There was one game remaining to be played in round 3 of the Gladstone Trophy: Mister Widdicombe versus Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon).
It was always likely to be a close encounter, with Mister Widdicombe managing to win last year’s Gladstone encounter but Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) having by far the better Hamilton Russell season since. The form book wasn’t wrong – it was a close game.
Yet perhaps the most remarkable thing about the game was that Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) didn’t play the Dragon variation. The NLC Chess Circle’s Archivist has searched the files and provided assurance that there is no record of any other defence played by Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) in response to 1.e4. A first for everything. (Who knows? Perhaps even Doctor Kirby will one day stop playing the Caro-Kann?)
So with all the results in for round 3, the standings are:
- Mister Widdicombe – 2.5
- Captain Chamberlain – 2.5
- Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) – 2
- Doctor Kirby – 2
- Doctor Hamme – 1.5
- Young Master Jacobs – 1.5
- Mister Whiteley – 1.5
- Our Good Friend Mister Taylor – 1
- Mister Sharland – 0.5
- Mister Pitt the Younger – 0
Everything to play for.