Victor Golenishchev

Victor Evgenyevich Golenishchev was born on March 9, 1932, in Arkhangelsk. After the war, despite being far removed from the main chess centres, young Victor rose to become one of the leading junior chess players in Russia, and at the USSR Schools Team Championship (1949) he played first board for the Russian SFSR. Among his opponents were Viktor Korchnoi and Tigran Petrosian.

Victor was an excellent student and graduated from school with a gold medal, but his parents would not allow him to apply to universities in Moscow or Leningrad, fearing that away from home and without their supervision he would devote himself solely to chess and fail to receive a proper education. In the end, Golenishchev studied at the Arkhangelsk Technical Institute, and after a short period of work in his native city he moved to Severodvinsk, where he began teaching chemistry at the Sevmashvtuz institute.

In Severodvinsk he worked very actively as a coach – at the Palace of Pioneers and at the Polytechnic Technical School. Virtually his very first appearance in the Russian SFSR Men’s Championship resulted in his earning the title of Master of Sport. Vera Tikhomirova, head of Russian chess, recognised Golenishchev as a gifted trainer and entrusted him with the work of coaching young players.

“Victor Evgenyevich Golenishchev helped me tremendously with openings. We even corresponded with each other. It is very sad that he passed away prematurely… He was a wonderful trainer…” (G. Timoshchenko).

“At the Russian level in the 1960s we worked with an outstanding trainer, Victor Evgenyevich Golenishchev. Golenishchev created an excellent coaching collective. Sergey Rubenovich Asaturyan took charge of the younger juniors and handled organisational matters. August Semyonovich Livshits prepared homework assignments, corresponded with the students, and in many ways assisted Golenishchev.

Naturally, it was Victor Evgenyevich himself who set the tone of the work. Golenishchev’s school was usually held in Vladimir and was superbly organised. Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky and Boris Vasilievich Spassky frequently joined the training sessions. The school was carefully overseen by Vera Nikolaevna Tikhomirova.

Golenishchev developed a very strong methodology for training young chess players. The work of our school was based on his methods. We sought to continue the traditions of V. E. Golenishchev’s school.

Victor Evgenyevich wrote excellent books – training programs for chess players from Fourth Category to First Category. They were reprinted many times and are now difficult to find. The work of our school and my books in some measure continued Golenishchev’s efforts in training chess players up to Master level” (A. Panchenko).

Indeed, Golenishchev’s training program for players from Fourth to First Category enjoyed enormous popularity in the USSR, and generations of chess players were raised on it. Already in the 21st century it was republished once again (after computer checking) and remains highly sought-after to this day. In 1969 Victor Golenishchev became an Honoured Trainer of the Russian SFSR.

Unfortunately, a cruel and incurable illness struck Victor Golenishchev in the prime of his life. The master died on December 25, 1973, in a Moscow hospital. Victor Evgenyevich was only in his 42nd year.

The ashes of the well-known trainer and chess player are buried in Severodvinsk at the city cemetery.