Vul was born on November 25, 1931, in Leningrad, and graduated as a Doctor in 1958. He began his career as a chess player during his studies in secondary school and in university, winning several city-level championships.
He became the USSR Correspondence Champion twice, in 1958 and 1970, achieving a Master's title in 1960. He then earned an International Master's title in 1966 and ultimately became an International Grandmaster in 1982. He was also a member of the Soviet team that won the gold medal at the 5th Correspondence Chess Olympiad in 1982.
In speed chess, Vul triumphed in the 1st USSR Speed Chess Championship in 1960 and also won the Chigorin Memorial in 1994, which was a popular speed chess tournament in Russia.
In addition to his chess career, Vul has published a variety of scientific articles in the field of automatics and control systems.