 He was awarded the title of International Master (IM) by FIDE in 1950, won the first Soviet Correspondence Chess Championship in 1951, earned the IM title at correspondence in 1966, and earned the title of Honorary Grandmaster in 1983.Born in Zhytomir, Ukraine (then Russian Empire), Konstantinopolsky was nearly 20 when he learned the game.This makes him one of the oldest top players in terms of learning the moves of the game.