THE WESTMINSTER GAZETTE

London, England

3 April 1897

(page 6)

THE ’VARSITY CHESS MATCH.

OXFORD’S VICTORY YESTERDAY.

At the British Chess yesterday the Blues met for their annual contest, this being the twenty-fifth match between Oxford and Cambridge, and up to the present the scores are 15 to 9 in favour of Cambridge. In 1895 and 1896 the Oxonians succeeded in winning, and yesterday they scored the third successive win. Play commenced at two p.m., and continued till six p.m. The first finished game was at Board No. 1, between Mr. Spencer-Churchill and Mr. E. A. Crowley, in which the Oxonian had the move, and keeping his initial advantage to the end, Mr. Churchill scored the first point for Oxford. At Board No. 2 Oxford were again to the fore, Mr. E. Lawton securing the best of a pretty game against Mr. Naish. This gave a lead of two points, but by good play the Cantabs equalized soon after, scoring at Boards 4 and 5, the latter being a well-conducted defence to the Evans Gambit, in which Mr. MacLean finally prevailed. The next game was a draw at Board 7, and as Oxford then continued by winning on Board 6, they placed the possibility of losing out of the question. The one remaining game between Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Battersly continued till time was called, and then a draw resulted on adjudication, Oxford thus winning a hard-fought match by 4 to 3.