Lloyd Hunter

Scholastic Chess in Houston owes much to Lloyd Hunter. Lloyd took over the Houston Chess Association in 1965 and ran an average of six events per year for scholastic players each year for 37 years. He retired in January, 2002, and his commitment and dedication has been 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 won numerous state and national awards.

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 MacArthur High School, Klein High School, Willowridge High School, Lanier Middle School, and Sharpstown Middle School. In later years, many elementary schools 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 committed to the beginner while seeking to provide service to the growing player as well.

In 2002, James Liptrap and Bruce Donohoe assumed leadership of the Houston Chess Association, as it seeks to maintain the commitment that Lloyd demonstrated, and to encourage growth of new and old programs alike.