B.C. - Washington Matches

Main Series Bicentennial Match Matches Between Champions Scholastic Matches Modern Series Scheveningen/Swiss Matches Intercity Matches

Main Series

[Many thanks to Russell Miller for providing details of these matches from the Washington Chess Letter]

The chronology of the first few matches, telescoping the first four matches into two years, is based on the report given in Chess Life, 5 April 1947. Later sources, such as Dick Allen in the July 1949 issue of Washington Chess Letter, had assumed the matches were annual and thus started in 1944. However, there is no documentary evidence for matches in 1944 or 1945, plus such contests would have been extremely unlikely with the war still on.

The matches soon developed into two sections, an "A" division consisting of the first 30 boards, plus a flexible "B" division which comprised all the remaining players. There were separate trophies for the two divisions, that for the "A" division being a miniature replica of the Peace Arch created by D.E. Purrott of Vancouver and first awarded at the 1947 event. That year also marked the largest number of participants, 166 players on 83 boards!

The matches continued throughout the 1950s, but by the end of the decade both sides were experiencing difficulty attracting players, and as a consequence the "B" competitions suffered. In the early 1960s Washington in particular was having trouble fielding enough players for the 30 board "A" division (a result of the rising popularity of open Swisses), and in late 1963 B.C. wrote to Washington "suggesting to suspend the annual matches until such time as interest in Washington for these events should increase." [BCCF AGM Minutes, September 28, 1963].

Bicentennial Match

To celebrate the American Bicentennial cross-border chess matches were held at ten different locations, five in the United States and five in Canada. The majority of these events took place on September 26, but the match played in Vancouver occurred on June 18; this so as to take advantage of the players from both countries arriving for Vancouver 1976 (a.k.a. the First Paul Keres Memorial), which began the following day.

The Vancouver match was not strictly a B.C. - Washington contest as there were out of province/state participants on both sides, but these were relatively few in number. Despite the setback in Vancouver Canada won the overall match 133.5-93.5. One B.C. player contributed twice to this victory: Bruce Harper. He played board one in the Vancouver match on June 18, and later won his game on board two in the Brockville, Ontario match on September 26!

	Date	Location	Score
1976	June 18	Vancouver	16.5-18.5

"It gives me geat pleasure to extend greetings to all those organizing and participating in the important international chess matches being held across the Canadian-American border this year in honour of the American Bicentennial.

On the occasion of the two hundredth anniversary of the independence of the United States of America, I am delighted to offer American chess players hearty congratulations from the people of Canada. Canadians and Americans have persued their individual destinies in peace and friendship for two centuries. We look forward to continuing our unique and amicable relationship in the years to come.

A game of the intellect, chess is a very fitting way to celebrate the American Bicentennial and to commemorate the long-standing ties between our two nations. I wish everyone a very enjoyable set of international chess matches."

Ottawa, 1976

(signed) Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Matches Between Champions

The Chess Square at Park Royal shopping centre in West Vancouver was officially inaugurated on 30 June 1984; to celebrate the first anniversary of this occasion the B.C. and Washington champions played a match at the Chess Square, co-sponsored by the BCCF and Park Royal. These matches continued on an annual basis until 1993, although it should be noted that there were occasional subsitutions, the respective champions not always being able to attend.

Scholastic Matches (Intermat)

Since 1991 our international cross-border chess rivalry has been settled as a scholastic match: 24 students per side (26 since 2006, including kindergarten), two for each grade, play two games, one against each of their respective grade opponents.

Modern Series

Scheveningen/Swiss Matches

Intercity Matches