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Tournament: 37th Varsity Match • Venue: St George's Chess Club, Savile Row, London • Date: Monday 22 March 1909
Download PGN • List of Varsity Matches • Back to 1908 • Forward to 1910 • last edited:
Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:53 PM
The 37th Varsity Chess Match between Oxford University and Cambridge University was held at St George's Chess Club, Savile Row, London, on Monday 22 March 1909.
| 1908« 1909 Varsity Chess Match »1910 | ||||
| Bd | Oxford University | vs | Cambridge University | Opening |
| 1w | Reuben Lob (Worcester) | 0-1 | William Herbert Humphreys (Christ's) | Giuoco Piano (Möller) |
| 2b | Alexander Percival Waterfield (Christ Church) | 1-0 | John Brown (Sidney Sussex) | Caro Kann |
| 3w | John George Rennie (New) | 1-0 | John Matthias Bee (St Catharine's) | Dutch Def 2 e4 |
| 4b | Herbert Neville Bewley (Wadham) | 1-0 | William Arthur Cooper (King's) | Two Knights-> Giuoco |
| 5w | Robert Wilbur Burgess1 (Lincoln) | 1-0 | Frederick Russell Hoare (Trinity) | Dutch Def |
| 6b | Edward Henry McGrath (Christ Church) | 0-1 | Henry Evans Foster (Trinity) | |
| 7w | Roman Leon Biske2 (Wadham) | ½-½ | Frederick James Saunders (Christ's) | French Def |
| Venue: St George's CC, Savile Row | 4½-2½ | 22 March 1909 | ||
Main sources: Oxford-Cambridge Chess Matches (1873-1987), (compiled by Jeremy Gaige, Philadelphia 1987); Sergeant, Philip W, A Century of Chess (London 1934, referred to in the text as PWS); BCM, April 1909, p176; The Field, 27 March 1909; Ancestry.com; FindMyPast.com; Who Was Who 1897-2007; Wikipedia. Two games available in the download (boards 1 and 2), plus 5 stubs.
Notes:
1 Oxford board 4 was Robert Wilbur Burgess according to The Field and The Sportsman but W L Mackie (Christ Church) according to the Westminster Gazette, 23 March 1909. At least one report (Oxford Times, 27 March 1909) mentioned that Burgess was playing as a reserve, so it is possible that he replaced Mackie and that the Westminster Gazette columnist was working from an earlier press release. Another possibility is that E H McGrath was a replacement for W L Mackie.
2 Biske had been preferred to Ewen Field Cameron Mosse (Christ Church, Oxford; 1887-1926) who had been mentioned as a possible team member in the West Sussex County Times, 6 March 1909. Mosse, educated at Westminster School, became a civil servant in the Ministry of Health.
West Sussex County Times, 6 March 1909
"UNIVERSITY CHESS. The Inter-University chess match is fixed for Monday, March 22, and from recent displays both sides should be fairly strong. At the moment Oxford appear the better. They will be represented by the following players: R. Lob (Worcester), A. P. Waterfield (Christ Church), J. G. Rennie (New College), H. N. Bewley (Wadham), W. S. Mackie (Christ Church), R. W. Burgess (Lincoln), aud either R. Biske (Wadham) or E. F. C. Mosse (Christ Chuich).
"So far as Cambridge is concerned, some difficulty may be expected in selecting the team, as the competition for the last two places is very keen. Four of last year’s representatives remain—namely, W. H. Humphreys (Christ's) (captain), J. Brown (Sidney Sussex), J. M. Bee (St Catherine’s), and W. H. Cooper (King's). Besides these, F. J. Saunders (Christ's), S. M. Sulaiman (Christ's), and F. R. Hoare (Trinity), and one or two others are in the running. The three top boards are undoubtedly strong, though perhaps scarcely so strong as last year.
"The team to represent Oxford and Cambridge against the Universities of America has not yet been made up. This contest, which is carried on by cable, and is for the Rice Trophy, at present held by Oxford and Cambridge, takes, place on Saturday, March 20."
BCM, April 1909, p176: "Oxford v. Cambridge.—The inter-’Varsities match was contested on March 22nd [1909], at the St. George’s Chess Club, Savile Row, Piccadilly. Play commenced at 12.15, and all games were finished before the time (6-30 p.m.) for ceasing play. Oxford won the toss, and played the White forces on the odd-numbered boards. The Cantabs never showed to advantage on the score sheet, and finally suffered defeat by 4½ points to 2½. Oxford has now won 13 matches, Cambridge 21, and three matches have been drawn. During the interval the teams and other visitors were entertained to luncheon by the St. George’s Chess Club, Major-General McGuire presiding."
1909 Varsity chess match showing W H Humphreys (left) v R Lob. Photo: Daily Mirror, 23 March 1909
BCM, p172ff:
"'Varsities Chess Week in London.—The matches arranged this year by the Combined Universities comprised the following events :—
March 15—West London Chess Club, at Brook Green Hotel.
,, 16—Metropolitan, at Mecca Cafe, Watling Street, E.C.
,, 17—City of London, at Grocers’ Hall Court, Poultry, E.C.
,, 18—St. George’s, at St. George’s Chess Club, Saville Row, W.
„ 18—Insurance, at Cabin Restaurant, Old Jewry, E.C.
March 19—Imperial Colonial, at 89, Piccadilly.
„ 19—London University, at University College, Gower Street.
„ 20—Cable Match : v. American Universities, at First Avenue Hotel, Holborn.
„ 22—'Varsity Match, at the St. George’s Club, Saville Row.
,, 23—House of Commons.
For the foregoing particulars and the following detailed results we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. A. P. Waterfield, hon. secretary Oxford University Chess Club, and Mr. R. A. Hayes, vice-president Cambridge University Chess Club. We are also under obligation to Mr. Waterfield for the full scores of all the games played in the ’Varsity match.
"We regret that heavy pressure upon our space prevents publication at present, but we hope next month to have the pleasure of presenting to our readers some examples of the play. The match results may be regarded as fairly successful, as the Combined ’Varsities won three contests, drew one, and lost by one point only against the Metropolitan, and the Imperial Colonial.
"The great disappointment was the poor score made in the Cable Match, which was contested under a time-limit of 24 moves in the first hour and 12 moves in every subsequent half-hour; this accelerated rate being adopted in order to finish the contest in one day. The veteran Mr. James Mortimer acted as umpire on this side for the Americans, and the London arrangements for the match were under the control of Mr. J. W. Wright, hon. secretary of the Metropolitan Chess Club.
1909 University Matches
| Date | Univs | Score | Opponents | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 15 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 8½-8½ | West London | Brook Green Hotel |
| Tuesday 16 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 9½-10½ | Metropolitan | Mecca Café, Watling St |
| Wednesday 17 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 7-13 | City of London | Grocer's Hall Court |
| Thursday 18 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 2½-5½ | St George's CC | Savile Row |
| Thursday 18 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 13-7 | Insurance CC | Old Jewry, EC |
| Friday 19 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 4½-5½ | Imperial & Colonial | 89 Piccadilly |
| Friday 19 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 7-1 | London University | University College, Gower St |
| Saturday 20 March 1909 | Oxford & Cambridge | 1-5 | US Universities | Cable Match |
| Monday 22 March 1909 | Oxford University | 4½-2½ | Cambridge University | St George's CC, Savile Row |
| Tuesday 23 March 1909 | Combined Universities | 5-3 | House of Commons | House of Commons |
Combined Universities vs House of Commons, 23 March 1909
| Bd | Combined Universities | vs | House of Commons |
| 1 | Noel James Roughton (New, Oxford) | 0-1 | William Watson Rutherford |
| 2 | Reuben Lob (Worcester, Oxford) | 0-1 | Andrew Bonar Law |
| 3 | William Herbert Humphreys (Christ's, Cambridge) | 1-0 | Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton |
| 4 | Alexander Percival Waterfield (Christ Church, Oxford) | 1-0 | Sir John Randles |
| 5 | John George Rennie (New, Oxford) | 1-0 | Dr. Vickerman Henzell Rutherford |
| 6 | Robin Arden Hayes (Queens', Cambridge) | 1-0 | Sir Charles E Shaw |
| 7 | John Brown (Sidney Sussex, Cambridge) | 0-1 | Edward Aurelian Ridsdale |
| 8 | John Matthias Bee (St Catharine's, Cambridge) | 1-0 | George James Wardle |
| Venue: House of Commons | 5-3 | 23 March 1909 |
Sources: BCM, April 1909, p176; Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 30 March 1909
BCM, April 1909, p176: "Oxford and Cambridge v. the House of Commons.—Played at the House of Commons, March 23rd. The players were entertained to dinner in the House of Commons, Sir John Randall presiding. After dinner a silver trophy was presented, on behalf of Mr. A. Bonar-Law, to be competed for by the Universities, in whose name Sir Charles Shaw made the presentation."
File updated
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 17 April 2022 | Original upload. Biographical details and match reports to be added later. |
| 27 June 2022 | Added one more game – J.Brown 0-1 A.P.Waterfield, board 2 – and a photo. |
| 21 May 1909 | Added details of the House of Commons match, etc. |