The Oxford University Chess Club (OUCC) was founded at the University of Oxford in 1869."Varsity Chess History: Oxford vs Cambridge", BritBase: Varsity Chess Match History It is the oldest university chess club in the United Kingdom. The Club meets each Tuesday evening during University term time. They field three teams in the Oxfordshire Chess League.Official site

Foundation On the day of the foundation of OUCC, the minutes book recorded:1869-1885 in The History of the Oxford University Chess Club, James Manders Walker, 1885

April 30th, – This day is memorable as being the date of the foundation of the Club, which was started under the auspices of the Reverend C. E. Ranken, of Wadham College, who was chosen as the first President. E. F. Linton, University, was elected Treasurer, and W. Braithwaite, Wadham, Secretary. A code of rules was drawn up, and the Club, having received its constitution, entered upon what we trust will prove to be a long and glorious career. No less than one hundred and three names were entered upon the first list of members. Amongst others were those of Lord Randolph Churchill, Merton, E. Anthony, Christ Church ("one of the best pupils Steinitz turned out"), E.W.B. Nicholson, Trinity, the present Bodleian Librarian, Lord Garvagh, Canon Grey, Christ Church &c., &c. The meetings were held weekly on Wednesdays, and the early members appear to have been more desirous of playing one another than of engaging in foreign matches.

Prince Leopold, later Duke of Albany (1853–1884) (and son of Queen Victoria) was President of OUCC in 1875.

Varsity match The annual Varsity Match against Cambridge University was originally suggested by Howard Staunton in 1853. It has been held annually since 1873"Oxford vs Cambridge vol. 125 – the never ending game", ChessBase, 16 May 2007""Cambridge Chess", Richard Geoffrey Eales, and is the oldest fixture on the chess calendar. Edwin Anthony, then President of the club, and Wilhelm Steinitz were responsible for establishing the match."The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion", William Steinitz and Kurt Landsberger, Page 280

With a twenty-year perspective on the matches, Henry Bird wrote that the greatest of the matches were the first two, held in 1873 and 1874 at the City of London Chess Club, City Restaurant (Perrott's), 34 Milk-street, Cheapside. The first match was said to have had 600 to 800 spectators and the second no fewer than 700, thought to be record attendance at any chess tournament up to that time. Each team consisted of seven players, and sand glasses were used to time some of the games at the limit of 20 moves per hour. Oxford won the first year, and Cambridge the second.

The 1874 match was attended by nearly every London chess luminary of the time, including Howard Staunton, Wilhelm Steinitz (officiated as an umpire), Johann Löwenthal, Bernhard Horwitz, Johannes Zukertort, Henry Bird, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Cecil Valentine De Vere, George Alcock MacDonnell, Samuel Boden, Patrick Thomas Duffy, Adolf Zytogorski, John Wisker, and others. In addition to the university match, the event included two exhibitions. Zukertort played six blindfold games (+2−1=3) and Blackburne played a seven-board simultaneous exhibition with fresh opponents starting on the boards as the games finished for a total of 20 games (+17−3=0).

Oxford won the 2011 match, the 129th official contest, 4.5-3.5 to bring the overall score to Cambridge 66 Oxford 63.

Other events On 2 December 1944 a famous 12-board match took place between OUCC and Bletchley Chess Club whose members consisted of the Bletchley Park code-breakers. Bletchley won 8–4 with C.H.O’D. Alexander and Harry Golombek on boards 1 and 2.CHESS, February 1945, page 73 On 15 February 2004 OUCC beat Wales 6–2. OUCC 1sts won the 2004-05 Oxfordshire Chess League and David Shaw, top board, was awarded the prize for best player with a remarkable 9/10."2004-05 ODCL" , Oxfordshire Chess Association OUCC 2nds won the 2006-07 Oxfordshire Chess League."2006-07 ODCL" , Oxfordshire Chess Association On 18 February 2012 OUCC won the 2nds varsity match against Cambridge 5.5-4.5.

Notable games

In 1978 a memorable upset occurred when IM Michael Basman beat Oxford postgraduate GM John Nunn with the Grob.Opening Encyclopaedia 2004, ChessBaseKiller Grob, Michael Basman, Pergamon Chess Series, 1991,

Michael Basman vs. John Nunn, Oxford, 1978

1. g4 d5 2. h3 e5 3. d3 Bd6 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 Ne7 6. Nf3 h5 7. gxh5 Rxh5 8. Bd2 a6 9. e4 dxc4 10. dxc4 Nd7 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. Qf3 Ng6 13. O-O-O Qe7 14. Kb1 Nf4 15. Rg1 Kf8 16. Ne2 Ne6 17. Nxe6+ Bxe6 18. Ng3 Rh8 19. Bg5 Rd8 20. Be2 Rxh3 21. Qg2 Bc7 22. Nh5 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rxh5 24. Bxh5 Qb4 25. Be2 Bxc4 26. Bxc4 Qxc4 27. Bxf6 gxf6 28. Qg4 Qe6 29. Qxe6 fxe6 30. Rd7 1–0

Notable members and officers Notable members Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany Lord Randolph Churchill Wilhelm Steinitz Theodore Tylor Adrian Hollis Leonard Barden Peter Lee Jon Speelman John Nunn David Norwood Graham Russell Mitchell Peter Wells Luke McShane Jonathan Rowson Richard Palliser Amon Simutowe

Officers President First president of the club was founder Rev. Charles E. Ranken. At his peak, he was the 24th best player in the worldSonas, Chessmetrics Player Profile: Charles Ranken - a grandmaster by today's standards. The office, which was at first termly, has been annual since 1884.The History of the Oxford University Chess Club (compiled from the club minute books), J.M. Walker, 1885

Name College Served from Reference Charles Ranken Wadham 30 April 1869 Rules of the Oxford University Chess Club (together with a list of officers from its foundation, 30 April 1869), 1883 E. Anthony Christ Church 23 March 1870 E.W.B. Nicholson Trinity 9 December 1870 C.T. Wild Christ Church 6 March 1871 R.D.H. Gray Brasenose 5 December 1871 W.E. Foster University 12 March 1872 Falconer Madan Brasenose 4 June 1872 B. Whitefoord New 4 December 1872 J.S. Sinclair Oriel 12 March 1873 S.R. Meredith Brasenose 27 May 1873 Walter Parratt Magdalen 3 December 1873 Prince Leopold Christ Church 18 March 1874 Horace Plunkett University December 1875 C. Tracey Lincoln 26 October 1876 W. Grundy Worcester 14 March 1877 R.A. Germaine Brasenose December 1877 F.M. Wright Queen's 1 November 1878 Walter Montague Gattie Christ Church 5 December 1878 E.H. Kinder Brasenose 20 March 1879 C. Taylor Christ Church 1 December 1879 B.R.V. Mills Christ Church 5 March 1880 J.F. Welsh Christ Church 26 October 1880 C.A. Darley Christ Church 18 March 1881 T.A. Wise Lincoln 17 June 1881 W.N.P. Beebe Trinity 17 March 1882 G.E. Wainwright University 9 June 1882 C.C. Lynam Hertford Summer 1883 James Manders Walker Wadham Michaelmas 1883 H. Seward Balliol Midsummer 1884 C.D. Locock University Michaelmas 1884 Richard Barnett Wadham Michaelmas 1885 Miscellaneous papers relating to the Oxford university chess club, c.1870–, Bodleian Library, Oxford F.G. Newbolt Balliol Hilary 1887 W. Storey Christ Church October 1887 A.G.G. Ross New Michaelmas 1888 W.M. Le Patourel Balliol October 1889 J.F. Ure Christ Church October 1890 F.E. Jelly Magdalen October 1891 ... Harold Davidson Exeter Michaelmas 1900 ... G. Davies ? Michaelmas 1909 ... Neil Crabb St Edmund Hall Trinity 1987 Mark Addis Mansfield Trinity 1988 Paul Muhkerjee Lady Margaret Hall Trinity 1989 Martin Hazelton St Anne's Trinity 1990 Mark Nightall Brasenose Trinity 1991 ... Matthew Piper Wadham 1993 Michael Gough New Trinity 1994 Shashi Jayakumar St Hugh's Trinity 1995 Maxim Devereaux Brasenose Trinity 1996 Ben Savage Lady Margaret Hall Trinity 1997 Emily Howard Lincoln Trinity 1998 Kieran Smallbone New Trinity 1999 Chris Dunsmore Lincoln Trinity 2000 Jon Smith Queen's Trinity 2001 2001, Archive.org Richard Palliser Worcester Trinity 2002 2002, Archive.org Chris Duggan University Trinity 2003 website 2003, Archive.org David Shaw Worcester Trinity 2004 Hervé Hansen Queen's Trinity 2005 Official website 2005, Archive.org Marco Zhang St Hugh's Trinity 2006 Official website 2006, Archive.org Mike Healey University Trinity 2007 Official website 2019 Yi Ming Lai Exeter Trinity 2008 Eoin Devane Merton Trinity 2009 Stephen Belding St John's Trinity 2010 Erik Thörnblad St Hugh's Trinity 2011 David Hewitt St Edmund Hall Trinity 2012 Sam Bentham Christ Church Trinity 2013 Robert Collopy New College Trinity 2014 Sean Lim St Hilda's College Trinity 2015 David Martins Worcester Trinity 2016 Jamie Horton Christ Church Trinity 2017 Joris Gerlagh University Trinity 2018 Andrew Rogozinski Worcester Trinity 2019 Aloysius Lip Christ Church Trinity 2020 Victor Vasiesiu Hertford Trinity 2021 Max French Wadham Michaelmas 2022 Tom O'Gorman Hertford Michaelmas 2023Jem GurnerMagdalene Michaelmas 2024 Connor ClarkeHertfordMichaelmas 2025 Treasurer

Name College Served from Reference E.F. Linton University 30 April 1869 E.L. Holland University 8 February 1870 Rev. C. Rodwell Trinity 23 March 1870 R.D.H. Gray Brasenose 9 December 1870 T.C.V. Bastow Trinity 5 June 1871 Falconer Madan Brasenose 12 March 1872 E. Petit Jelf Christ Church 4 June 1872 J.S. Leadam Brasenose 12 March 1873 F.H. Woods Jesus 3 May 1873 A.R.C. Connell Trinity 16 December 1874 S.R. Meredith Brasenose 14 April 1875 W.P. Emerton Christ Church December 1875 R.A. Germaine Brasenose 26 October 1876 E.J. Crosse Exeter 4 December 1876 W.M. Gattie Christ Church 6 June 1877 F.M. Wright Queen's 18 March 1878 E.H. Kinder Brasenose 1 November 1878 C. Taylor Christ Church 20 March 1879 B.R.V. Mills Christ Church 1 December 1879 J.F. Welsh Christ Church 5 March 1880 C.A. Darley Christ Church 26 October 1880 C.C. Lynam Hertford 18 March 1881 W.N.P. Beebe Trinity 17 June 1881 T.A. Wise Lincoln 17 March 1882 James Manders Walker Wadham Lent 1883 S. Weall St. John's Michaelmas 1883 F. Tracey Exeter Lent 1884 C.D. Locock University Midsummer 1884 James Manders Walker Wadham Lent 1885 F.G. Newbolt Balliol Winter 1885 S.J. Buchanan New Lent 1886 F.G. Newbolt Balliol Michaelmas 1886 W. Stoney Christ Church Hilary 1887 A.G.G. Ross New October 1887 W.M. Le Patourel Balliol Michaelmas 1888 Frank Edward Jelly Magdalen October 1889 R.G. Grimley Balliol October 1890 G.G. Lynam St. Catherine's October 1891 ... T.A. Staynes Brasenose Michaelmas 1920 ... Ian Webster St. Anne's Trinity 2001 Simon Breen Trinity Trinity 2003 Ed Stembridge Balliol Trinity 2004 Ed Stembridge Balliol Trinity 2005 Alexander Dutton Keble Trinity 2006 Ed Stembridge Balliol Trinity 2007 Zubin Siganporia St Catherine's Trinity 2008 Kevin Henbest (Unattached) Trinity 2009 Matthew Wills Trinity Trinity 2010 Samuel Woolacott Queen's Trinity 2011 Erik Thörnblad St Hugh's Trinity 2012 Sean Lim St Hilda's Trinity 2013 Sean Lim St Hilda's Trinity 2014 Gordon Scott Merton Trinity 2015 Angelos Vakalis Lincoln Trinity 2016 David Martins Worcester Trinity 2017 Alexander Hardwick Magdalen Trinity 2018 Aloysius Lip Christ Church Trinity 2019 Callum Evans St John's College Trinity 2020 Aditi Agarwal New Trinity 2021 Ruairi Garrett St Peter's Michaelmas 2022 Ashvin Sivakumar Harris Manchester Michaelmas 2023 Ashvin Sivakumar Harris Manchester Michaelmas 2024 Kai Beaumont Trinity Michaelmas 2025

Secretary