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Scholastic Chess in Houston owes much to Lloyd Hunter. Lloyd took over the Houston Chess Association in 1965 and has run an average of six events per year for scholastic players each year for 37 years. He has announced his retirement, and his commitment and dedication will be greatly missed. Lloyd kept chess alive in schools around the area in years when chess was not nearly as popular as it now is, and helped build strong programs that have won numerous state and national awards in recent years.
Mr. Hunter ran many of these events by hand in the days before computer pairing, and his events provided a proving ground for young minds, a few of which have reached the coveted titles of Master and even International Master.
Some of the older members of the organization are the teams of Klein High School, Willowridge High school and MacArthur High School. Lanier Middle School and Sharpstown Middle School have attended for many years as well. In recent years, many elementary schools have joined our ranks.
In all, the organization has provided service to the youth of Houston since long before Bobby Fischer’s reign as champion increased the game’s popularity. Today, Houston schools have good reputations throughout the state and the city is known for its promotion of Chess for Fun. At a time when many seek more formal experiences, our organization has remains commited to the beginner while seeking to provide service to the growing player as well.
In the future, the organization will seek to maintain the commitment that he demonstrated and to encourage growth of new and old programs alike.
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