Varsity Chess Match 2025

The Varsity Chess Match is the oldest continuous fixture in the global chess calendar. First held in 1873 the match has been tightly contested with Cambridge leading by 60-59 wins (23 draws) going into the 143rd edition which was held on Saturday 8 March in Pall Mall, its annual venue since 1978.

Oxford, the pre-match favourites with a significant rating advantage, led at the first time control (4 hours) by 3.5 to 1.5 needing only one more point from the remaining three games to square the overall series. Cambridge, however, overturned the odds by winning all three to give them victory by 4.5 to 3.5 and extending their series lead with 61 wins. The Cambridge Captain Ranesh Ratnesan scored the winning point after some six hours of play.

Match commentators, Grand Master Daniel Fernandez and Women’s International Master Natasha Regan, provided live commentary in the Club and this was broadcast live on chess.com. Grand Masters Raymond Keene, Jon Speelman and David Howell were set the task of determining the winners of the individual prizes – awarding the Best Game prize to Cambridge’s Board 6, Sacha Brozel and the Brilliancy prize, for the second year running, to Ashvin Sivakumar the Oxford Board 3.

Oxford’s Board 1 Tom O’Gorman established a Varsity Match record by achieving a 100% performance with his fifth consecutive win, all on Board 1 and all with the white pieces. Cambridge will be thankful that this is Tom’s final year at Oxford.

The prizes and the Margaret Pugh Trophy were presented at the Gala Dinner that followed the match and, as is the tradition, the chess continued into the small hours when Club members and guests joined the students over the chess boards in the Club Room.

After 143 matches the overall score stands at:

Cambridge 61, Oxford 59, Drawn 23.