BRITBASE - British Chess Game Archive
Event: Great Britain-Netherlands Match • 6 games plus 16 stubs • last edited:
Thursday October 2, 2025 6:19 PM
Venue: Flemings Hotel, London • Date: 16-17 October 1965 • Download PGN
1965 Great Britain Match vs Netherlands, Flemings Hotel, Piccadilly, London, 16-17 October
| Bd | Great Britain | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1b | Jonathan Penrose | 0-1 | 1-0 | Jan Hein Donner |
| 2w | Cenek Kottnauer | ½-½ | 0-1 | Hans Bouwmeester |
| 3b | Peter N Lee | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lodewijk Prins |
| 4w | Norman Littlewood | 1-0 | 0-1 | Nicolaas Cortlever |
| 5b | Peter H Clarke | ½-½ | ½-½ | Theo van Scheltinga |
| 6w | Michael J Franklin | 1-0 | 1-0 | Johan Teunis Barendregt |
| 7b | Owen M Hindle | ½-½ | ½-½ | Hendrik Jan (Henk) Bredewout |
| 8w | Michael J Haygarth | 0-1 | ½-½ | Hans Ree |
| 9b | William R Hartston | 0-1 | 0-1 | Bertus Frans (Bert) Enklaar |
| 10w | Michael J Basman | ½-½ | 1-0 | Dirk Daniel (Dick) van Gent |
| 16-17 October 1965 | 4-6 | 4½-5½ | Round scores | |
| London | 8½-11½ | Match score | ||
| Elaine Pritchard | 0-1 | 1-0 | Corry Vreeken | |
BCM, November 1965, ppn 313-314
The Anglo-Dutch Match
By P. H. CLARKE
FOR the fourth time running in the annual match between the representative teams of the Royal Dutch Chess Federation and the B.C.F. victory has gone to the visiting side. This year the Netherlands came to London for the week-end of October 16th to 17th and recaptured the challenge trophy "The Seven Provinces" by 11½-8½.
Thanks to the persuasive influence of Sir Frederick Hoare this year's event was sponsored by Unilever, Ltd. To a great international company the sum required, even for such excellent accommodation as that provided by Fleming's Hotel, Picadilly, is no doubt insignificant. The good it does, on the other hand, for British chess and its connections with Holland is considerable. In terms of value, therefore, it is money well spent, and it is to be hoped that Unilever will renew their generosity in two years' time.
The England players, captained by V. J. Soanes, assembled on the Friday evening in order that the team spirit which is so much a part of things when the side is abroad might be built up before play the next day. Despite the final result, I feel this worked well and should always be the pattern in future.
In the first round, predictions about a hard fight between two well-matched sides were more than fulfilled. Apart from Board 7, where Hindle secured equality and an early draw without much trouble, all the games were stubbornly contested and in most cases White called the tune. In fact, Black won but one game, and that was only because Haygarth misjudged his clock and exceeded the time-limit in a favourable position. Up to that moment it had seemed that the day might end with honours even, for Littlewood and Franklin had already brought off spirited wins. The score was actually 4-3 for us at the end of the session, but Penrose, Lee, and Hartston had all adjourned in inferior endings. Although our hopes revived for a while when play was resumed, the Dutch finally made the most of their chances and concluded the round with a 2-point lead.
Sunday's play was equally interesting and for much of the time a reversal of fortunes could not be ruled out. The decisive blow came when Littlewood, who had conducted the middle-game excellently and obtained a clear advantage, blundered away a Bishop for nothing. This was counterbalanced to some extent by the extraordinary finish on Board 6. Barendregt, a pawn up in the end-game but very short of time, offered a draw, and Franklin, looking round for his captain and not seeing him, hesitated to accept. So the game went on, and Barendregt promptly lost a Rook! But it was too late to alter the outcome of the match, as by then our opponents had sufficient safe points in hand in the remaining games. However, some consolation in defeat came in the fine form shown by Penrose, who worked up a strong attack on the King's side and never allowed the grandmaster the slightest prospect of recovery.
The most disappointing feature of the match was the lack of success of the youngsters making their debuts in the national team. Basman, it is true, scored a deserved win and a draw, but both Lee and Hartston failed to score. The British Champion was perhaps a little unlucky to meet a gifted and determined master who is right in touch at present. Both games went to long endings before experience told. Hartston was well below his best. I suspect that he was overawed by the occasion without realizing it.
This was the eighth time England and Holland have met since the series was renewed in 1958. We are now 3-5 down. If we as a team are to get on terms with the tough Netherlanders, we must go "into Europe," where the competition is severe. The European Championship preliminaries start again next year, and this defeat is as strong an argument for entering as victory would have been.
File Updated
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 2 October 2025 | First upload. Six games plus 16 stubs, scores, report. |