Gufeld began participating in chess tournaments in 1953 and won the junior championship of Ukraine the following year.

He moved to Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, where he coached Maia Chiburdanidze, who became the youngest women's world chess champion in 1978.

[1] His proudest achievements, however, were his win with the King's Indian Defence, Sämisch Variation against Vladimir Bagirov,[3] which he called his "Mona Lisa"; and his 1967 win over Vasily Smyslov (see below).

He was unable to speak or walk and appeared to be in a state of obtundedness; not comatose and nearly stuporous.

He died two weeks later at the age of 66 in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.