Considered one of the greatest chess players of all time, José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera found his passion very early in life. At four years old Capablanca learned by watching his father play, beating him twice at the game after learning the ropes. At eight, he entered in the Havana Chess club. At the young age of 12, Capablanca defeated the Cuban Chess Champion Juan Corzo, despite his lack of experience and formal education of chess. In 1906, teenage Capablanca defeated the reigning World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker.
In 1911, a tournament that included all of the greatest players of the time was held. Capablanca played with unmatched brilliance, shocking the chess world and securing first place with a score of six wins, seven draws, and only a single loss. It was at this point that critics lauded Capablanca as a serious contender against Lasker for the world championship.
Years later, Lasker and Capablanca signed an agreement to play a World Championship match in the following year, adding in the agreement that if Lasker decided to resign the title, Capablanca would become World Champion regardless.
Before the match could even take place, Lasker resigned, claiming that Capablanca won by his “brilliant mastery” of the game, and that a match was unnecessary to prove that Capablanca was truly worthy of the title. Irritated critics jeered at this, and eventually Lasker and Capablanca fought anyway, giving the newly named champion four wins with no victories for Lasker. This matched proved Capablanca to be the rightful champion.
Alekhine challenged Capablanca for the title in 1927. To everyone’s shock and amazement, Alekhine won the match with six wins, twenty-five draws, and only three losses. Alekhine expressed that he, too was surprised by the victory, since he believed himself inferior to Capablanca’s skill. Alekhine suggested that Capablanca’s loss may have been due to his over-confidence and lack of preparation. While Alekhine studied Capablanca’s play vigorously and kept his physical condition in peak shape, Capablanca entered the match with absolutely no preparations.
Later Capablanca failed to secure a return match against Alekhine. He became disheartened and ultimately withdrew from serious chess in 1931. He never returned to the game with his previous energetic vigor.
On March 7th, 1942, Capablanca collapsed and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, the hospital in which Lasker had died in years earlier. Due to a cerebral hemorrhage, Capablanca also passed away at 6 a.m. the very next morning. His funeral was held in Havana’s Colón cemetery on March 15th, 1942 and was held for the public to be permitted to attend. Alekhine mourned his rival’s loss, claiming that “with his death, we have lost a very great chess genius whose like we shall never see again.”
We are pleased to present this wonderful game Janowski vs Capablanca
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