CAUGHT IN THE CROSS HAIRS IN OKLAHOMA

Ozzie of the Ozarks

Arkansas Chess Association News – Jan 2005 pg 2

It has come to our attention at the Arkansas Chess Association (ACA) that some of our members recently played in a tournament in Oklahoma put on by the splinter group, the Oklahoma Chess Federation (OCF), and ran into some trouble. We call them a splinter group because they split off the Oklahoma Chess Association (OCA) when many of the now governing OCF members lost in the OCA annual board elections in June of 2003. Now, this would be a long editorial, indeed, if we went into the whole history of this split. It might be useful, though, to provide a brief sketch of some of the events that transpired in this messy affair–without going into all of the behind-the-scenes politics and inevitable personality conflicts.

First, some who were involved in Oklahoma’s scholastic chess felt their work was being stifled by OCA’s policy board. Therefore, they decided to change the board by voting in people that were more amenable to their way of thinking. Those that wanted change showed up in force at the annual general membership meeting in June 2003 and dictated the results of the elections. The way they accomplished this was not without controversy. They brought kids and spouses to the meeting who voted together in lockstep. This was legal according to their bylaws. Many of the old guard felt blindsided, betrayed, and of course, hurt. They retaliated by breaking away and starting a new organization called the OCF. From here, the whole situation spirals down into a pit of acrimony. There have been hysterical resignations posted on the OCF website; the USCF has been called into mediate; and there have been attempted coups at trying to get the USCF to switch their recognized affiliate from the OCA to the OCF. We’ve even heard rumors of a more sordid kind, of which we’ll resist the temptation to circulate. By necessity there is the general character assassination that goes on as one vilifies one’s opponents. Fact can indeed be stranger than fiction. Who would have ever believed that such a titanic struggle could have ensued over a board game?

Now, we said all of that to give some background to some of our members playing at an OCF tournament. When they went to pay their entry fees, they were informed that their Arkansas Chess Association (ACA) membership would not be recognized for gaining entry. To play they had to purchase an OCF membership, and in so doing they would be sent the Oklahoma Chess Quarterly (OCQ). Oddly enough, when ACA members play at OCA tournaments, they recognize ACA membership. (As well they should: we grant reciprocity to players from out of state if they are in good standing with their state affiliate.) So why would the OCF be so unneighborly in the way they deal with out of state people?

Well, for one, it helps them to inflate their membership count in a way that puts them in a favorable light. “Look how good we are at OCF! You want proof, you say. Well, look at how many OCF members we have.” We feel fairly confident in saying it isn’t about the money that they collect. (Some on the OCF board have a great deal of wealth, and they are more than willing to use it to further their agenda.) What is their real goal? Nothing less than destroying the OCA. It’s a winner-takes-all contest to the death. Their strategy is to give the perception that they are the only qualified, competent people to run chess in Oklahoma. They hope to accomplish this by artificially inflating their membership and by subsidizing high-profile, big-money tournaments where they fly in GMs and WGMs to play. And who knows: they may have some other tactics that we haven’t yet discerned. Nevertheless, like good chess players, they have a goal (to win), a strategy, and plenty of tactics at their disposal.

Now one might think: “This is great. I’ve found some obsessed fanatics who have more money than they have brains, who are actually willing to subsidize big tournaments in which I can play.” Or a more positive spin might be: “To my delight and for my pleasure these men have selflessly sponsored tournaments that possess an aura of prestige and respectability.” Don’t be so naive, dear reader. Beware of benefactors who come promising a good time and free gifts. There is always a catch. Having dangled a carrot in front of the chess-playing public and getting people accustomed to playing in this kind of tournament, they now bring out the demands and the stick: support the OCF exclusively or risk being blackballed from future events. Tom Braunlich, OCF VP, is brazen enough (or maybe unwise enough?) to even put it in print:

Since the 2003 “rift” occurred in Oklahoma chess, many players have been “sitting on the fence” and supporting both sides with tournament patronage. Some claim this is a “neutral” attitude. Others secretly like the idea of there being more events than in the past and simply wish to exploit it. But this is not neutrality–it is an attitude that only perpetuates the problem. Oklahoma chess can’t move forward in two different directions. We need to come to a consensus about who deserves leadership.

The OCF’s stated goal is to reunite Oklahoma chess into one relevant organization, and this requires all players to make a choice of whom to support. The time has now come to make your decision and back it up, so that the situation can “shake itself out” as soon as possible [italics added].

. . . We think it is good for the sake of Oklahoma chess to find ways to encourage players to help to remove the fence dividing the state. We are confident that most people will support the obvious choice and thereby bring the farce of OSCO/OCA to an end.

So, to help spur people off the fence and heal Oklahoma chess, the OCF will adopt various rewards for players who choose to support the OCF exclusively [italics added]. . . .

All OCF officers and staff hope you will make a conscious decision to attend only OCF events in 2005 [italics added], so that you can enjoy all extra benefits of an OCF member in good standing [OCQ, Oct 2004, 33].

It turns out that the benefactors weren’t just holding these tournaments for our fun and enjoyment, but so that we would relinquish all control of our chess-playing lives to them. It’s a classic deal with the devil. We wonder if this my-way-or-the-highway attitude or if their unwillingness to participate in the Oklahoma chess culture unless they are in charge–might have caused some to think it necessary to vote these guys out of office. But that is just a thought.

Now we in Arkansas do not need to get involved in the whole unpleasant mess of Oklahoma chess. However, we do think turnabout is fair play. Any of these OCF officers who come to play in an Arkansas tournament of any kind should be required to buy an ACA membership. Or better yet, maybe we should require them to purchase an OCA membership before they bring their power-grabbing, out-of-control egos over here. In addition, maybe there is a moral to the Oklahoma chess story: “In the end chess is just a board game, a hobby, a fun distraction from the grind of everyday life, and an opportunity for good fellowship in the spirit of competition. It isn’t what is most important in life. It for sure isn’t worth fighting over.” Having said that, maybe we should set a good example for our cantankerous OCF brothers and welcome them to our tournaments–even if they have nothing more to offer than an OCF membership card.