This can be explained by the fact that although he was a strong master for many years, he was rarely allowed to play outside of the Soviet Union, and therefore had few opportunities to gain FIDE titles.

Likely his career as a Soviet Army officer hampered his international chess opportunities.

He continued to play into his seventies and maintained a FIDE rating of over 2400, making him one of the strongest players in his age group.

He was married to the six-time Latvian Champion Astra Klovāne and had two daughters.

This biographical article relating to a Latvian chess figure is a stub.