Chess Master Larry Kaufman Turns DC Into Titletown
Posted by Dave McKenna on Apr. 10, 2009, at 10:15 am
In chess, DC has never threatened Moscow or New York as the talent epicenter. But these days our town is as prominent as it’s ever been in the game of kings, thanks to Larry Kaufman.
Kaufman, a 60-year-old District native reared in Silver Spring and now residing in Potomac, is currently holding two major world chess titles.
As written in this week’s Cheap Seats, Kaufman is the reigning global champ of the 60-and-over set by way of his win in the World Senior Chess Championship a few months ago in Germany.
He’s also an author of Rybka, a computer program that is the two-time defending champ of the World Computer Chess Championships. No human can last long on the board against Kaufman’s digital pawn pusher.
Kaufman will soon step into a steel cage with reigning UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar in hopes his chessboard dominance will translate to the octagon and allow him to bring home yet another world title.
Ok ok. Not really. Kaufman’s gonna stick to chess.
But shouldn’t two title belts be enough to get the guy some attention in his hometown?
The father of Rybka!
New York a talent epicenter?
“Kaufman,…, is currently holding two major world chess titles.”
What two major world chess titles does he hold? Is this article suggesting that he holds the title of World Computer Chess Champion, simply because he worked with the Rybka programming team?
Kaufman wrote Rybka?
I think – not.
GM Larry Kaufman (by the way)