THE STANDARD

London, England

3 April 1897

(page 8)

UNIVERSITY CHESS.

The twenty-fifth annual contest between the Oxford and Cambridge teams took place at the British Chess Club, yesterday afternoon. Before meeting each other they encountered, as is their yearly practice, the leading Metropolitan clubs. These trial matches resulted in their losing to the British Chess Club by 5 to 9, and to the Metropolitan Chess Club by 6½ to 13½; but they beat the City of London Chess Club by 10½ to 9½, a very meritorious success. The following are the teams of the inter-University Match and the score:—

It will be noticed that seven new men were played, the last three of the Oxford team and the final four of Cambridge. Of the 276 games contested in the twenty-five years, Cambridge has won 118, Oxford, 100, and 58 have been drawn. With regard to the matches, Cambridge leads by 15 to 9, only one having been drawn. The following are the games upon the top boards, with a synopsis of the play in the remainder:—

BOARD No. 1

PETROFF.

Remarks.—Black at move 1, prematurely took the King’s file, which resulted in the loss of two pawns. Thereafter he defended himself so indifferently that his prospects of drawing gradually diminished until they were extinguished by an oversight that cost a piece.

BOARD No. 2.

QUEEN’S GAMBIT.

Remarks.—White acted considerably in resigning. He only loses the exchange if he plays 28. P takes Kt, but the game would be lost in the long run.

BOARD No. 3

QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED.

Remarks.—The interesting part of the game arises after White has given up his Queen for Knight and Rook. After his 32nd move his most promising course appears to be getting his King to KB3, thereafter playing forward the King’s side Pawns, which would have enabled him to win the King’s Pawn without the exchanges that leave the drawish Q against two Rooks.

BOARD No. 4.

A Vienna opening. White conducted an ingenious attack, which was frustrated by a general exchange of pieces. The end game, however, shaped in favour of White, who played it very well. Black was ill advised in exchanging Rooks, whereby his pawn inferiority ensured the loss of the game.

BOARD No. 5.

An Evans Gambit, in which Black played the compromised defence on lines recommended by Mr. Lasker, very ably followed up by Mr. M’Lean. Black exchanges the Bishop for the Queen’s Knight, and, after P to Q Kt3, Castles on the Queen’s side. White found the position impregnable, and after enforced exchanges had a lost end game owing to his minority of pawns.

BOARD No. 6

A Scotch Gambit, in which White temporarily got the better game by offering an exchange of Queens, which Black should have accepted. Later he was able to force this, and, by some weak play on White’s part, got his Rooks on to the seventh rank. This secured a Pawn, and isolated two others. Later White lost a piece by an oversight, and the game was irretrievable.

BOARD No. 7.

A Ruy Lopez defended by the King’s fianchetto. After some exchanges Black was left with a weak Pawn at Q3, which he succeeded in defending. A very uneventful game ensued until Black might have won a piece, but he missed the opportunity, and the game lapsed into a blocked position, and a consequent draw.