It is a thorough and insightful historical examination of chess at Oxford and Cambridge Universities during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Tracing the game´s evolution from its earliest mentions in the early 1800s through to 1872, the book highlights the establishment of chess clubs, the organization of the club events, and the inception of inter-city correspondence matches. The work also explores the visits of renowned British and European chess masters, including Howard Staunton, Johan Löwenthal and Wilhelm Steinitz. At its core, the book delves into 42 inter-university chess matches between 1873 and 1914, offering a detailed analysis based on extensive archival research. The publication features 452 games, most of them annotated, accompanied by numerous diagrams and period photographs. Additionally, the appendices provide match results, club statutes, and indexes of players, openings and names, making this book an invaluable resource for chess enthusiasts and historians alike.
