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Tournament: 109th Varsity Match • Venue: RAC Club, Pall Mall, London • Date: 9 March 1991
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Sunday February 1, 2026 11:22 AM
The 109th Varsity Chess Match between Oxford University and Cambridge University was held at the RAC Club, Pall Mall, London on 9 March 1991. The match sponsors were Watson, Farley & Williams (sponsors since 1990). Two game scores available - can anyone supply other scores?
| 1990« 1991 Varsity Chess Match »1992 | |||||||||
| Bd | Oxford University | Fed | Rating | Grade | 1991 | Cambridge University | Fed | Rating | Grade |
| 1b | David R Norwood (Keble) | ENG | 2500g | 244 | 1-0 | Jonathan G Wilson (Trinity) | ENG | 2210 | 190 |
| 2w | James Cavendish (Magdalen) | ENG | 2310f | 216 | 1-0 | Edward Holland (Queens') | ENG | 194 | |
| 3b | Darren P Wheeler (St John's) | ENG | 204 | 1-0 | Jon David Lee (Trinity) | ENG | 182 | ||
| 4w | Matthew S Piper (Wadham) | ENG | 2275 | 199 | 1-0 | Alan R Baker (Emmanuel) | ENG | 177 | |
| 5b | Frank van Hasselt (New) | HKG | 2210 | 181 | ½-½ | Philip J Crocker (Downing) | ENG | 168 | |
| 6w | Martin Luke Hazelton (St Anne's) | ENG | 2230 | 189 | 0-1 | Steven A M Foister (St Catharine's) | ENG | 182 | |
| 7b | Tom J Brown (Queen's) | ENG | (e149) | 1-0 | Mark H Thornton (Sidney Sussex) | ENG | 183 | ||
| 8w | Lucy Martin (Somerville) | ENG | (e70) | 0-1 | Natasha Regan (King's) | ENG | 2180 | 169 | |
| 5½-2½ | |||||||||
Overall scores in series: 46 wins each, 17 draws.
Sources: BCM, May 1991, p213; CHESS, May 1991, p4; Dragon (Cambridge University Chess Club bulletin), June 1991
Report in Dragon (Cambridge University CC bulletin), June 1991 - by Steve Foister
One Saturday early in March, the sun rose on nine valiant souls, struggling on their separate ways, converging to one spot. Then, bidding their teams of sherpas farewell, these courageous men (and one woman) boarded the 9:36 to seek glory and fame in the Smoke.
Evading train guards, Home Office police and pelicans, the intrepid heroes descended upon the RAC Club only to discover that the legendary tuna sandwiches were not in evidence — red meat or chicken only. So instead a like-minded group of adventurers was found, and we sat facing each other across wooden tables littered with lumps of Black and White for several hours.
Then we retired to a building hidden amongst the financial maelstrom of the city for good nosh, silly speeches, chatty waitresses, and plenty of booze. These nine trusty souls then reeled back to Liverpool Street, clutching the regalia of their encounter. Tired, but happy (i.e. pissed), all returned safely: though many scratching at the scars of defeat.
Roll Of Honour
Board 1. John Wilson sacrificed the initiative on move three. Read the Sunday Telegraph (or, failing that, Dragon) for a demonstration of GM Norwood's superlative endgame technique. Oxford's Best Game Prize. 0-1.
Board 2. Steady Eddy Holland forced the monumental Cavendish into an unsound queen sac. He then proceeded to make his position as grotesque as possible. 0-2.
Board 3. Dave Lee held us up for ages with this one, against Mr. Wheeler. After missing a kill in time-trouble, he failed to hold the ending an exchange down, but took plenty of time over it. 0-3.
Board 4. This one took ages and ended similarly, with Alan Baker conceding the endgame against Matthew Piper. 0-4.
Board 5. At half-time, we were probably winning every game except this one, Phil Crocker gifting a pawn to the man with the much publicised Dutchness, van Hasselt. As might be expected, he failed to lose it. ½-4½.
Board 6. A masterly display (guess who's writing this?). After 1 e4 c6 2 d3 d6, I had already consumed five cups of coffee. But it turned out violent, with Martin Hazelton castling kingside as White and opening the h-file. I castled queenside and surprised him with a rook sac. Cambridge Best Game Prize. 1½-4½.
Board 7. Promising early on, but Mark Thornton found an enterprising loss. 1½-5½.
"Board 8." Natasha Regan played ordinary, boring moves. So did her opponent. Twenty of them in fact, before she lost on time. 2½-5½.
Board 9. There wasn't one. Mr Cooper was denied the opportunity of thrashing Mark Nightall, Oxford's President-elect.
Note: Rumours that the Oxford lady player was picked due to her relationship with Mr Hazelton are unfounded. She was picked for the shade of her dress, which matched his bow-tie.
© 2017-2026 John Saunders, all photos and text - not to be used without permission