Bill Goichberg, the foremost chess impresario in the United States, whose ideas about organizing tournaments reshaped and expanded competitive chess over his six-decade career, died on Aug. 2. He was 83.

According to the Continental Chess Association, which Mr. Goichberg founded in the 1960s the association has held more than 2,300 tournaments and awarded more than $24 million in prize money.

In 1966, Mr. Goichberg organized the first scholastic tournament of high school competitors, followed by elementary and junior high school tournaments in later years. In 1991, he started a tournament to crown champions from K-12. That tournament routinely attracts between 1,500 and 2,000 competitors.

He played his first tournament in 1961 and was a master by 1964. Although he continued to play, he became increasingly interested in organizing tournaments.