Frank K. Berry
Frank K. Berry | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | June 6, 2016 (aged 70) Stillwater, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Chess official, International Arbiter, Organizer, Magician, Historian, Banker |
| Known for | Sponsoring U.S. Chess Championships (2007, 2008), FIDE International Arbiter title |
Frank Kimball Berry (June 15, 1945 – June 6, 2016) was a prominent American chess official who held the titles of International Arbiter and Organizer. In addition to his chess involvement, he was a magician, historian, and banker based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Berry is particularly recognized for sponsoring two U.S. Chess Championships during 2007 and 2008, and as one of the rare American holders of the FIDE International Arbiter title. Over a span exceeding five decades, he managed and coordinated chess competitions of varying scales. His diverse career also included service as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division from 1966 to 1968, a credit manager position at 3M Financial, and significant ownership in Southwest Bancorp. While residing in California between 1977 and 2002, he performed at the renowned Magic Castle in Los Angeles and acted as Arbiter at the Hollywood-based GM Eduard Gufeld Chess Club.
Early life and family
Born on June 15, 1945, in Washington, D.C., Berry was the son of George M. Berry and Monica (Bishop) Berry. He spent his formative years in Stillwater, Oklahoma and completed his studies at Oklahoma State University in 1970. He was the twin sibling of Jim Berry, who also served as president of the U.S. Chess Federation and shared his passion for chess organization.
Chess organizer and tournament director
From 1961 through 2016, Berry was responsible for organizing, hosting, and directing hundreds of chess tournaments. His portfolio included prestigious events such as the inaugural North American Open, multiple U.S. Women's Championships, the first-ever U.S. Girl's Invitational Championship held in 2015 in Tulsa, a U.S. Senior Open, a U.S. Junior Invitational Championship, two editions of the U.S. Championship itself, the Dream Team Challenge supporting the women's squad at the 36th Chess Olympiad, various international norm competitions, as well as an eight-game match between Grandmasters Yury Shulman and Aleksander Wojtkiewicz in 2005.
Historian and “chess conservationist”
A passionate historian and editor affiliated with the Payne County Historical Society, Berry assembled an extensive chronicle of Oklahoma's chess history that includes a century-long list of state champions. From 2002 until his passing in 2016, he published the Oklahoma Chess Quarterly.
He dedicated considerable effort to safeguarding regional chess records sourced from newspapers and magazines dating back to 1914 through the Okie Database—a repository containing over 16,000 games played within Oklahoma or by Oklahoma players elsewhere. This archive features significant matches involving Samuel Reshevsky, Reuben Fine, Herman Steiner, Israel Albert Horowitz, as well as a young Bobby Fischer competing at the 1956 U.S. Open Chess Championship in Oklahoma City.
Tournament organizer Tom Braunlich characterized Berry as a "chess conservationist," emphasizing his commitment to preserving chess heritage across America's heartland for past, present, and future generations.
Chess player
Berry maintained an active competitive chess career spanning more than five decades with a "Class A" rating and having played over 1,600 games rated by USCF. Among his notable achievements was a victory over Fabiano Caruana at age nine—who would later contend for the world championship title in 2018. Reflecting on this win with humor, Berry once said, "I rolled him up like a burrito!"
Renowned for his dry wit, Berry frequently opened tournaments with the remark: "Remember, not all trappers wear fur hats!"
Death and legacy
At the age of 70, Berry passed away from a heart attack on June 6, 2016, at his residence in Stillwater, Oklahoma. To commemorate his impact, the Frank K. Berry Memorial Open chess tournament is conducted annually each May.
Awards and recognition
Berry was honored twice with the Gold Koltanowski Award, the most prestigious accolade bestowed by the U.S. Chess Federation to its members, receiving it in both 2007 and 2015. Additionally, he earned the title of U.S. Chess Federation "Tournament Director of the Year" in 2008.