Serious Chess Players
( Texas Armed Forces Chess )
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Plays at
American Legion Post 379
1245 N. Industrial Blvd
Bedford, TX  76021

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Serious Chess Players
( Texas Armed Forces Chess )
♙ ♖ ♕ ♔ ♗ ♘

Plays at
American Legion Post 379
1245 N. Industrial Blvd
Bedford, TX  76021
brazos

Tarrant Cruises by Waco 12.5 to 7.5

By Victor Yaward
BRAZOS III Champions Tarrant Chess Team

BRAZOS III Champions Tarrant Chess Team. Front Row (kneeling left to right): Chief Organizer and TD Jim Hollingsworth; Chief Assistant TD Louis Reed. Second Row (left to right): Team Captain Jeff French (Board 6); Sheryl McBroom (Board 10); Chris Johnson (Board 1); Troy Gillispie (Board 8); Nicole Niemi (Board 2); "Submarine Bob" Curtis (Board 4); Doug Stephens (Board 7). Third Row (left to right): Odrie Aponte (Reserve); Russ Heise (Board 3); Christopher Joseph Wood (Board 5); Rick Gran (Board 9). Photo by Carmen Chairez.

     Hillsboro, Texas (27 October 2018).  The Tarrant Chess Team, led by rookie Team Captain Jeff French, defeated the Waco Chess Team 12-1/2 to 7-1/2 in BRAZOS III, the annual team match between the most serious chess players in North Central Texas.  This was the third straight victory for Tarrant.  Chief Organizer and TD Jim Hollingsworth commented "I looked at every game.  The final score does not reflect the high quality of play by both teams.  The players knew who they were going to play two weeks out and it was obvious they came prepared.  Overall I think most players demonstrated skill levels at least 400 points above their rating."

     Heywood "Woody" Allen is an American director, writer, actor, and comedian and is credited for saying "80 percent of success is showing up!"  This is expecially true in BRAZOS.  All players are vetted and promise to show up or notify their team captain before the team rosters are finalized and published.  Because "Life" happens both teams recruit Reserve players, just in case.  Unfortunately for Waco, two players withdrew after the rosters were final.  Their one reserve player, Randy Dixon scored an "ace" (2-0 sweep) to keep Waco in the match.  However they still forfeited one game before any pawns moved and, despite galiant efforts, could never dig themselves out of a hole.  Tarrant led 7 to 3 at halftime.  In the second round Waco, playing with the White pieces, split all boards with Tarrant, 4-1/2 to 4-1/2.  But a second forfeit combined with Tarrant's early lead was just too much.

     There were individual stars shining on both teams.  Waco's Jason Lund scored 1/2 point enabling him to move to the top of the All-Time BRAZOS Scorers List.  On Tarrant's Board One, Chris Johnson, "aced" his opponent.  Two of his teammates, Troy Gillespie and Sheryl McBroom, also "aced" their boards.  Randy Dixon scored an "ace" for Waco.

     The BRAZOS team matches are run like RRSO, the annual team match between the most fanatical chess players in Oklahoma and Texas.  Both tournament directors and nine BRAZOS III players are members of the Texas Chess Team.  They are:  Jim Hollingsworth, Louis Reed, Carmen Chairez, John De Vries, Jim Anderau, Chris Johnson, Nicole Niemi, Russ Heise, Bob Curtis, Jeff French, and Chris Wood (Texas Chess Team Captain).  During downtimes Chris Wood was recruiting new Texas Chess Team players.  "Man." he said, "If we could get Randy, Jason, Troy, Gary Lee, and a few others on our team there's no way the Okies can win!"

The Honorable Edith Omberg awards the BRAZOS Trophy to Tarrant Team Captain Jeff French

The Honorable Edith Omberg awards the BRAZOS
Trophy to Tarrant Team Captain Jeff French

     The Honorable Edith Omberg, Mayor of the City of Hillsboro, officiated the opening ceremonies and the annual BRAZOS Halloween costume contest at Hill College.  She was accompanied by Laura Harborth, Board Chair of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce and her daughter, Hadley Harborth.  Together they inspired both teams to greatness.  The players received several gifts as mementos."  At the Victory Dinner Mayor Omberg presented the BRAZOS trophy to Jeff French, Tarrant Chess Team Captain.  She also announced her pending retirement.  "I have enjoyed four good terms as the City's first woman mayor.  After our May election it will be someone else's turn.  I have lived in Hillsboro all my life and I am very happy I could give something back to the community.  I also really appreciate having you chess players in our city each year.  It means so much."

     Jim Hollingsworth expressed the feelings of all present when he said, "Mayor, you will always be our Mayor!"

BRAZOS III Cross Table is Below
Tot Waco (Visitors) Tarrant (Home) Tot
7.5 Rtng Player Board Player Rtng 12.5
0.0 1758 Carmen Chairez 01 Chris Johnson 1821 2.0
1.0 1702 Gary Lee Webb 02 Nicole Niemi 1778 1.0
0.5 1571 Jason Lund 03 Russ Heise 1683 1.5
1.0 1420 Forrest Marler 04 Bob Curtis 1553 1.0
1.0 1226 Robert Morgan 05 Chris Wood 1248 1.0
1.0 1226 John De Vries 06 Jeff French 1202 1.0
1.0 1187 Jim Anderau 07 Doug Stephens 1194 1.0
0.0 1133 Craig Smith 08 Troy Gillispie 1037 2.0
2.0 1301 Randy Dixon 09 Rick Gran 0640 0.0
F F 0978 Dane Fowlkes 10 Sheryl McBroom 0185 X X
Reserve Section = Odrie Aponte 2.0, Sheryl McBroom 0.0
Jim Hollingsworth, Chief Organizer and TD
Louis Reed, Chief Assistant TD
Sheryl McBroom, Chief Photographer
Unless otherwise stated all photos by Sheryl McBroom



2nd Place Waco Chess Team

Second Place Waco Chess Team. Second Row (left to right): Randy Dixon (Board 9); Jason Lund (Board 3); BRAZOS Booster Club President Tammy Anderau; Texas Chess Association Vice President Forrest Marler (Board 4). Third Row (left to right): Robert Morgan (Board 5); Craig Smith (Board 8); Jim Anderau (Board 7); Gary Lee Webb (Board 2); Red-Hot-Dot-Com-Liaison Harri Eloranta. Photo by Sheryl McBroom.


Photo Gallery

Chris Johnson swept his opponent, 2-0, on Board 1 for the Tarrant Team.

Chris Johnson "aced" his opponent
on Board 1 for the Tarrant Team.

Troy Gillispie swept his opponent, 2-0, on Board 8 for the Tarrant Team.

Troy Gillispie "aced" his opponent
on Board 8 for the Tarrant Team.

Randy Dixon swept his opponent, 2-0, on Board 9 for the Waco Team.

Randy Dixon "aced" his opponent, 2-0, on
Board 9 for the Waco Team
This photo is from our archives and the
best action photo we have of Randy.

Jim and Amy Anderau, both from Waco, showed up determined to win the Holloween Costume Contest.

Jim and Amy Anderau, both from Waco,
showed up determined to win the
annual Holloween Costume Contest.

Jeff French, Team Captain, Tarrant Chess Team

Jeff French, Team Captain
Tarrant Chess Team

John De Vries, Team Captain, Waco Chess Team

John De Vries, Team Captain
Waco Chess Team

Louis Reed, Chief Assistant TD

Louis Reed
Chief Assistant TD

"Submarine Bob" Curtis has played chess on a mountain, in a castle and on the bottom of the ocean.  He built his own submarine and built a chess clock from scratch so his crew could play chess.  Now everybody asks him to fix their clock.

"Submarine Bob" Curtis
the Clock Fixer.

Waco's Gary Lee Webb drew both his games on Board 2.

Gary Lee Webb drew both his games
on Board 2 for Waco.

Killing time before Round One

Killing time before Round One.

Three Captains:  Jeff French (Tarrant Chess Team), Chris Wood (Texas Chess Team), Bob Curtis (built his own Submarine)

Three Captains
side-by-side

BRAZOS Halloween Contest. Left-to-right: Jim Hollingsworth, Tammy Anderau, Jim Anderau, Sheryl McBroom, Russ Heise

BRAZOS Halloween Contest.

Waco's Jason Lund and Forrest Marler, side-by-side.

Jason Lund and Forrest Marler
side-by-side for Waco.

Round One action.

Round One action.
Photo by Louis Reed.

Harri Eloranta, Nicole Niemi and Carmen Chairez are patiently waiting for food at the Victory Dinner.

Patiently waiting for food at the Victory Dinner.

Tarrant's Russ Heise won his match on Board 3 by a score of 1-1/2 to 1/2.

Tarrant's Russ Heise won his match on Board 3
by a score of 1-1/2 to 1/2.

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