Book Description

The Last Gamesman is the story of Asa Hoffmann, legendary New York Chess player and master of Backgammon, Poker, Scrabble, Bridge, and Horse handicapping. Born into a privileged family of two attorneys, Asa was sent to the best schools including Horace Mann and Columbia University, but after a year at Columbia left school and his Park Avenue family home to make a living “hustling” chess and other games in the streets, parks and clubs of New York City. His character is portrayed in the book and film “Searching for Bobby Fischer”. Asa has made a living plying his skills in parts of eight decades, winning tournaments in every game he plays, his main game being Chess. Asa also teaches gaming theory, is the author of two Chess books and has been featured in movies and documentaries about Chess and in a feature article in the New York Times. He teaches chess in New York City. A teenage friend of World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, Asa achieved the international chess title of FIDE Master and was ranked number 21 in the US at the age of 21. He has continued to play and win tournaments since the 1950’s and is now one of the top senior chess players in the country. In this volume Asa recounts the amazing and often humorous stories of the characters, the events, and the venues of the New York gaming world, many of which no longer exist but are worth memorializing. Asa’s co-author is his wife, Virginia Hoffmann, formerly ranked number 11th top female chess player in the United States.