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131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:11 pm
by Eoin Devane
The 131st Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge will take place tomorrow, Saturday 9th March, at the RAC Clubhouse on Pall Mall, London. The match is again being generously sponsored by Henry Mutkin. Spectators, appropriately attired in suit and tie, or equivalent for women, are most welcome.
The Opening Ceremony will be at 12 noon, and the games will then begin at 12:30. The time control is 2 hours for 40 moves, followed by a 1 hour quickplay finish.
The scheduled board pairings are:
      Cambridge                                  Oxford
1 Â Â FM Sam Franklin [ENG] (2322,215)Â Â Â -Â Â IM Raja Panjwani [CAN] (2407,242)
2 Â Â FM Rafe Martyn [ENG] (2258, 203) Â Â -Â Â IM Ravindran Shanmugam [SIN] (2375, 206)
3 Â Â Richard Weaving [ENG] (2176,222)Â Â -Â Â Â FM David Zakarian [ARM] (2374, 228)
4 Â Â Daniel Hunt [ENG] (2057,212)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â -Â Â Â Â Â Dominic Foord [ENG] (2099, 208)
5 Â Â Vytautas Gruslys [LTU] (1970, 206)Â Â -Â Â Â Jozef Janovsky [SVK] (2131, - )
6 Â Â Adam Scibior [POL] (2229, - )Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â -Â Â Â Â CM Howard Chiu [SIN] (2048,192)
7 Â Â Andrew McClement [SCO] (2128,198) - Joshua Tan [MAS] ( - , - )
8 Â Â WFM Saheli Nath [IND] (f) (2116, - ) Â -Â Nicole Miranda [CHI] (f) (2009, 155)
Team captains are Eoin Devane [IRL] for Cambridge and Athanasios Tsanas [GRE] for Oxford.
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:51 pm
by Eoin Devane
The match is underway. The coin toss was won by Oxford, who will play white on the odd numbered boards
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:55 pm
by Adam Raoof
Eoin Devane wrote:The match is underway. The coin toss was won by Oxford, who will play white on the odd numbered boards
Are any of the games live on't 'net, Eoin?
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:56 pm
by JustinHorton
Eoin Devane wrote: Spectators, appropriately attired in suit and tie
Anybody there in a Pengun suit?
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:56 pm
by Sean Hewitt
Question : Does anyone know why the match is not FIDE rated?
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 1:31 pm
by David Sedgwick
Sean Hewitt wrote:Question : Does anyone know why the match is not FIDE rated?
Answer (entirely in a personal capacity):
1. There is no requirement that English players be ECF Gold members (and I don't think I would wish there to be);
2. There is no requirement that the arbiters be FIDE licensed (and I definitely wouldn't wish there to be).
David Sedgwick
Chief Arbiter
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 1:38 pm
by Richard Bates
David Sedgwick wrote:Sean Hewitt wrote:Question : Does anyone know why the match is not FIDE rated?
Answer (entirely in a personal capacity):
1. There is no requirement that English players be ECF Gold members (and I don't think I would wish there to be);
2. There is no requirement that the arbiters be FIDE licensed (and I definitely wouldn't wish there to be).
David Sedgwick
Chief Arbiter
Also potentially to avoid creating a disincentive for really strong players (if any). And in a sporting sense - FIDE-rating in matches can compromise players putting the team result above their own interests.
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:38 pm
by John Saunders
First blood to Cambridge on Board 8.
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:55 pm
by John Saunders
Draw on board 4 - current score Cambridge 1.5, Oxford 0.5.
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:59 pm
by John Saunders
Another draw, on board two - current score Cambridge 2-1 Oxford...
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:29 pm
by John Saunders
Oxford's David Zakarian (Armenia, 2374) loses to Richard Weaving (England, 2176). Cambridge University now 3-1 up with 4 games to play...
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:35 pm
by John Saunders
Oxford hit back on Board 6, narrowing the deficit to Cambridge 3-2 Oxford...
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:41 pm
by John Saunders
Oxford level the match with a win on Board 1... (but I've got some bad news coming for the Dark Blues in my next post)...
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:46 pm
by John Saunders
Oxford lost on board 7, so there is one game left, on board five, and the score Cambridge 4-3 Oxford. Last time I looked (a few minutes) Cambridge looked better but I'll have another look in a minute or two...
Re: 131st Varsity Match - Saturday 9th March 2013
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:03 pm
by John Saunders
Match over as Board 5 is drawn. Final score Cambridge 4.5-3.5 Oxford. Black is winning the final game but discretion was the better part of valour as his team only needed a half point to clinch the match.