Allen Kaufman

Allen Kaufman
Born 1933
New York City
Known for American Chess Foundation, Chess-in-the-Schools

Allen Kaufman (1933) is an American chess master and the former Executive Director of the American Chess Foundation[1] and Chess-in-the-Schools.[2]

Kaufman, a longtime member of the Marshall Chess Club and former vice president,[3] competed nationally in chess in the 1950s. In 1954, Kaufman finished seventh in the U.S. Open.[4] In 1957 at the U.S. Open, while ultimately finishing out of contention, Kaufman was in first place after the fourth round[5] and tied for third after the sixth round.[6] In 1958, Kaufman came in sixth in the U.S. Open. The winner, Eldis Cobo-Arteaga, lost his only game to Kaufman.[7]

As the executive director of the American Chess Foundation, Kaufman expanded their program of teaching chess to school-age children, leading to the name change of the organization to "Chess-in-the-Schools". Kaufman is an advocate of chess as mental training and believes that chess increases children's reading and reasoning skills.[8]

At the American Chess Foundation, Kaufman aided the chess prodigy Gata Kamsky in his defection from the Soviet Union in 1989.[9] He was also instrumental in the formation of the Samford Chess Fellowship and is former secretary of the fellowship committee.[1][10] Kaufman has a Morphy Number of 4 through, for example, Arthur Bisguier and Norman T. Whitaker.[1]

Kaufman was a friend of Bobby Fischer in his teen years.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Allen Kaufman Chessgames Biography
  2. ↑ Chess in the Schools, New York City
  3. ↑ "When Chess Was King of the City", New York Observer, September 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ U.S. Open 1954, New Orleans
  5. ↑ “KAUFMAN ON TOP IN NATIONAL OPEN; Gains Undisputed Possession of First Place in Chess Tourney at Cleveland", The New York Times, August 10, 1957.
  6. ↑ "CO-LEADERS PLAY TO DRAW IN CHESS; Donald Byrne and Berliner in Stalemate at National Open—Bisguier Upset", The New York Times, August 12, 1957.
  7. ↑ U.S. Open 1958, Rochester
  8. ↑ “In Harlem, a Chess Champion Passes On His Moves and Enthusiasm”, The New York Times, December 29, 1999.
  9. ↑ Getlin, Josh. After Defection, Chess Whiz Kid Wants to Be King, Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1989.
  10. ↑ John Donaldson is the New Secretary of the Samford Fellowship Committee, June 23, 2011
  11. ↑ Nicholas, Peter, and Clea Benson. Life is not a Board Game. The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 8, 2003
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