True Blue

The Oxford v. Cambridge Varsity Match held at the Royal Automobile Club two weeks ago ended in a draw. This is the longest-running chess fixture in the world, dating originally from 1873, when such luminaries as Howard Staunton and Wilhelm Steinitz were in attendance. Cambridge now lead by 58 wins to 53 with 21 drawn matches. This week’s game is a fine win by Oxford.
 
Weaving-Chiu: Varsity Match, London 2014; Sicilian Defence
 
1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 e6 3 Nf3 d6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Nf6. After various transpositions we have reached a standard position from the Scheveningen Variation of the Sicilian Defence, one popularised by Kasparov in his world title matches against Karpov. 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 b5 8 f3 Bb7. The scene is set. White plans to castle queenside and hopes to obliterate the black king which would normally castle on the opposite side of the board. 9 0-0-0 Be7 10 g4 Nc6 11 Nxc6 Bxc6 12 Ne2 0-0 13 g5 Nd7 14 h4 Ne5 15 Nd4 Rc8 16 h5 (see diagram 1).