THE BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

London, England

May 1896

(pages 192 - 198)

BOAT-RACE CHESS.

We had only space last month to give the bare results of the various University matches played in London during Boat-race week, and we therefore give full details now.

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The second match of the week was played between the United Universities and a very strong team of the British Chess Club, on the 24th Match, with the result that the British won by 12½ to 6½. Full score:—

On the 25th of March, the third match of the week was played, the combatants being the United Universities (past and present) and the City of London Chess Club. The team of City Players was composed of various classes, there being quite a Kt difference between the players at board No. 1 and board No. 20, an opposite course to that pursued in the early days of this encounter, when the City depended entirely upon its second-class players, the result being a team of practically uniform strength from top to bottom. It is true that in these days those second-class players who occupied the top boards had a hard task to defeat the crack Past University players, but this was good practice, and they generally managed to give a good account of themselves. On the other hand, the City had the advantage of a steady body of players in the middle of the team that served the club well. This year the team ranged from strong first-class to fourth-class players, and the result is not so correct a test of the University strength as when they were opposed by one class only. As will be seen from the score list, the City men did not do well on the top boards, as the first five games gave Universities 3, City 2, and this really gave the match to the amalgamated Blues, for the next five boards were equal 2½ each; whilst the last ten also produced equality, 5 each. Full score:—

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     The Inter-Universities match was played on the 27th March, at the rooms of the British Chess Club, which were draped with light and dark blue cloth in honour of the visitors. Play began at 2.30, with a time-limit of twenty moves an hour. As in former matches there were seven players on each side, and Cambridge winning the toss obtained the advantage of the move on four boards. The result of the play was very even, and it seemed at one time as if the match would result in a draw, but the Oxford team began to show excellent form in the unfinished games, and it looked as if the Dark Blues were to achieve a decisive victory, when unfortunately Mr. Robbins (Oxford), at board No. 4, lost by breach of time-limit, a game in which he had decidedly the better of it. Despite this contre temps, however, Oxford won the match by 4 to 3, a similar result to last year. Mr. L. Hoffer and Herr E. Lasker acted as adjudicators. Full score:—

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At board No. 4, another Centre Gambit was played, Mr. H. N. Robbins (Oxford) having the attack, and Mr. E. A. Crowley (Cambridge) the defence. White Castled on Q side, and pushing his P’s on the K’s flank, got a very strong attack, which he somewhat weakened, however, by exchanging Q’s 5, and drifted into an endgame, which he lost by exceeding his time-limit. Annexed we give a diagram of the position after Black’s 37th move (R—Kt sq), and Mr. Robbins having occupied two hours over his 37 moves lost. The game as it stands is an easy win for White.