho Laurine (Leo Laurentius) (28 August 1904 in St. Petersburg – 31 January 1998 in Stockholm) was an Estonian chess master. He was Estonian Champion in 1932 (4th EST-ch), and took 3rd in 1935, behind Paul Keres, and Gunnar Friedemann (7th E ...

, and Rinne (4th EST-ch). In 1937, he took 3rd, behind

Paul Felix Schmidt Paul Felix Schmidt ( – 11 August 1984) was an Estonian and German chess player, writer and chemist. Biography Schmidt was born in 1916, in Narva (then Russian Empire), two years before Estonia became an independent country. He excelled in ch ...

, and

Ilmar Raud Ilmar Raud (30 April 1913 – 13 July 1941) was an Estonian chess master. Biography Raud was born in Viljandi, in the Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire (now Estonia). He played several times in the Estonian championships at Tallinn. I ...

(9th EST-ch). In August/September 1936, he played on fourth board in the unofficial

Chess Olympiad The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams representing nations of the world compete. FIDE organises the tournament and selects the host nation. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, FIDE held an Online Chess Olympiad in FIDE Onli ...

in Munich (+8 –4 =7). In July/August 1937, he played on fourth board at the

7th Chess Olympiad The 7th Chess Olympiad (), organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and (unofficial) women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 31 and August 14, 1937, in Stockholm Stock ...

in Stockholm (+1 –6 =4). In August/September 1939, he played as first reserve at the

8th Chess Olympiad The 8th Chess Olympiad (), organised by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), comprised an open tournament, as well as a Women's World Championship contest. The main team event took place between August 21 and September 19, 1939, in ...

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

(+3 –3 =4), as the Estonian team won the bronze medal.OlimpBase Men's Chess Olympiads Johannes Türn
/ref> During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Türn played in the Estonian championships, although the country was occupied by either the Soviet Union or Germany. In 1941, he tied for 1st with Feliks Kibbermann in Tallinn (11th EST-ch), but took the title after a play-off match (+3 –0 =1). In 1942, he took 2nd, behind

Paul Keres Paul Keres (; 7 January 1916 – 5 June 1975) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, and narrowly missed a chance at a World Chess Championship match on five ...

, in Tallinn (12th EST-ch). In 1944, he tied for 1st-2nd with August Eller in Viljandi (14th EST-ch). He also played

draughts Checkers (American English), also known as draughts (; Commonwealth English), is a group of strategy board games for two players which involve forward movements of uniform game pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces. ...

. In 1950 he co-won Estonian championship with Ülo Kesker. He was also co-author of the first

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

book of draughts (''Kabemängu õpik'', 1951).

Notable chess games

Johannes Türn vs Paul Keres, Tallinn 1935, 7th EST-ch, French, MacCutcheon, Lasker Variation, C12, 1-0Johannes Türn vs Kazimierz Makarczyk, Munich 1936 (ol), Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit, D31, 1-0Johannes Türn vs Teodor Regedziński, Buenos Aires 1939, 8th Olympiad, Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, D41, 1-0

References

External links

Johannes Türn at 365Chess.comBiography
in Estonian Sports Biographical Lexicon

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turn, Johannes 1899 births 1993 deaths Sportspeople from Tartu People from Kreis Dorpat Estonian draughts players 20th-century Estonian chess players Burials at Pärnamäe Cemetery