▁Vlad im irs ▁Pet ro vs ); ▁however , ▁he ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁held ▁in ▁det ention ; ▁precise ▁details ▁are ▁difficult ▁to ▁as certain . ▁ ▁But ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁international ▁ch ess ▁scene ▁was ▁delayed , ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁his ▁excellent ▁form ; ▁he ▁won ▁at ▁R iga ▁ 1 9 4 4 / 4 5 ▁( B alt ic ▁Championship ) ▁( 1 0 ½ / 1 1 ). ▁Pres umably ▁for ▁political ▁reasons , ▁he ▁was ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁the ▁ten - player ▁Soviet ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁radio ▁match ▁against ▁the ▁U . S . A ., ▁and ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁great ▁post - war ▁tournament ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁G ron ingen ▁tournament ▁which ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁Bot v inn ik , ▁just ▁ahead ▁of ▁Eu we ▁and ▁Vas ily ▁Sm ys lov . ▁ ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁Est onian ▁Championship ▁at ▁T all inn ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁with ▁ 1 3 / 1 5 ▁(+ 1 1 − 0 = 4 ), ▁ahead ▁of ▁several ▁strong ▁visit ing ▁S ovi ets , ▁including ▁Alexander ▁Kot ov , ▁Alexander ▁Tol ush , ▁Lil ient hal , ▁and ▁Flo hr . ▁He ▁then ▁won ▁at ▁T bil isi ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁( h ors ▁conc ours ▁in ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁Championship ) ▁with ▁a ▁near - per fect ▁score ▁of ▁ 1 8 / 1 9 , ▁ahead ▁of ▁V l