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Tournament: 83rd Varsity Match • Venue: University of London Union, Malet Street • Date: 20 March 1965
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Monday March 18, 2024 9:37 AM
The 83rd Varsity Chess Match between Oxford University and Cambridge University was held at the University of London Union, Malet Street, London, on 20 March 1965. Match adjudicators were Harry Golombek and Bob Wade.Only two game scores from this match are available - can anyone supply others?
| 1964« 1965 Varsity Chess Match »1966 | ||||
| Bd | Oxford University | 1965 | Cambridge University | Opening, No. of Moves |
| 1b | Peter Nicholas Lee (Exeter) | 1-0 | Graham Arthur Winbow (St John's) | QGD Exchange |
| 2w | Graham Coleridge Taylor (Worcester) | ½-½ | Geoffrey Charles Fox (Trinity) | Sicilian |
| 3b | Christopher Francis Woodcock (Balliol) | 0-1 | John David Lincoln Ball (Trinity) | French Def |
| 4w | Geoffrey Alan Hollis (Hertford) | 1-0 | Alan Roy Fersht (Caius) | Sicilian |
| 5b | Paul Doyle Yerbury (Jesus) | 1-0 | Alexander Munro Davie (Pembroke) | QGA |
| 6w | Baruch Noel Green (Jesus, capt) | 1-0 | Alan Templeton Ludgate (Selwyn) | Ruy Lopez |
| 7b | Peter Joyce (St Peter's) | 1-0 | Brian Leslie Kerr (Caius) | King's Indian Def |
| 5½-1½ |
Sources: Oxford-Cambridge Chess Matches (1873-1987), compiled by Jeremy Gaige, Philadelphia 1987; The Times, 22 March 1965, p12; BCM, April 1965, p103.
Notes
[BCM, April 1965, p103-104 - Golombek]"The annual Oxford and Cambridge University match was held on Saturday, March 20th, at the University of London Union, Malet Street. Oxford, as the side containing the more experienced players, was regarded as favourite before the match started and they more than fulfilled expectations by scoring a crushing victory to the tune of 5½-1½.
"Not that this looked likely in the early stages of the match. In fact, after the first two hours play it was Cambridge that had a marked advantage on at least three of the boards. But, gradually and presumably as the superior experience of the Oxford players began to tell, so the fortunes of the Cambridge side dwindled.
"The first result came on Board 4, where Fersht, after first looking to have a very bad game and then pulling his game round to something like a distinct advantage for Cambridge, blundered away a Rook and resigned on the 21st move. Shortly afterwards, however, Ball redeemed matters for Cambridge by beating the Junior British Champion, Woodcock, with a very pretty combination.
"No other success was to come to Cambridge unless one regards their draw on Board 2 as such. This was a game in which the advantage fluctuated to and fro in almost pendulum fashion.
"In direct contrast, Green, the Oxford President, won in fine style on Board 6 in a game where he never relaxed his King’s-side pressure. This was perhaps the best game of the match. Another good attack was that on the seventh board where the Oxford player played an excellent King’s Indian.
"Two games remained unfinished when time was called at 6.30 in the late afternoon. These, on Boards 1 and 5, were adjudicated on the spot by Wade and myself as wins for the Oxford team.
"The quality of play compared well with that of previous contests. There was the usual crop of blunders due to stretched nerves but there was also a number of entertaining games with many bright ideas. I give two of the best. [boards 3 and 6]"
Brian Leslie Kerr (born 22 Jan 1944, Ballymoney, N.Ireland, died 3 June 2014, London) - article, Irish Chess Union - played for Ireland in the Glorney Cup in 1962 and again in Havana Olympiad of 1966. Regular player for Wood Green Chess Club in London for many years. Competed in the British Solving Championship.
Sir Alan Fersht, FRS, FMedSci (born 21 April 1943) was Master of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, from 2012 to 2018. Chess set collector and author - website.