The OCQ puts 8 Questions to the OCF

1) OCQ: Why did the "rift" with the OCA happen?

OCF: A scholastic group (OSCO) selfishly and greedily wanted to takeover the state chapter affiliate (OCA) in order to insure that ALL the profits from their numerous Scholastic events go to their officers every year.

2) OCQ: How did the special interest group OSCO from Jenks take over the OCA?

OCF: They packed the June 03 annual elections with young bleary-eyed children, nonchess playing parents, neighbors, etc while the vast majority of Oklahoma adult chess players slept late and failed to attend this annual election thinking that being involved with politics was not important. (How wrong they were)

3) OCQ: Why was the OCF formed?

OCF: The "Old Guard" of the OCA (Berrys, Acken, Wharry, Relyea, Roper, Braunlich, etc) didn't want to do all the work, take all the risk with the prize funds and have OSCO/OCA take the glory and make all the planning decisions on the upcoming adult chess events. (Amazingly, the OSCO/OCA has the unmitigated gall to DISHONESTLY TAKE CREDIT for the large and classy events that OCF produces these days and believe me... they have nothing to do with our successful projects). The vast majority of active Oklahoma adult chess players were outraged by this rigged election and planned takeover by this special interest scholastic group and didn't want to patronize these new people. Concerned adult chess players asked the Old Guard to start a new affiliate (OCF) dedicated to holding events not controlled by the special interest OSCO/OCA.

4) OCQ: Has there been an indication since the rigged take-over election which side the majority of active Oklahoma chess players support?

OCF: In the summer of 2004 USCF asked the Oklahoma adult USCF members to vote by mailed ballots on a delegate to represent Oklahoma at the USCF annual elections. The results of this USCF election overwhelmingly elected OCF Officers Frank Berry and Jim Berry ahead of the OSCO/OCA slate of Swatek and Dunlap. This sent a clear message to OSCO/OCA and USCF that Oklahoma did not approve of their June 03 election cheating tactics.

5) OCQ: Why doesn't the OCF (Old Guard) cooperate with the New Guard OSCO/OCA?

OCF: Because the OSCO leaders wouldn't cooperate with the Old Guard when they had the chance in June 2003.

6) OCQ: Why is it important for Oklahoma Chess Players to distance themselves from the New Guard OSCO/OCA?

OCF: The vast majority of active Oklahoma adult chess players feel like they need to continue to send a message to the New Guard (Swatek, Unruh, Dunlap and Jimmy Grey) that they don't approve of the way OSCO has treated the "state chapter affiliate" since the hostile takeover. They have run off membership in the OCA decreasing the rolls from 280 paid members to less than 120 and failing. Patrons have decreased from 75 to 25. They no longer publish a printed bulletin saving the electronic OCB is good enough. Well, there are still many Oklahoma Adult chess players who are not on the internet. The New Guard continues to run sub-standard tournaments. It is just a mess and a disgrace what the New Guard has done with the OCA. The Okla state chapter affiliate has become a laughing stock to the surrounding states. You should read a recent editorial in the Arkie chess bulletin.

7) OCQ: Why is it important for the OCF to work towards the goal of re-uniting the state?

OCF: It is important to get all chessplayers in the state moving in the same direction like before the June 03 hostile takeover by greedy novice incompetents.

8) OCQ: Jimmy C. Grey of Stillwater keeps telling everyone that the Berrys wouldn't be putting on extravagant tourneys if they still controlled the OCA. Is this correct?

OCF: Untrue. The Berrys spent more $$ to bring GM Baburin to Oklahoma back in 2002 before the hostile takeover than they spent to bring any of the GMs to last summer's NAO. But it is true the Berrys might not be putting as much money into Oklahoma events now if they still controlled the OCA. They'd be contributing the excess to junior organizations like OSCO, Heartland and Monte Cassino as they did before the takeover and before OSCO got greedy.

OCQ: Thank you for your time and good luck.. OCF: Thank you