Vigman (Wigmann) Vladimir Yakovlevich (born May 10, 1952, Riga) — draughts player, writer, and journalist. International grandmaster in 100-square (international), Brazilian, and Russian draughts. Three-time USSR champion, three-time world vice-champion, and bronze medalist at the Draughts Olympiad.
In 1968, Vladimir Vigman became a Master of Sport. In 1970, he won the silver medal at the USSR Championship. From 1976 to 1978, he won the USSR Championship three times. In 1992, he became champion of the Netherlands as part of the Witte van Moort team. He was vice-champion of the world in 1985 (Italy), 1987 (Brazil), and 1989 (Brazil). In 1992, he won bronze at the World Draughts Olympiad (Italy) as a member of the Latvian national team, and in 1995 (Russia), he won bronze at the World Championship under the MARS version. He also ranked in the top ten of the U.S. Championship in American checkers.
As coach of the USSR national team, Vladimir Vigman participated in the World Championships of 1984 and 1986. In the mid-1980s, he co-headed the All-Union School with grandmaster A. Mogilyansky, whose students went on to become winners and medalists at World Championships.
Vladimir Vigman graduated from the journalism department of the Philology Faculty of the Latvian State University (year unspecified). From 1968 to 1991, he worked for the magazine Shashki (Draughts), serving as its editor-in-chief. From 1995 to 2001, he worked for the Latvian newspaper Biznes i Baltiya as deputy editor-in-chief. He was one of the founders of the Latvian newspaper Telegraf in 2001 and served as deputy editor-in-chief until 2009. He has published extensively in newspapers and magazines in Latvia, Russia, the USA, Israel, the Netherlands, France, Brazil, and other countries.
He is the author of the books The Joy of Creativity, Grandmaster, Surrender!, numerous monographs on draughts theory, a short story collection The Gospel According to the Troublemakers, and co-author (with Tatyana Fast) of the documentary film Anatomy of a Provocation by Juris Podnieks Studio. He also co-authored the television documentary Lullaby for Yeltsin, the TV series Without Witnesses, and the investigative documentary What Lavent Kept Silent About, which received the Latvian national award Cicero (year unspecified).
It is currently unclear what Vigman has been involved in professionally since leaving Telegraf in 2009.
Works:
Радость творчества, М.: Физкультура и спорт, 1986 /The Joy of Creativity, Moscow: Fizkultura i sport, 1986
Гроссмейстер, сдавайтесь, Рига, 1991/Grandmaster, Surrender!, Riga, 1991