Webmaster's comments (August 19, 2016):  RRSO always attracts a lot of press and publicity.  This was published in Texas Knights (Vol 50-5, May-June 2009).  The author, USCF Original Life Master Selby Anderson won the 1995 Southwest Open and is a retired Texas Knights Editor.

     After last year's humiliating 14.5 to 3.5 loss to our friendly neighbors to the North, Texans came back in force to defeat Oklahom's team by a solid 32.5 to 21.5 margin.

     Participation rebounded too, with a record 27 boards - three times last year's turnout.  A lot of credit goes to Texas team captain Rob Jones for his proactive recruiting, as organizer Frank Berry observed.

     In contrast to previous matches, the winning team was at a disadvantage in ratings (although just 37 points).  Frank Berry gave his board-by-board assessment:  "We figured Oklahoma outrated Texas on 15 boards, six were even, and six had Texas higher rated - mostly on the top boards."  Indeed, on the top five boards the higher-rated Texas players delivered an 8-2 rout.

     I would speculate that, since spectators from lower boards often want to see how the "big boys" are doing, these top matches may have dampened the Okies' resolve on the lower boards.  Just a theory!

     Team captains were Frank Berry for Oklahoma and Rob Jones for Texas.  They also directed the event, held April 19th at the Treasure Valley Casino in Davis, Oklahoma.

     Tournament directors wondering about increment time controls might like to know that "everybody just 'loved' the game/60 plus 30 sec." according to Berry.

"The fights are so vicious because the stakes are so small."
Henry Kissinger, on academic politics.

Editors Notes

By Frank Berry
Oklahoma Chess Quarterly Editor

     (Oklahoma Chess Quarterly, Vol 26-3, July 2009, Summer Edition).  I think most players had a good time because of the different format.  We don't get to play for a "team" very often.  Team Oklahoma has no excuse as we showed up with most of our big guns.  We knew we would be the underdawg in the top 5 boards but figured we should be favored on most of the other boards.  But too many blunders did in the Oklahoma team.  So now Texas leads the series 6-2.

     Rob Jones and the Denton Chess Club get a lot of credit for recruiting a very competitive Texas Team.  Wait till next year.

"When you play for a team you have the unanimous support of your teammates, and the struggle is absolutely uncompromising."

GM Eduard Gufeld  1936 - 2002