RRSO II

By Frank Berry
Published in Oklahoma Chess Quarterly
Volume 21-3, July 2004, Summer Edition, Page 44

On Sunday, 25 April 2004 in Wichita Falls, TX the 2nd team match was played. Tom Nichols of Oklahoma and Jim Hollingsworth of Texas organized this G-120 2-rd event. TD was Jim Hollingsworth assisted by Omar Montemayor. The 3rd event in this series is being planned for Norman in April 2005. These are well organized and a lot of fun. I encourage all Okies — especially Carl Latino — to plan to be there next year. Frank Berry

The RRSO II Story

By Victor Yaward
Chess Reporter

     As the first RRSO was wrapping up, one year earlier, Omar Montemayor, President of the Wichita Falls Chess Club, approached Organizer Jim Hollingsworth with an idea.  "Jim, next year bring this match to Wichita Falls.  We have a great facility and our club is ready to make this a wonderful experience for all!"

     Jim listened with great interest.  He liked the idea of setting up an annual team match between both states.  He also liked the idea of holding the Texas home matches on Texas soil.  All this would involve discussions with the Watauga Chess Club Officers and the Oklahoma Chess Team Captain.  However, those negotiations would prove much easier thanks to the huge "Traveling Trophy" Omar donated during their talk.  Now both sides would be battling for a momento ready to be engraved with the winning team's exploits.  Jim promised Omar he would get back to him soon.

     Fast forward one year and both sides gathered in Wichita Falls.  The Wichita Falls Chess Club were exemplary hosts!  As Principal of an elementary school, Omar Montemayor ensured the school's gymnasium was set up with tables, chairs, a TD area, and anything else needed for a wonderful tournament.  They even brought in lunch at no charge for the players!

     Team Oklahoma added Frank Berry and other serious chess players from the newly established Oklahoma Chess Foundation.  Unfortunately, they only brought enough players to fill 12 boards.  Texas quickly filled their 12 match slots and had an overflow of 14 extra players.  Chief TD Jim Hollingsworth, focussing solely on his director duties, lined up columns of 3x5 cards, side-by-side, and expeditiously paired both the Match and Wichita County Classic sections.  Even with having to register 38 players the match started on time.

     Texas had two masters on the top two boards and swept those with 2-0 scores.  Oklahoma fought well on Boards 3 to 9.  They still had chances.  However, too many Texan Class B players outweighed and outgunned the Okies on Boards 10 to 12, resulting in a 16-8 blowout by Texas.

     Only one Wichita Falls player, Aubrey Rodgers, played in the match section.  His club and many of his Texas teammates put in a lot of effort only to play another Texan.  The match pairing rules were each side's Number 1 plays the other side's Number 1.  Number 2 plays Number 2.  Etc., Etc.  This works well until one side runs out of players.  It was becoming clear to all having masters is nice, but ultimate victory is decided by the outcomes of many many boards, not just the top few.

     As the victorious Texans were leaving, Jim Hollingsworth glanced over at the far side of the gymnasium.  They didn't look happy.  Frank Berry looked the most serious.  They were gathered in a group, all of them.  Whatever they talked about, Jim couldn't tell.  But, he could sense RRSO III was going to be a whole lot different.

Texas 16.0 Oklahoma 8.0
Winning Team Captain Tom Crane (1-0)
Losing Team Captain Tom Nichols (0-2)
Chief Organizer and TD Jim Hollingsworth

Oklahoma Chess Coach Predicts Victory

By Victor Yaward
Chess Reporter

Webmaster's comments (August 16, 2016): RRSO always attracts a lot of press and publicity. Just before RRSO II in Wichita Falls (TX), this was first published.

Watauga Chess News (April 1, 2004). Recently, Dallas city officials gleefully announced two college football teams are playing in the Cotton Bowls another five years. And the Texas State Legislature was unable to conduct business because the Democrats fled the State to avoid a quorum. Meanwhile, the City of Wichita Falls is bracing itself for the real Red River Shootout, the annual team match between the most fanatical chess players in Oklahoma and Texas. This reporter located the man who cliams to be the coach of the Oklahoma Chess Team. In a previous career, Mohammad Said al-Sahhaf (better known as "Baghdad Bob") inadvertantly became an international sensation as Minister of Information for Iraq. What follows is a very interesting and informative interview.

VY "Thank you for letting us talk to you today. We understand you are the Oklahoma Chess Team's coach. How long have you been their coach?"

BB "Since before last year's glorious match when we sent the invaders running with their tails between their legs. In fact, they are still hiding today, in the Holiday Inn in Ardmore, and won't come out because the Texas Governor and state troopers are looking for them."

VY "That was the sight of last year's match (RRSO I). But, don't you have the Texas players confused with the Democrats in the Texas Legislature?"

BB "Well, can I help that? They both wear shirts with donkeys or horses that look like chess knight logos. In any case, we destroyed them!"

VY "The Captain of the Texas team, Tom Crane, says Texas won by three full points, 12-1/2 to 9-1/2."

BB "The leader of the Texas team lies! We did not lose. We came in second."

VY "Yes, Well ... how does one become the Oklahoma coach, anyway?"

BB "Tom Nichols, the Oklahoma Team Captain, recruited me because of my background and insight into the game. In fact, I was the second best player in all of Iraq, behind the President of course."

VY "I didn't know anyone played chess in Iraq."

BB "We invented the game! Iraq is known as the birthplace of civilization and chess as well as other sports like checkers, dominos, and snipe hunting."

VY "You must be a very strong player. Are any openings named after you?"

BB "Not exactly. But, I invented a surefire defense with the Black pieces that is guaranteed to bring victory this year. I call it the Oklahoma Defense. See, White moves something and then Black moves his knight to f6. Then on the second move White moves something else and Black returns his knight to g8. After White's third move Black returns the knight to f6. And Black continues playing like that for the next half dozen moves until the enemy is overextended. Then we cut him off, surround his pieces, and destroy him."

VY "Did your team try this approach last year?"

BB "No, but I think Jim Hollingsworth from Texas must have because of his quick result against Alex Relyea in the first round. It is a very strong defense. I have never lost with it, except to the President of course."

VY "This year the match is Wichita Falls and the organizers have provided a very large and distinctive trophy."

BB "Is that where they hid our prize? They stole it from us last year and we want it back! Where is Wichiita Falls?"

VY "It is located south of Lawton on the Texas side of the Red River. So, it soulds like you have adopted Oklahoma as your new home."

BB "Lawton? Yes, Iraq and Oklahoma are very similar. Both have plenty of warm weather, lots of outhouses, and winning chess teams."

VY "So, do you have a prediction for this year's match?"

BB "Prediction? Yes, we will send the invaders packing back across the Red River!"

Editor's note (April 1, 2004): With all due respect to our chess-playing friends up North and anyone who may have overlooked this article's publication date, we are looking forward to a great rematch in Wichita Falls on Sunday, April 25th. The Wichita Falls Chess Club has generously donated a huge traveling trophy that the Texans are determined to keep on their side of the Red River. Dr. Carl Latino will also demonstrate Chess Valet and he is trying to bring a few extra demonstration models for the players to test. Good luck to all. By the way, any player on either team who successfully wins with Baghdad Bob's Oklahoma Defense will get their entrance fee refunded."