1968 BUCA (British Universities' Chess Association) Individual Championship, 2-7 April

1968 BUCA Individual Ch'p		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Total
1	Graham Chesters	◊ 1/4	♦ 1/29	◊ 1/11	♦ ½/2	◊ ½/3	♦ 1/5	◊ 1/9	♦ 1/12	◊ ½/6	7½
2	John Joseph Carleton	♦ 1/8	◊ 1/25	♦ ½/5	◊ ½/1	◊ 1/21	♦ 1/9	♦ 1/3	◊ 1/10	♦ ½/4	7½
3	Robert Roger Kay	◊ ½/9	♦ 1/34	◊ 1/14	◊ 1/15	♦ ½/1	♦ 1/10	◊ 0/2	♦ 1/5	◊ 1/19	7
4	Brian Jones	♦ 0/1	◊ 1/31	♦ 1/33	◊ 1/22	♦ 0/10	◊ 1/23	◊ ½/6	♦ 1/11	◊ ½/2	6
5	Norman A Hutchinson	◊ 1/by	♦ 1/26	◊ ½/2	♦ ½/21	◊ 1/11	◊ 0/1	♦ 1/13	◊ 0/3	♦ 1/9	6
6	RJ Pool	♦ ½/12	◊ ½/22	♦ ½/16	◊ 1/18	♦ 1/15	◊ ½/7	♦ ½/4	◊ ½/13	♦ ½/1	5½
7	Andrew J Mort	◊ ½/17	♦ ½/9	◊ ½/23	♦ ½/32	◊ 1/25	♦ ½/6	◊ ½/10	♦ ½/19	◊ 1/24	5½
8	Graham P Burton	◊ 0/2	♦ 0/28	◊ 1/40	♦ ½/24	♦ ½/33	◊ 1/35	♦ ½/16	◊ 1/21	♦ 1/20	5½
9	Roger H Nathan	♦ ½/3	◊ ½/7	♦ 1/19	◊ 1/12	♦ 1/20	◊ 0/2	♦ 0/1	◊ 1/14	◊ 0/5	5
10	Philip D Porter	◊ 0/11	♦ 1/30	◊ 1/26	♦ 1/13	◊ 1/4	◊ 0/3	♦ ½/7	♦ 0/2	◊ ½/12	5
11	John Hall	♦ 1/10	◊ 1/16	♦ 0/1	◊ 1/23	♦ 0/5	◊ ½/20	♦ 1/15	◊ 0/4	♦ ½/13	5
12	M Meakin	◊ ½/6	♦ ½/17	◊ 1/24	♦ 0/9	◊ ½/14	♦ 1/26	♦ 1/20	◊ 0/1	♦ ½/10	5
13	Romilly J Ilersic	♦ 1/19	◊ ½/15	♦ ½/20	◊ 0/10	♦ 1/28	◊ 1/21	◊ 0/5	♦ ½/6	◊ ½/11	5
14	A Dean	♦ 1/18	◊ ½/21	♦ 0/3	◊ ½/28	♦ ½/12	◊ ½/22	♦ 1/23	♦ 0/9	◊ 1/26	5
15	John F Turnock	◊ 1/35	♦ ½/13	◊ 1/28	♦ 0/3	◊ 0/6	♦ 1/27	◊ 0/11	◊ ½/32	◊ 1/30	5
16	David I Lister	◊ 1/30	♦ 0/11	◊ ½/6	♦ 0/27	◊ 1/34	♦ ½/17	◊ ½/8	♦ ½/24	◊ 1/32	5
17	J Coxwell	♦ ½/7	◊ ½/12	♦ 0/25	◊ 1/39	♦ ½/22	◊ ½/16	◊ ½/24	♦ ½/26	◊ 1/27	5
18	A Wolstencroft	◊ 0/14	♦ 1/40	◊ ½/32	♦ 0/6	◊ 1/37	♦ ½/24	◊ ½/19	♦ ½/27	◊ 1/23	5
19	Roger Hardy	◊ 0/13	♦ 1/37	◊ 0/9	♦ 1/36	◊ ½/32	♦ 1/25	♦ ½/18	◊ ½/7	♦ 0/3	4½
20	Melvyn Jack Young	◊ 1/40	♦ ½/23	◊ ½/13	♦ 1/25	◊ 0/9	♦ ½/11	◊ 0/12	♦ 1/22	◊ 0/8	4½
21	R Addison	◊ 1/32	♦ ½/14	◊ 1/27	◊ ½/5	♦ 0/2	♦ 0/13	◊ ½/22	♦ 0/8	◊ ½/25	4
22	James E O'Dell	◊ ½/27	♦ ½/6	◊ 1/36	♦ 0/4	◊ ½/17	♦ ½/14	♦ ½/21	◊ 0/20	♦ ½/29	4
23	MR Hamblin	♦ 1/31	◊ ½/20	♦ ½/7	♦ 0/11	◊ 1/27	♦ 0/4	◊ 0/14	◊ 1/38	♦ 0/18	4
24	DH Young	♦ ½/39	◊ ½/36	♦ 0/12	◊ ½/8	♦ 1/31	◊ ½/18	♦ ½/17	◊ ½/16	♦ 0/7	4
25	Kevin J O'Connell	♦ 1/33	♦ 0/2	◊ 1/17	◊ 0/20	♦ 0/7	◊ 0/19	♦ ½/38	◊ 1/37	♦ ½/21	4
26	MR Harrison	♦ 1/38	◊ 0/5	♦ 0/10	◊ ½/31	♦ 1/29	◊ 0/12	♦ 1/37	◊ ½/17	♦ 0/14	4
27	C Randell	♦ ½/22	◊ 1/39	♦ 0/21	◊ 1/16	♦ 0/23	◊ 0/15	♦ 1/33	◊ ½/18	♦ 0/17	4
28	Ian Eustis	♦ ½/29	◊ 1/8	♦ 0/15	♦ ½/14	◊ 0/13	◊ ½/38	♦ ½/34	◊ ½/31	♦ ½/33	4
29	Clive H Pemberton	◊ ½/28	◊ 0/1	♦ 0/31	♦ 1/40	◊ 0/26	♦ 1/36	◊ 0/30	♦ 1/34	◊ ½/22	4
30	A Kinder	♦ 0/16	◊ 0/10	♦ ½/35	◊ ½/38	♦ ½/39	◊ ½/34	♦ 1/29	◊ 1/33	♦ 0/15	4
31	David Gwynne	◊ 0/23	♦ 0/4	◊ 1/29	♦ ½/26	◊ 0/24	♦ 1/40	◊ ½/32	♦ ½/28	◊ ½/35	4
32	NP Knowles	♦ 0/21	◊ 1/38	♦ ½/18	◊ ½/7	♦ ½/19	◊ 0/33	♦ ½/31	♦ ½/15	♦ 0/16	3½
33	J Shah	◊ 0/25	♦ 1/35	◊ 0/4	♦ ½/34	◊ ½/8	♦ 1/32	◊ 0/27	♦ 0/30	◊ ½/28	3½
34	Gareth Aneurin Jones	♦ ½/36	◊ 0/3	♦ ½/39	◊ ½/33	♦ 0/16	♦ ½/30	◊ ½/28	◊ 0/29	♦ 1/38	3½
35	Richard Glew	♦ 0/15	◊ 0/33	◊ ½/30	♦ 0/37	◊ 1/40	♦ 0/8	♦ 1/36	◊ ½/39	♦ ½/31	3½
36	Andrew Pitcher	◊ ½/34	♦ ½/24	♦ 0/22	◊ 0/19	♦ ½/38	◊ 0/29	◊ 0/35	♦ 1/40	♦ 1/39	3½
37	TD Welsh		◊ 0/19	♦ ½/38	◊ 1/35	♦ 0/18	◊ 1/39	◊ 0/26	♦ 0/25	◊ 1/40	3½ / 8
38	M Day	◊ 0/26	♦ 0/32	◊ ½/37	♦ ½/30	◊ ½/36	♦ ½/28	◊ ½/25	♦ 0/23	◊ 0/34	2½
39	Geoffrey Malpas	◊ ½/24	♦ 0/27	◊ ½/34	♦ 0/17	◊ ½/30	♦ 0/37	◊ ½/40	♦ ½/35	◊ 0/36	2½
40	Martin Greenwood	♦ 0/20	◊ 0/18	♦ 0/8	◊ 0/29	♦ 0/35	◊ 0/31	♦ ½/39	◊ 0/36	♦ 0/37	½

British Universities Congress [CHESS Magazine, May 1968, Vol.33, Nos. 553-4, p256-257]

The nineteenth B.U.C.A. congress was held, for the first time in Wales, at the University College, Swansea, April 2nd-10th.

The Individual Championship

Held April 2-7, this had a record 40 entrants. It was decided only in the 9th and last round.

After three rounds, only Graham Chesters, playing on his own campus, had a 100% score. In round four he could only draw with John Carleton, after a fluctuating game with a difficult Q and P v R and N ending which Chesters could not quite win. In Rd. 5, Chesters drew with R. Kay, while Carleton beat R. Addison. In the next three rounds, the two leaders matched win for win, although Chesters was fortunate against N. Hutchinson, swindling him in time trouble from a lost position.

In the last round, the odds seemed to favour Chesters slightly as he had white against O’Dell [? - according to the database Chesters had white against Pool - JS] and Carleton black versus B. Jones. After two hours’ play Carleton was forced to accept a draw by repetition of position, while Chesters seemed poised for a king’s side breakthrough. However, an inaccurate move threw away his chances and he offered a draw which was immediately accepted. So the title was shared between these two players with 7½ out of 9.

Errors spoiled many games.

Here is a game from round 2. [Pemberton v Chesters]

Leading scores : 1-2 J. Carleton (Liverpool) and G. Chesters (Swansea) 7½; 3 R. Kay (London) 7; 4-5 N. Hutchinson and B. Jones (Manchester) 6; 6-8 G. Burton (Manchester), A. Mort (Liverpool) and R. Pool (St. Andrews) 5½.

The Team Championship

Twenty-nine teams of eight entered, and were split into four sections for two preliminary rounds.

In section A, London II scored 7½ out of 8 in the morning session, and although they eased off a little in the afternoon they easily qualified for the top final section with Oxford I.

Section B was closely contested. Oxford II were not extended but Wales and Sheffield fought hard for the remaining place, Wales just getting home by half-a-point.

In Section C Cambridge I seemed to be justifying their position as favourites with a clean sweep in the first round and even 5½ points in the afternoon put them well ahead of Manchester I, who were challenged strongly at one stage by Sussex.

Section D saw Glasgow and London I qualify easily; Liverpool had fallen away badly in the afternoon session.

The Preliminaries

Section A: 1 Oxford I 6½, 6½, 13; 2 London II 7½, 5, 12½; 3 Edinburgh 3½, 7, 10½; 4 Reading 4, 4½, 8½; 5 Exeter 3½, 3, 6½; 6 Nottingham 3, 3, 6; 7 Newcastle 3, 2½, 5½; 8 Wales II 1, ½, 1½.

Section B: 1 Oxford II 7, 7, 14; 2 Wales I 4½, 5½, 10; 3 Sheffield 4, 5½, 9½; 4 Southampton 4½, 2½, 7; 5 East Anglia 4½, 2½, 7; 6 Durham 2, 2½, 4½; 7 Manchester II 1½, 2½, 4.

Section C: 1 Cambridge I 8, 5½, 13½; 2 Manchester I 4½, 6½, 11; 3 Sussex 5, 5, 10; 4 Leeds 3½, 5½, 9; 5 Bristol 3, 2, 5; 6 London III 2, 2½, 4½; 7 Dundee 2, I, 3.

Section D: 1-2 Glasgow 5½, 7½, 13 and London I 6½, 6½, 13; 3 Liverpool 5½, 2½, 8; 4 Birmingham 2, 5, 7; 5 Leicester 3½, 3½, 7; 6 Cambridge II 2½, 2, 4½; 7 Oxford III 2½, 1, 3½.

The Finals

In the first round of the Finals, Oxford I set the pace with an excellent 7 out of 8, and were two points clear after this round. Cambridge I scored poorly on the bottom three boards and were left on 5 along with London I and Glasgow. On top board Keene of Cambridge had a 16-move win against Poutrus of London when the latter blundered away his queen, while Whiteley of Oxford competently demolished Pritchett of Glasgow.

In the last round the three teams challenging Oxford I threw everything into catching up the lost points. Keene beat Whiteley in an excellent game, first cramping his opponent completely and then smashing open the king’s side. However, Oxford wins began to roll in and by lunchtime it was all over, Oxford in with a safe lead. The adjourned games battled on in the afternoon and in the last game to finish, Hartston drew with Chesters with R and P versus queen after hours of desperate defence.

Oxford’s strength in depth told decisively. Glasgow, with a solid team, pulled up well to finish in front of London I. More surprisingly Manchester, who had many players in form from the Individual Tournament, pipped Cambridge for fourth place by half-a-point. Cambridge’s bottom three boards scored only ½ out of 6. The home University, Wales I scored their usual par in coming sixth, doing well on the top boards, with Burnett and Patience in fine form, but the middle boards scored poorly.

Composition of leading teams:

Oxford I: A. Whiteley, R. Holmes, G. Clements, J. Harouni, R. Watson, J. Ripp, D. Openshaw, P. Kendall.

Glasgow: C. Pritchett, D. Levy, P. Jamieson, E. Davis, I. Jardine, K. Stewart, D. Watt, M. Brodie.

London: W. Poutrus, S. Webb, A. Perkins, P. Hempson, H. MacGrillen, P. Cohen, R. Kay, R. Vaughan.

Cambridge: R. Keene, W. Hartston, G. Sheldrick, J. Kirk O’Grady, D. Ewing, K. Southern, K. Escott, D. Welch.

Wales: L. P. Burnett, G. Chesters, P. Patience, F. Clough, M. Lexton, J. Thornton, M. Travis, D. Meen.

Scores: Section I; 1 Oxford 7, 6, 13; 2 Glasgow 5, 5½, 10½; 3 London 5, 4½, 9½; 4 Manchester 4, 4½, 8½; 5 Cambridge 5, 3, 8½; 6 Wales 3½, 3½, 7; 7-8 London II 2, 1½, 3½ and Oxford II 3, 3½.

In Section II, it was good to see teams new to the competition such as Sussex and Reading pushing into the higher places.

Scores: Section II: 9 Leeds 5, 5½, 10½; 10 Sussex 5½, 5, 10½; II Sheffield 6, 4, 10; 12 Reading 4, 4, 8; 13 Liverpool 3, 4½, 7½; 14 Southampton 4, 3, 7; 15 Birmingham 3, 3, 6; 16 Edinburgh 1½, 3, 4½.

In Section III, the Oxford III and Cambridge II teams, with only ten players between them, joined forces to play as Oxbridge II½.

Scores: Section III: 17 East Anglia 5½, 5, 10½; 18 Exeter 4½, 5, 9½; 19 London III 4½, 4½, 9; 20 Oxbridge II½ 4, 4½, 8½; 21 Bristol 3½, 4½, 8; 22 Nottingham 4, 2½, 6½; 23 Leicester 3, 3½, 6½; 24 Durham 3, 2½, 5½.

Scores: Section IV: 25 Manchester II 5, 5, 10; 26 Wales II 4, 4, 10; 27-8 Newcastle 2½, 4½, 7 and Dundee 4½, 2½, 7.

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File Updated

Date	Notes
14 September 2020	First upload of 177 games to BritBase, plus three stubs. This games file was passed to me by Alex Holowczak in 2011(!). It needed some work so was left in the pending file. I have had to use a blend of logic and guesswork to repair a couple of duplicate/missing games, and have also guessed at the specific dates of rounds; we know the tournament start/end dates but not how nine rounds came to be shoe-horned into six days. Any confirmation/refutation of assumptions gratefully received. Reported in CHESS Magazine but not BCM. I have appended four games from the BUCA Team Championship which immediately followed the individual championship, including three games won by Ray Keene.
20 September 2020	Brian Denman spotted an anomaly in the game Eustis-Ilersic which was given 1-0 but the position on the board and subsequent pairings strongly suggest that the score should be 0-1. The game has been amended, as has the crosstable. Thanks, Brian.
15 October 2023	Four more games from the team event added, all played by Richard Collins and which already appear in his game collection (zipped PGN).