Bill Goichberg

A great innovator in American chess, Bill Goichberg pioneered in holding rated scholastic tournaments (1966) and originated the National High School Championship (1969), the National Junior High School Championship (1973), the National Elementary (K-6) Championship (1976), and the National (K-12) Championship (1991). Goichberg originated non-smoking events (1973), the Grand Prix (1979), and Rated Beginner Opens (1990). He also ran many GM/IM swiss norm events to help American players earn FIDE titles and popularized sudden death time controls and the Quad format. Goichberg organized thousands of tournaments, including the World Open (1973-), the world’s largest chess tournament for most of the past 45 years.