26 Facts About Daniel Yanofsky

Daniel Abraham Yanofsky was a Canadian chess player, chess arbiter, writer, lawyer, and politician.

An eight-time Canadian chess champion, Yanofsky was Canada's first grandmaster and the first grandmaster of the British Commonwealth.

Daniel Yanofsky was born to a Jewish family in Brody, Poland, and moved to Canada when he was eight months old, settling with his family in Winnipeg.

Daniel Yanofsky learned to play chess at the age of eight.

Daniel Yanofsky won his first Manitoba provincial championship at age 12 in 1937, making his debut in the Closed Canadian Chess Championship that same year in Toronto.

Daniel Yanofsky was the sensation of the tournament, making the highest score on second board.

Daniel Yanofsky won his first Canadian Chess Championship in 1941 at age 16, at home in Winnipeg.

In 1946, at age 21, Daniel Yanofsky entered the first major post-World War II international tournament at Groningen, where he defeated the Soviet champion and tournament winner, Mikhail Botvinnik, winning the brilliancy prize.

Daniel Yanofsky represented Canada at the Interzonals held in Saltsjobaden 1948 and Stockholm 1962.

Daniel Yanofsky, winner in 1941, repeated as Canadian champion in 1943,1945,1947,1953,1959,1963, and 1965; his eight titles is a Canadian record.

Daniel Yanofsky played in the tournament and was awarded the brilliancy prize for his victory over Laszlo Szabo; the event was jointly won by Bent Larsen and Klaus Darga.

In 1974, Daniel Yanofsky brought to Winnipeg the Pan American Chess Championship that was won by Walter Browne.

Daniel Yanofsky returned to Groningen in 1996 for the 50th anniversary tournament among the 1946 event's seven surviving players; former world champion Vassily Smyslov won.

Samuel Reshevsky, who played against Daniel Yanofsky on a number of occasions, said that he was a tough opponent.

Except from 1946 to 1947, Daniel Yanofsky never pursued chess full-time.

Daniel Yanofsky entered the University of Manitoba in 1941, earning a science degree in 1944.

Daniel Yanofsky served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II.

Daniel Yanofsky graduated with a law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1951.

Daniel Yanofsky won several scholarships, which allowed him to pursue legal studies at Oxford University.

Daniel Yanofsky argued several cases before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Daniel Yanofsky was an alderman, then mayor of the Winnipeg suburb of West Kildonan from 1969 to 1971, and served on the Winnipeg city council from 1971 to 1986, chairing the finance committee.

Daniel Yanofsky campaigned for the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in the 1959 provincial election as a candidate of the Liberal-Progressive Party.

Daniel Yanofsky finished third behind David Orlikow of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in the St Johns constituency.

Daniel Yanofsky played a major role in the building of the Seven Oaks General Hospital and the Wellness Institute in the city's north end.

In 1972, Daniel Yanofsky was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Daniel Yanofsky was married to Hilda ; they had four children.