Over the last couple of years, most chess tournaments in the area have been held online, and there were limited opportunities for chess club students to compete in person due to covid. Last year, Frenship Chess Club, in coordination with Lubbock-Cooper High School Chess Club, started hosting practice tournaments for students who attend chess club.  

There was a real need and desire from the students in the area to compete in-person. With the likelihood of in-person tournaments being held in the future, they decided to start chess club practice tournaments and invited other local schools to give their students an in-person tournament experience.  

At last year’s first practice tournament students from Lubbock-Cooper, Shallowater, and Lubbock High attended. Attendance was light, with only a group of 10 to 14 players.  

This past Saturday, FHS hosted the first practice tournament of the year and had great turnout. There was a total of 22 students from Coronado, Lubbock High, Lubbock - Cooper, and Shallowater.  

Tournaments are scored on a point scale: one point for a win , half a point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. The person with the highest points at the end, wins first place. This is similar to the local chess events, such as ‘Check by Tech’, hosted by Texas Tech University and ‘West Texas Tourney’ hosted by Sphere Homeschool.  

Frenship had 6 students compete in this practice tournament. Marin White, Sophia Chandler, Ayden Jennings, Ben Robinson, Seth Simon, and Eli Reyna. With Simons placing third and Reyna placing second.  

“I've enjoyed really getting to know the chess club members personally and watching them compete in a game of strategy,” said Aberdeen Freo, FHS Chess Club sponsor. “Their talents and desire to become a better player is incredible to watch. In the midst of this new opportunity, the students have forged a relationship with the Lubbock-Cooper Chess team because it all started with our Practice Tourney. In fact, we cheer for each others team at local tournaments and look forward to our practice tourney's.” 

The Frenship Chess club allows students that want to learn how to play chess or refine their skill level to compete against fellow classmates. They have an average of 12 students regularly attending and meet every Wednesday from 4 - 5 p.m.