BRITBASE - British Chess Game Archive
Tournament: 40th Varsity Match • Venue: City of London CC, London • Date: Monday 25 March 1912
Download PGN • List of Varsity Matches • Back to 1911 • Forward to 1913 • last edited:
Saturday May 24, 2025 9:49 AM
The 40th Varsity Chess Match between Oxford University and Cambridge University was held at City of London CC, Gordon's City Restaurant, 34 Milk Street, Cheapside, London, on Monday 25 March 1912. Leopold Hoffer and JH Blackburne officiated as adjudicators.
| 1911« 1912 Varsity Chess Match »1913 | ||||
| Bd | Oxford University | 1912 | Cambridge University | Opening |
| 1b | Franklin Ferriss Russell (Brasenose) | ½-½ | Gilbert Henry Stevens (Caius) | Four Knights |
| 2w | Herbert Neville Bewley (Wadham) | 1-0 | Arthur James Turner (Caius) | QP |
| 3b | Godrey Davies (Pembroke) | 0-1 | Eric Augustus Coad-Pryor (Trinity) | Vienna Game |
| 4w | Frank Colin Bryan (Jesus) | ½-½ | Duncan Wakeman Wooldridge (St John's) | QP |
| 5b | George Carruthers (Merton) | 1-0 | Allen Watkins (St John's) | Italian Game |
| 6w | Everard Lindesay Brine (Christ Church) | ½-½ | Ralph Nicholas Chubb (Selwyn) | Ruy Lopez |
| 7b | Walter Roland Tracy Whatmore (Christ Church) | ½-½ | Eric Leslie Mellersh (Selwyn) | Ruy Lopez |
| Venue: City of London CC | 4-3 | Date: 25 March 1912 | ||
Sources: Oxford-Cambridge Chess Matches (1873-1987), compiled by Jeremy Gaige, Philadelphia 1987; Sunday Times (London, England), Sunday, March 31, 1912; pg. 13; BCM, May 1912, p212. Four complete games, one part-game and two stubs available in the download.
Notes
(1) Boards 4 and 7 were adjudicated (by Hoffer & Blackburne; Hoffer was the official umpiring but when Blackburne appeared he was asked by Hoffer to officiate along with him).
(2)
Arthur Turner was President of the Cambridge University Club.
(3) Start time 12.30pm
BCM, 1912, p212
"The Universities' Chess Week in London.—We are indebted to Mr. Godfrey Davies, hon. secretary, Oxford University Chess Club, for the full scores of the matches played in London by the United Universities from March 19th to the 25th. The annual match between the 'Varsities was played at the City of London Chess Club on Monday, March 25th. Mr. J. H. Blackburne and Mr. Leopold Hoffer acted as umpires. The Cantabs had first move on the odd-numbered boards. On the proposal of the Oxford captain, a vote of thanks was tendered to the City Club for the invitation to play the match at the club. The hon. secretary, Mr. J. Walter Russell, responded."
Yorkshire Post, 26 March 1912
"The fortieth annual match between the Light and Dark Blues took place yesterday at the City of London Chess Club. There were seven players on each side. And Cambridge had the move on the odd numbered boards, which gave them a slight advantage.
The openings adopted were:-
Board No. 1. Four Knights; No. 2, Q P; No. 3. Vienna: No. 4. Q P; No. 5, Italian; No. 6. Ruy Lopez; No. 7. Ruy Lopez.
The game on Board No. 1 was the first to conclude, resulting in a draw.
On Board No. 2. Bewley (Oxford), playing a strong game, won the exchange, and finally the game.
On Board No. 3 the Cambridge player managed to win a piece in the middle game, and won the game.
On Board No. 4 Bryan overlooked a win. and although he was a pawn to the good in the ending, a draw was given in the adjudication.
Board No. 5 was a keen fight, but the Cantab lost too many pawns, and Carruthers won.
Boards Nos. 6 and 7 were both drawn.
The result was a win for Oxford by 4 games to 3.
The record up to date is Cambridge 22 wins, Oxford 15 wins, and 3 draws.
Mr. Blackburne was the adjudicator."
Photo from the Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer, 28 March 1912 - kindly supplied by Gerard Killoran
Manchester Guardian, 27 March 1912 / Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette, 29 March 1912
OXFORD v. CAMBRIDGE.
"The fortieth annual match between the Light and Dark Blues took place on Monday [25 march 1912], at the City of London Chess Club, seven a side. This match was instituted in 1873, the late Prince Leopold taking a great interest in the organisation of the contest. The Universities usually devote a whole week before the boat race to a chess campaign in London, of which the Inter-University match forms the climax. In playing against the strongest London clubs, the Universities unite their forces. Under the able captaincy of Mr. A. W. Foster, an ex-blue, the combined teams had a very successful week's play as follows [see table of matches below]
"In Monday's match Cambridge had the move on the odd numbered boards, a slight advantage in a seven a side match.
"The openings adopted were: Board No 1, Four Knights: No. 2, Q P; No. 3. Vienna; No. 4, QP; No. 5, Italian; No. 6, Ruy Lopez; No. 7, Ruy Lopez.
"The game on board No. 1 was first to conclude, with a draw.
"On board No. 2 Bewley (Oxford) showed strong play, won the exchange, and finally the game.
"At board No. 3 the Cambridge player managed to win a piece in the middle game, and won the game.
"On board No. 4 Bryan overlooked a win, and, although he was a pawn to the good in the ending, a draw was
given in the adjudication.
"Board No. 5 was a keen fight, but the Cantab lost too many pawns, and Carruthers won.
"Boards Nos. 6 and 7 were both drawn.
"Result, a win for Oxford by 4 to 3.
"The record up to date is: Cambridge, 22 wins; Oxford, 15 wins; and 3 draws. Mr. Blackburne was the adjudicator. [full score]
The Sunday Times (London, England), Sunday, 31 March 1912, p13 - by Louis van Vliet
UNIVERSITY CHESS MATCH. "In the annual chess contest between Oxford and Cambridge Universities, played at the City of London Chess Club, Oxford was again victorious, the Oxonians winning by four games to three. Last year Oxford won by 4½ to 2½. We think it a great pity that these annual chess matches between the rival blues cannot take place at some public hall, where the general public would feel free to come and witness the match, In the same way that they flock to the University sports and cricket matches. The first chess match, in 1878 [sic - 1873, of course], played at the old Willis's Rooms, drew a very large attendance and of a kind that was very good for chess in general. But of late years, since the teams have met in private clubs, the "crowd" of spectators has usually consisted of about a half-dozen reporters and chess editors! We repeat that this is a great pity, and in the best interest of chess an effort should certainly be made In future to have these annual contests at a suitable public hall."
Farnworth Chronicle, 13 April 1912 / Northampton Herald, 12 April 1912
"CHESS AT THE UNIVERSITIES. The victory of Oxford in the inter-Universities match had been expected from the results of trials of the two teams against London clubs. Indeed the Light Blues would have suffered an overwhelming defeat had the Oxford players not on several boards allowed won games to drift into draws. The University match is not taken very seriously in Chess circles. Steinitz was once bold enough to prophesy that the day would come when the annual Chess match between Oxford and Cambridge would excite interest equal with that of the Boat-race. That time, however, seems still a long way off, and even Chess-players fail to get excited over the matter. The fact is that University men are the stuff of which fine players can be made, but they lack experience. There is too little or too much caution about their games. From the general point of view University Chess is chiefly remarkable as the preliminary training of amateurs, a goodly percentage of whom do become in a few years' time first-class players."
1912 Universities Week Matches
| Date | Oxf/Cam | Score | Opponents | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 19 March 1912 | Combined Universities | 9½-10½ | Hampstead | London, Hampstead |
| Wednesday 20 March 1912 | Combined Universities | 9½-10½ | City of London | City of London CC |
| Thursday 21 March 1912 | Combined Universities | 10-10 | Insurance | London |
| Friday 22 March 1912 | Combined Universities | 12-5 | Metropolitan | London |
| Saturday 23 March 1912 | Combined Universities | 12-6 | London University | London |
| Monday 25 March 1912 | Oxford University | 4-3 | Cambridge University | City of London CC |
| Tuesday 26 March 1912 | Combined Universities | 4-7 | West London | London |
File updated
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 21 April 2019 | First uploaded. My thanks to Gerard Killoran for supplying the photo. |
| 9 January 2021 | Added the board 3 game Coad-Pryor-Davies, which Alan Smith sent me quite some time ago. My thanks to Alan. |
| 23 May 2025 | Added further reports and details of universities' week matches. |