Arthur Feuerstein

Arthur William Feuerstein (born December 20, 1935) is an American chess player and winner of the first U.S. Armed Forces Chess Championship.[1] According to the U.S. Chess Federation, Feuerstein is the shared 53rd ranked chess player over 65, regardless of country, residence or federation.[2]

At age 21, Feuerstein won the U.S. Junior Blitz Championship, leaving newcomer Bobby Fischer in a close second place. The game between them ended in a draw. Feuerstein had a record of (+1−1=3) against Fischer, Feuerstein getting a win against Fischer in the 1956 Greater New York City Open.[3]

In 1957, Feuerstein was selected alongside Anthony Saidy and William Lombardy to play in the Fourth World Student Team Chess Championship, where the United States team took fifth place.[4]

The following year, the team was chosen to represent the U.S. again, in Varna, where they finished sixth.[5]

In 1960, the first United States Armed Forces Chess Championship (USAFCC) was held at the American Legion Hall of Flags in Washington, D.C.. There were 12 invited participants. Air Force Captain John Hudson and Army SP4 Feuerstein tied for 1st place. Feuerstein was four times New York state champion. Hudson was a bombardier-navigator on B-52 bombers and a former US Amateur champion.

In 1973 Feuerstein was involved in a car accident that left him in a coma for 6 weeks. When he recovered, he wasn't able to speak English very well, but he did remember how to play chess. He continued to play chess after the accident, and in fact was rated as one of the top 10 players in his age group in the world when he was 65 years old.[6]