THE PALL MALL GAZETTE

London, England

3 April 1897

(page 10)

The Oxford and Cambridge University

Match—Victory of the Dark Blues.

Yesterday afternoon the Universities engaged in the final contest of their chess week, which concluded in the above inter-university match. Play took place at the British Chess Club, and started at 2 p.m. on seven boards a side. In this contest the Universities only relied on present members; thus several of the past members, who have been doing battle for the combined team during the week, were not called upon to play. Oxford won the toss and took the first move on the odd numbers. The first game decided was at Board No. 1, when the Oxford captain Mr. Spencer-Churchill, defeated Mr. Crowley after a hard-fought game. The Oxonians also won the next game at Board No. 2, thus giving them a lead of two points. Nothing daunted, the Cantabs played up pluckily and equalized matters by scoring the next two games. Mr. Tattersall beating Mr. Fraser, and Mr. McLean, who defended an Evans Gambit in good style, followed with a good win. Continuing, Oxford took the lead by a victory at No. 6. Despite the valiant efforts of the Cambridge players, they could not do more than draw the two remaining games, of which No. 3 was adjudicated. Oxford thus won their third successive match, and strangely enough, by exactly the same score as last year. We append the full team and results:—