Hou Yifan leads Oxford to victory over Cambridge
3/5/2019 – Hou Yifan played her first rated classical game since December, as she led her team from Oxford University to their third consecutive win over varsity rivals Cambridge. It was the first time the top-rated woman in the world participated, and the 137th such match overall. Cambridge clings to a tiny (and shrinking) lead of 59-56 wins (with 22 draws). Cambridge alumnus GM DANIEL FERNANDEZ takes a look at the games. | Pictured: Oxford's team Andrew Rogozinski (reserve), Daniel Abbas, Hou Yifan, Joris Gerlagh (captain), Benjamin Foo, Lisa Schut, Gordon Scott, Filip Mihov, Isaac Sanders | Photo: John Saunders
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Hou's on first board
It's a rivalry dating back to 1873 and, last Saturday, Oxford and Cambridge Universities squared off once more for the 137th "Varsity Match" at the Royal Automobile Club in central London. Oxford won this year's bout by a narrow margin of 4½ to 3½, despite being heavy rating favourites across the eight-board match.
The two teams have been competing — interrupted only by world wars — in a variety of sports, since the 19th century, and is cited as "one of the great traditions of British Chess".
This letter signals the starting point of the Oxford v Cambridge match ("Cambridge Chronicle and University Journal," February 25, 1871). After 136 matches held between 1873 and 2018, Cambridge leads with + 59 - 55 = 22. Today Hou Yifan plays for Oxford: https://t.co/8thLdZZxkw pic.twitter.com/m9Sq1FXrVJ
— Olimpiu G. Urcan (@olimpiuurcan) March 2, 2019
Women only began to compete in the late 1970s, but back then the match was played on seven boards, with an eighth "Ladies board" not counted for the match scoring, except as a tiebreaker.
Since 1992, it has been an eight-board match and top female players like IM Harriet Hunt and WIM Ruth Sheldon competed on the top board. Neither, however, were World Champion calibre, so Hou Yifan's appearance is a first. Although she has not played much over the past year, it's still a small upset that Cambridge's 2396-rated FM Matthew Wadsworth was able to hold Hou to a draw with the black pieces.
Hou is a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford | Photo: John Saunders
GM Daniel Fernandez, who was on the losing Cambridge side when the teams faced off in 2017, takes a look at all the games, starting with the world number one woman.
The Sicilian Tajmanov-Scheveningen
The Sicilian has been known for decades as the most reliable way for Black to obtain an unbalanced but good position. Among the most popular Sicilians at the top level the two that certainly stand out are the Najdorf and the Paulsen.
The Cambridge squad: Peter Finn, Naomi Wei, Ryan Rhys Griffiths, Gustavo Leon Cazares, Gwilym Price, James Cole (captain), James Walsh (reserve), Conor Murphy, Matthew Wadsworth | Photo: John Saunders
Click or tap a game in the list to switch
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Two other women competed: WIM Lisa Schut was on board 3 for Oxford | Photo: John Saunders
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Naomi Wei was badly out-rated on board 8 for Cambridge | Photo: John Saunders
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Varsity #chess: the last game to finish between Peter Finn against Daniel Abbas. Oxford won the game to clinch the match by 4½-3½. Very close and a brave effort by much underrated Cambridge. pic.twitter.com/S0NQU4gst8
— John Saunders (@johnchess) March 2, 2019
Full results
| Bd | Oxford University |
Rating |
Fed. |
4½:3½ |
Cambridge University |
Rating |
Fed. |
| 1w | GM Hou Yifan |
2662 |
CHN |
½-½ |
FM Matthew Wadsworth |
2386 |
ENG |
| 2b | FM Isaac Sanders |
2355f |
ENG |
1-0 |
FM Ryan Rhys Griffiths |
2359 |
IRL |
| 3w | WIM Lisa Schut |
2259 |
NED |
½-½ |
FM Conor Murphy |
2361 |
IRL |
| 4b | Joris Gerlagh |
2258 |
NED |
0-1 |
Gwilym Price (Clare) |
2138 |
ENG |
| 5w | CM Benjamin Foo Zhi Rong |
2254 |
SGP |
0-1 |
Gustavo Leon Cazares |
2059 |
MEX |
| 6b | FM Daniel Abbas |
2253 |
ENG |
1-0 |
Peter Finn |
1863 |
ENG |
| 7w | Gordon Scott |
2237 |
ENG |
½-½ |
James Cole |
1921 |
ENG |
| 8b | Filip Mihov |
2155 |
MKD |
1-0 |
Naomi Wei |
1787 |
ENG |
| Av. Rating = 2304.1 |
|
|
4½-3½ |
Av. Rating = 2109.2 |
|
|
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