Once again, thanks to our players, coaches, chess parents, chess tournament organizers, tournament directors, regional directors, TCA officers, and other individuals in key positions, too many to name them all!  As always, it takes a team effort to have a successful organization, and I think we have the best team.  Please visit our TCA Facebook page and our TCA website for coverage of many of our events.  While on our Facebook page, please “like” it. 

In less than two months, five of our outstanding players will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to represent us at the US Chess National Invitational Championships.  In case you missed it, they are FM Chris Land at the John T. Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions, FM Sharvesh Deviprasath at the GM Arnold Denker National Tournament of High School State Champions, Sunny Zhang at the WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions, Logan Shafer at the Dewain Barber National Tournament of Middle School State Champions, and Vijay Srinivas Anandh at the John D. Rockefeller III National Tournament of Elementary School State Champions.  Again, these national events will take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from July 29 – August 1, in conjunction with the 123rd Annual U.S. Open Chess Championships.  We wish our Texas players the best!  Please follow the action in the US Chess website, https://new.uschess.org/

In this issue, among other things, we have a report and lots of games from the 78th Annual Texas State and Amateur Championships.  Also, we have included an announcement for the 89th Annual Southwest Open.  For the first time in 15 years, this major event will take place in Houston!  We hope to see you there!  Lastly, at the site of the Southwest Open, on Sunday, September 3rd, we will have our Annual TCA Membership Meeting.  All Advance Motions to be considered are due to the TCA officers no later than August 13, 2023.  The Advance Motions and details of the meeting will be announced on our TCA website and in the next issue of the Texas Knights.  

Once again, my thanks to all the players, coaches, parents, tournament organizers, tournament directors, and all other individuals who support chess in our state! 

With best regards,

Franc