Allen Kaufman (1933) is an American chess master and the former Executive Director of the American Chess Foundation
/ref> and Chess-in-the-Schools.Chess in the Schools, New York City
/ref> Kaufman, a longtime member of the

Marshall Chess Club The Marshall Chess Club, in Greenwich Village, New York City, is one of the oldest chess clubs in the United States. The club was formed in 1915 by a group of players led by Frank Marshall. It is a nonprofit organization and a gold affiliate o ...

and former president and vice-president,"When Chess Was King of the City"
New York Observer, September 14, 2015. competed nationally in chess in the 1950s. In 1954, Kaufman finished seventh in the U.S. Open.U.S. Open 1954, New Orleans
/ref> In 1957 at the U.S. Open, while ultimately finishing out of contention, Kaufman was in first place after the fourth round
The New York Times, August 10, 1957. and tied for third after the sixth round."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. In 1958, Kaufman came in sixth in the U.S. Open. The winner, Eldis Cobo Arteaga, lost his only game to Kaufman.U.S. Open 1958, Rochester
/ref> 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.“In Harlem, a Chess Champion Passes On His Moves and Enthusiasm”
The New York Times, December 29, 1999. At the American Chess Foundation, Kaufman aided the chess prodigy

Gata Kamsky Gata Kamsky ( tt-Cyrl, Гата Камский, italics=no; russian: Гата Камский; born June 2, 1974) is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and a five-time U.S. champion. Kamsky reached the final of the FIDE World Chess Cham ...

in his defection from the Soviet Union in 1989.Getlin, Josh.
After Defection, Chess Whiz Kid Wants to Be King, Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1989.
/ref> He was also instrumental in the formation of the Samford Chess Fellowship and is former secretary of the fellowship committee.John Donaldson is the New Secretary of the Samford Fellowship Committee
June 23, 2011 Kaufman has a Morphy Number of 4 through, for example,

Arthur Bisguier Arthur Bernard Bisguier (October 8, 1929April 5, 2017), paternal surname Bisgeier, was an American chess player, chess promoter, and writer who held the FIDE title of Grandmaster (GM). Bisguier won two U.S. Junior Championships (1948, 1949), ...

and

Norman T. Whitaker Norman Tweed Whitaker (April 9, 1890 – May 20, 1975) was an American International Master of chess, a lawyer, a civil servant, and a chess author. He was convicted of several crimes, was disbarred from the practice of law, and served seve ...

. Kaufman was a friend of

Bobby Fischer Robert James Fischer (March 9, 1943January 17, 2008) was an American chess grandmaster and the eleventh World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Championships at the age of 14. In 1964, he won with an 11� ...

in his teen years.Nicholas, Peter, and Clea Benson
''Life is not a Board Game''
The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 8, 2003

References

External links

*
Allen Kaufman player profile at US Chess Federation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaufman, Allen American chess players 1933 births Living people