BRITBASE - British Chess Game Archive
Event: 60th Varsity Match • Venue: City of London CC • Date: 21 March 1936 • last edited:
Monday March 18, 2024 11:50 AM
Download PGN • List of Varsity Matches • Back to 1935 • Forward to 1937
The 60th Varsity Chess Match between Oxford University and Cambridge University was held at City of London Chess Club on 21 March 1936. All seven game scores from this match are available.
| 1935« 1936 Varsity Chess Match »1937 | ||||
| Bd | Oxford University | 1936 | Cambridge University | Opening, No. of Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1w | Francis George Tims Collins (Balliol) | 0-1 | Francis Ernest Appleyard Kitto (King's) | Nimzo-Indian |
| 2b | Graham Powell Britton (Jesus) | 0-1 | David Bernard Schultz (Magdalene) | English |
| 3w | Brebis Bleaney (St John's) | 0-1 | John Dean (St Catharine's) | QGD |
| 4b | Dr Horacio Jaime Harrington (Lincoln) | 0-1 | Ronald Grubb Stansfield (Clare) | QGD |
| 5w | Antony Charles Lloyd (Balliol) | 0-1 | Edward Willingham Brocklesby (Christ's) | Petroff/Philidor |
| 6b | Froilan Pindaro Ludueña (Exeter) | 0-1 | Hubert Michael Close (St John's) | Four Knights |
| 7w | Arthur John Peters (Christ Church) | 1-0 | Donald William Greenwood (Christ's) | Colle |
| 1-6 |
Sources: Oxford-Cambridge Chess Matches (1873-1987), compiled by Jeremy Gaige, Philadelphia 1987; BCM, April 1936, p161; The Times, 23 March 1936 (including complete game scores)
Notes
Boards 1, 2 and 7 were adjudicated by Sir George Thomas.
[BCM, April 1936, pps 161-161] "On the afternoon of March 21 the 60th match in the series of inter-university chess contests was p1ayed at the City of London Chess Club, and resu1ted in a win for Cambridge by 6-1. Cambridge perhaps started favourites; but the largeness of the margin was somewhat surprising.
"Oxford had begun the season with the disadvantage of having only two old choices left, G. P. Britton (4th year) and F. G. Tims-Collins (2nd year). But, in addition to the Irish recruit B. Bleaney, two players from Argentina were discovered, H. J. Harrington and F. P. Ludueña, who considerably strengthened the side. As it turned out, however, lack of match-experience told heavily against the newcomers in the vital contest. Cambridge with four old choices - F. E. A. Kitto (3rd year), D. B. Schultz, R. G. Stansfield, and E. W. Brocklesby (all 2nd year ) - were therefore a more experienced side; and experience told.
"The record before the match stood:- Cambridge 26 wins, Oxford 25, drawn 8. Oxford had a chance of levelling the scores for the first time since 1878, the sixth year of the series. But it was not to be; and Cambridge are now 2 matches ahead.
"There is not much that need be said about the play, which generally was rather "nervy" - a common feature in this encounter. The first-board game, however, between Tims-Collins, the Oxford secretary, and Kitto, the Cambridge president, was as good a game as we have seen in this match for a considerable number of Years. Both players have had a good deal of tournament and match experience, which stood them in good stead. The Oxonian got rather the better of the opening, the Samisch variation against Nimzovitch's Defence in the Queen's Pawn Game: 1 P-Q4, Kt-KB3; 2 P-QB4, P-K3 ; 3 Kt-QB3, B-Kt5; 4 P-QR3, BxKt ch; 5 PxB. Later Kitto counter-attacked on the King's side, and his efforts were crowned with success. But in the position shown in the diagram, when both players were getting short of time in their second hours, Tims-Collins unwisely offered an exchange of Queens; whereas he would have been well advised not to do so, as pointed out by Sir Georg'e Thomas when he adjudicated the game. His King could have been saved from danger by other means. The actual finish was 35 Q-R4, QxQ; 36 PxQ, R-KB1; 37 R-KKt2, Kt-Kt3; 38 R-Kt4, Kt-B5; 39 K-R2, KR-B3; 40 B-Q2, Kt-Kt3; 41 P-R5, Kt-B5 ; 42 BxKt, RxB. Adjudicated a win for Black. White's Pawn-position is hopelessly weak.
"On board 2 Schultz played the English Opening against the Oxford president, following it up thus :- 1 P-Q B 4, Kt-K B 3; 2 Kt-Q B 3, P-K Kt 3; 3 P-KKt 3, B-Kt2; 4 B-Kt 2, Castles; 5 P-Q Kt 4. White's game rapidly became superior, and by tea-interval Britton (whose play rather suggested staleness through too much chess of late) had but faint hopes of being able to escape disaster. He lost a piece, and when on his 30th move he could have won a Pawn in compensation, chose the wrong way of attacking the Pawn – and did not win it. He made a gallant fight, but could never overcome his handicap. He endured to the 49th move, still a piece down. But the adjudicator very soon decided in Schultz's favour.
"Bleaney v. Dean, a Q.G.D. (Slav Defence) was a level affair up to the interval. Afterwards the Oxonian's lack of endgame knowledge led to his getting a lost game, and he resigned after 43 moves. Stansfield v. Harrington was a Q.G.D. with 3 ...B-Kt5, in which White won first one Pawn and then another, and Black resigned on the 30th move. The game on board 5 was even shorter, Lloyd being completely outplayed by Brocklesby in a Three Knight's Game. Only 22 moves long, this was the first game to finish, before the interval. On board 6 a Four Knights' Game showed Close much stronger than his Argentine adversary. He won two Pawns and then a Knight, Ludueña struggling on to the 42nd move with stoical endurance of pain. Board 7 gave Oxford their only point. Peters, who was seven years at school in Rhodesia, has not played chess very long and was hardly expected to be his side's one bright spot. But he brought off a nice, though simple, trap which yielded him a Pawn - two Pawns if he had wished it - and the adjudicator was able to give a quick decision in his favour. His opening was a Q.P. (Colle Variation), which he had the chance of studying in the match v. Lud-Eagle two days earlier.
"The combined Universities played the Insurance C.C. on March 16. Six past players took part, and although the combined team was strong the Insurance club prevailed by 10½-7½. On March 17 they played the Hampstead C.C., who were very poorly represented, and the combined team won by 10½-4½. On March 18 a strong contingent of "past" members of the Universities turned out for the match against City of London, including the British champion, W. Winter. The Universities won by 10½-7½.
"... We may add that the individual championship of Cambridge University has been won by R. G. Stansfield; but not all the strong players entered. At Oxford F. G.
Tims-Collins won the championship easily. The inter-college tournament at Cambridge (a knock-out) was won by Magdalene, led by D. B. Schultz. At Oxford the affair is an "American" tournament, and is not yet finished."
File Updated
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 2021 | First upload. |
| 28 December 2022 | Added some games from University tour matches. |