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CHESS IN CUBA

CHESS IN CUBA

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Cuba, 1518, the first country in the New World in which chess is practiced, as attested by historical documents. In 1861, the first magazine specialized in chess in Latin America: “El Dorado del Ajedrez.”

In 1518 the first chess game occurred on the island of Cuba, carried out by a group of Spanish officers in the town of San Salvador de Bayamo. Already in 1826 its practice was evident in the cities of Havana and Bayamo.

Heroes of the Cuban Homeland played Chess: Carlos Manuel de Céspedes translated “The Laws of the Game of Chess” from French; José Martí also played, and even one of his games is preserved. Other prominent Cubans such as Antonio Maceo, Perucho Figueredo, Juan de Jesús de Fornaris, etc., also played Chess.

The fact that we have had a monthly magazine specialized in chess since 1840 and that 2 world championships were held in Cuba before the emergence of the Capablanca phenomenon, gives us an idea of the development of this sport in Cuba. And if we add him as the 3rd World Champion and one of the best chess players of all time, there are plenty of reasons for this publication.

But there is more, in 1836 the automaton, known as "The Turkish Chess Player", arrived in Havana, invented in 1769 by the wise Wolfgang Kempelen, an Austrian, appearing to be a chess-playing machine. In the capital he offered few exhibitions because the player who was hiding inside him at the time, the Frenchman Schlumberger, had contracted yellow fever.

Pablo Morphy, one of the Chess greats of all time, arrived in Havana in 1862, from New Orleans, in transit to Spain. He took advantage of his stay from October 16 to 30 to give a blind chess exhibition against amateurs. 

In 1863, Celso Golmayo, lawyer, chess champion Spain, fixed residence in Havana, as Attorney Law Court. Its playing strength contributed to better progress Chess in the capital. In 1864 Morphy visit Cuba again, this time in transit from Europe to New Orleans. Among his opponents figured Celso Golmayo, who was already considered Chess champion Cuba.

The September 15, 1885, was officially established “Chess Club Havana”. Among the frequent visitors to the club included the Cuban scientist Carlos J. Finlay, discoverer of yellow fever. By their classrooms transiting celebrities chess joined the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including W. Steinitz (1888, 1889 and 1892); M. Chigorin (1889, 1890 and 1892); I. Gunsberg (1890); J. H. Blackburne (1891), Am. Lasker (1893, 1906 and 1921); H.N. Pillsbury (1900); Marschall J. F. (1913); Aliojin A. (1939); R. Fine (1942); M Euwe (1945), among others.

In 1889, during the months of January to March, they met in Havana for the world title, Wilhelm Steinitz, Austrian Chess world champion and challenger Mikhail Tchigorin, Russian. Steinitz retained the crown beating his opponent with the result +10 -6 = 1.

Three years later, in 1892 and also in Havana the second game (revenge) Steinitz is performed. The event was held at the Chess Club Havana, with elegant and rich dashboard, by an admirable artist of Havana, which had also played for the first time in this city. Steinitz won the victory again, this time in more closed form: +10 -8 = 5. (Data published in the journal “Paul Morphy,” January 1892)

José Raúl Capablanca, born in Havana on November 19, 1888. It arises and develops in a supportive environment in Havana with two world championships, Morphy visits, monthly chess magazine … Its development is completed in the halls of Manhattan Chess Club of New York, where only 17 already has the opportunity to play against then World Champion Emanuel Lasker who would defeat 15 years later disputing the world title. But Capablaca deserves another publication. Now for this is quite …

Notes:

  • A student of Capablanca, Maria Teresa Mora Iturralde, was the first international chess master in Latin America and the first woman in Cuba chess champion, winning in 1922 the Dewar Cup Chess Club of Havana, was then considered as the championship of Cuba and players involved only men.
  • In 1958 Eldis Cobo attending the Open Championship of the United States, held in Rochester, New York, and ends in the first place, winning the title Master of the US Chess Federation.
  • MemoriasDeCuba / Derubín Jacomé / InternetPHotos / TheCubanHistory.com
  • The Cuban History, Hollywood.
  • Arnoldo Varona, Editor.