This has been a very busy period for our organization and first I want to acknowledge the contributions of those
who no longer work with us and welcome those who have stepped up to volunteer to key positions in TCA to
support our players, tournament directors and organizers.
Our thanks to Renate Garcia who was our TCA Secretary and Region IV Director, and to Cyrus Hyatt who was
our Region VI Director. To replace Renate as Region IV Director, I appointed Augustine Valverde. The Region
VI Director position remains vacant, but I have asked the chess leaders and organizers of that Region to give me
names of individuals suitable to be their Regional Director. I have also appointed Mark Reyes as the Region IV
Scholastic Representative, done likewise for Region V appointing Nellie Naidoo as their Scholastic
Representative, and appointing Rogelio Cabello as the Scholastic Representative for Region X. Welcome
Augustine, Mark, Nellie, and Rogelio as leaders of our organization!
Because of the vacancy in the TCA Secretary position, Jim Hollingsworth, our TCA VP, has temporarily
assumed those duties as well. In both positions, Jim has performed superbly, and I am very thankful for his
friendship and support. As you know, in his capacity of Acting TCA Secretary, he has been the driving force
behind all the work needed for the TCA Elections.
For more than a year, I have personally organized our State Scholastic Championships Online, and working with
me has been our TCA Treasurer Barbara Swafford. We could not have accomplished everything without her
tireless execution of everything pertaining to our finances! Thanks, Barb!
We have been very busy promoting our TCA Club program, and we now have 30 TCA Club members, eight new
ones this year! Leading the way in new TCA Clubs is Region V with five new Club members (FB Trophies, the
Harby Junior High Chess Club, T.H. Rogers Chess Club, Poison Pawns Chess Club at the Houston Chess
Studio, and the Galveston Island Chess Club)! Region III has two new TCA Club members (Jesuit Dallas
Chess Club and the Student Led Chess Association) and Region VI has one (Win or Learn Chess Club).
Welcome, new TCA Club members!
Five players represented Texas at the recently concluded US Chess National Invitational events held at Rancho
Mirage, CA. IM Doug Root represented us at the Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions, and he
finished in 1 st Place! Representing us at the Denker National Tournament of High School Champions was FM
Sharvesh Deviprasath, while WCM Ambica Yellamraju represented Texas at the Haring National Tournament
of Girls State Champions. Eric Chang Liu represented us at the Barber National Tournament of Middle School
State Champions, while Joshua Meng represented Texas at the Rockefeller National Tournament of Elementary
School State Champions. As a team, our five outstanding players finished in 4 th Place among the 51 state teams.
Congratulations!
Recently, I signed the contract for the 2023 Texas Super State Scholastic Championships to be held at the
McAllen Convention Center, March 3-5, 2023. In addition to all the prizes normally awarded, the TCA officers
approved $6,000 in scholarships, for any college, which will be awarded to players in the High School
Championship Section. This is an increase from the $3,000 in scholarships awarded at the 2022 State Scholastic
Championships Online. Speaking of scholarships, we have approved several bids for statewide events from GM
Bartek Macieja, Chess Program Director of UTRGV. The awards also include college scholarships! For more
information about TCA events, please check out our Bidding Spreadsheet and the Texas Clearinghouse, in the
Tournaments menu of the TCA website.
To all the TCA leaders, organizers, tournament directors, parents, and coaches, thanks again for your support of
our players!
Franc Guadalupe
President, Texas Chess Association
