Capablanca: Son of Caïssa
The year 2021 marks one hundred years since the great José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera conquered the Chess Crown by defeating Emanuel Lasker 4-0 in the 1921 World Chess Championship Match, thus becoming the third official World Chess Champion. So before this year ends, I thought it appropriate to take some time to remember this veritable Chess colossus, the legend, "The Mozart of Chess", a genius without equal, and without a doubt the greatest natural talent our game has ever seen.
José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera was born on November 19, 1888, in Havana, Cuba. Caïssa smiled upon her son one day, as she revealed herself to him on one fateful occasion as José Raúl's father was playing with a colleague from work. That was Capablanca's first encounter with Chess. Naturally drawn to the mystical black-and-white board, the Cuban genius watched attentively at the movements of those elegant yet strangely familiar pieces, so seemingly filled with life, as he gradually began to understand the workings the game. On one occasion, having quickly learned the rules merely by watching a handful of games, four-year-old Capablanca corrected his father by pointing out he had just played an illegal move with his knight! Shocked, as his son did not know how to play Chess as far as he was aware, José María Capablanca told his son to sit down and play a game with him. José Raúl won effortlessly. The tale of Capa, Son of Caïssa, had begun.
Proven his prodigiousness at Chess, he played a match with the Cuban national champion, Juan Corzo, in 1901. Capablanca won with a score of +4 -3 =5. Capablanca was an absolute all-around genius. He excelled at academia, easily passing the entrance exams to Columbia University, where he intended to study chemical engineering as well as play in the university's vey strong baseball team. At the same time, he frequented the historic Manhattan Chess Club, where his talent was immediately recognized and it quickly became apparent he was the club's strongest player.
He was especially recognized for his remarkable speed of play, being virtually impossible to beat in rapid games. He won a rapid tournament in 1906, ahead of Word Champion Emanuel Lasker. These two would soon become well acquainted, playing many informal games together, both greatly admiring one another's prowess for the game.
In 1911, Capablanca won the San Sebastián Tournament, in Spain, with 9.5 points, ahead of Akiba Rubinstein. Aron Nimzowitsch had protested Capablanca's participation in the event, as he was otherwise unknown compared to the other participants. Capablanca quickly proved his skill by easily defeating Nimzowitsch in a match of rapid games.
Capablanca's meteoric rise had already given rise to a legend to his name: Capablanca, "The Human Chess Machine". Capablanca would continue to win tournaments in the following years, such as in 1913 when he won all 13 of his tournaments games at the Rice Chess Club in New York. In 1914, the famous "tournament of champions" took place in Saint Petersburg, where Capablanca finished second after Lasker and well ahead of Alexander Alekhine, Marshall, and Tarrasch.
During World War I, Capablanca continued to play tournaments in New York, winning one in 1915 (+12 -0 =2), 1916 (+12-1=4), and 1918 (+9 -0 =3). Capablanca faced Frank Marshall in the 1918 New York Tournament, where the latter unleashed a secret weapon in the Ruy López, now known as the Marshall Attack or Marshall Gambit. After a fierce attack on White's King, Capablanca, "The Human Chess Machine", defended to perfection, parrying Black's ingenious onslaught and counterattacked to defeat Marshall in a legendary game.
The year 1921 finally saw the World Championship Match between Lasker and Capablanca, after many failed attempts at negotiation. Lasker was at first reluctant to play, insisting on simply awarding Capablanca the title without playing. To quote Lasker, "You have earned the title not by the formality of a challenge, but by your brilliant mastery." Capablanca insisted on playing, however, and convinced Lasker to play him for the World Championship in Havana, Cuba. Capablanca won with great ease, with a difference of four points. It would be the only time a challenger wins the title with no losses until the 2000 World Championship Match between Kasparov and Kramnik, and the only time a challenger has won with a score of four victories to zero until the 2021 World Chess Championship between Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi.
As the third official World Chess Champion, Capablanca was surrounded by an aura of invincibility. His feats were comparable or even superior to that of Morphy's, a century earlier. Capablanca was undefeated for eight consecutive years (1916-1924) and a total of 66 games, until he lost to Richard Réti, a shock to the entire Chess world.
It was around this time, during an age of virtual invincibility and with the Champion's Wreaths still around his shoulders, that Capablanca made public his take on the future of Chess, and the certain reality that the game would be played out within a few decades in which Chess would reach a point of "draw death", a point in which most if not all games played by top players would end in a draw.
To combat this reality, Capablanca proposed a solution, an improvement to the game in which two new pieces were added to each side, the Chancellor and the Archbishop, played in a 10x10 or 10x8 board. (Capablanca would later opt for a 10x8 board as he felt the "action" began earlier that way).
In this new version of Chess, the Chancellor combined the power of the Rook and the Knight, whereas the Archbishop was the fusion of the Knight and Bishop. Pawns would be able to promote to any of the new pieces as well as the original ones, and the Kings' staring position would be on the square pertaining to their color, the inverse of original Chess. This new complex version of the game would provide a great richness of new ideas which would make for an infinity of interesting games, where even the strongest masters would struggle and new theory would have to be devised. Capablanca Chess, as it would henceforth be known, was viewed with general interest but was not seriously considered as a candidate to replace original Chess. It would, however, inspire Bobby Fischer's now world popular Fischer Random Chess or Chess 960, available to play here on Chess.com (a variation of Capablanca Chess by Ed Trice, called Gothic Chess, is also available on Chess.com).
In the year 1927, Capablanca played Alexander Alekhine for the World Championship Match in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Capablanca was the undisputed favorite, and Alekhine had not once beaten Capablanca before. It came as a shock to the entire Chess world, and surely to Alekhine himself, when he won the first game of the match with the black pieces. Capablanca played a dubious opening and lost in the endgame.
The next game would be drawn until Capablanca struck back with a win in Game 3 with the white pieces. The match tied, the ensuing games ended in draws until once again, Capablanca won with White in Game 7. Capablanca was now leading the match but after a few draws Alekhine would win games 11 and 12, once again taking the lead. The match lasted 34 games, the longest World Championship Match in history at the time, until it was surpassed by the marathon 1984 Karpov-Kasparov Match. Alekhine won 6-3, thus becoming the Fourth Official World Chess Champion. He and Capablanca had become bitter enemies in the time leading up to the match and in the years after, refusing to shake hands and even speaking to each other. Capablanca did not even deign attend Alekhine's award ceremony, instead sending a congratulatory note. The two would remain eternal enemies.
Alekhine's defeat of Capablanca came as a shock the the Chess world, but even Alekhine himself admitted he was not a better player than Capablanca, owing his success to overconfidence by Capablanca's side and better preparation. It is said Capablanca barely ever prepared for any match, he had no need for it, relying solely on his impeccable intuition and raw talent. Indeed, Capablanca's defeat in 1927 can only be explained by out-of-the-board factors, for as much as Alekhine was, doubtless, a world-class player, Capablanca was Capablanca, and even Alekhine knew it. It is said that Capablanca, much like his former incarnation, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, much preferred the company of women and living la vida loca, than focusing on the field of his talent.
This is not to say that Capablanca was not at all hard working. Capablanca dedicated his entire life, all his years from 1906 until he was already World Champion in the twenties, to Chess. He always regretted, however, not dedicating his life to baseball or having graduated as an engineer from Columbia University. Ironic, isn't it? One would think the most talented player in history would be ever joyful of dedicating his life to Chess. But alas, such is the life of these men, these demi-gods who are bigger than life itself, and would just rather be like anyone else.
The years after 1927 were very active for Capablanca. He played numerous simultaneous exhibitions in which had near perfect scores and lasted for hours on end. He still holds the world record for the most simultaneous games played as well as the best overall performances. In 1929 he played one of his greatest masterpieces against Karel Treybal in a Queen's Pawn Game.
Capablanca finished first alongside Mikhail Botvinnik in the very prestigious Nottingham Tournament of 1936, in which he beat Alekhine in their first encounter since the 1927 Match. The year 1938 saw the world-class AVRO Tournament take place in the Netherlands. Capablanca finished second to last in his most disappointing tournament performance ever, mainly due to his declining health due to high blood pressure, an illness he had suffered since childhood as well as all members in the Capablanca family. He suffered a stroke halfway through the tournament. It is said Capablanca tended to "black out", or lose consciousness at times, even during games, and had to get up to compose himself.
Capablanca in a simul
Capablanca would end his career in glory during the Olympiad in Buenos Aires as he played first board winning gold with a score of +7 =9. He died March 8, 1942 at the age of 53. Below is an account of his death by the American Chess Bulletin:
‘Capablanca’s end came suddenly and, in a sense, dramatically. One feels that, had he had any choice in the matter, he would have selected just such an exit, unannounced, quick and without undue fuss.
It happened one evening at the Manhattan Chess Club, which, next to his haunts among his own people, was as much of a chess home to him as any club anywhere in the world. It was just such another scene as was witnessed personally by the Bulletin’s publisher [Helms] at that club shortly before the Cuban’s death. During a brief conversation, the while he kept an eye on the game in progress, mention was made of the recent death of Walter Penn Shipley, Capablanca’s great admirer and one of his staunchest friends in the United States. Little did Capablanca dream that soon he would be joining that fine, old American in the Great Beyond!
Ten days later, there was a similar scene, typical of the every-day life of the club, and on a Saturday evening. On his way home nearby, it was the Cuban’s wont to drop in. A session of “pot-chess” was in progress. Surrounding the two players were the happy kibitzers. At one edge, enjoying himself as much as any, sat Capablanca. He kept his criticisms to himself, but the smiles lighting up his features spoke volumes. And everyone understood.
Casually the former world champion chatted with his friends – Messrs. Atlas, Kenton and Link. Suddenly there came a pause. “Capa” was not himself. He asked aid to remove his coat. High blood pressure was taking its toll. The collapse came and Dr Moschcowitz sent him by ambulance to Mt Sinai Hospital. It had been Lasker’s last resting place. There, too, at 5 a.m., Sunday, Capablanca died. Another chess Colossus had gone to join the illustrious company of Morphy, Steinitz and Pillsbury.
Until Wednesday, when the remains were transferred to Havana for burial, Capablanca’s body lay in state at Cooke’s Funeral House, 117 West 72nd Street, New York. Dr Aurelio F. Concheso, Cuban Ambassador to the United States, came on from Washington for the occasion. Consular circles were represented by Consul General Roberto Hernández, Alfredo Hernández, New York Consul, and F. Primones, counselor of the Consulate. Aquiles Capablanca, a younger brother, who flew on from Havana, and the widow, the former Princess Olga Chagodalf [sic] of Russia, accompanied the body to its last resting place in Cuba.’
A footnote in this source reads:
‘In conversation with Sidney F. Kenton, a director, he suggested that a rapid transit championship tournament might be an attractive addition to the club’s program. Asked by Mr Kenton if he would participate, the Cuban said that very likely, under satisfactory conditions, he would play.’
Capablanca was a national hero in Cuba. He served as a Cuban diplomat for many years while also representing his country through his Chess. The Cuban government had issued years earlier that his birthday, November 19, be National Capablanca Day. He was given a public funeral with President Fulgencio Batista organizing the ceremony. The world was shocked at the loss of such a talented figure, and even Alekhine gave the following statement: "…Capablanca was snatched from the chess world much too soon. With his death, we have lost a very great chess genius whose like we shall never see again."
To quote Bobby Fischer, "Capablanca was probably the greatest player of all time." His simple, crystal-clear style, which at the same time was razor-sharp and precise inspired players such as Anatoly Karpov and Bobby Fischer. Alekhine himself received lessons by Capablanca, before their match in 1927 made them bitter enemies. He was an inspiration for the Soviet Chess School by way of Botvinnik, making such contributions as the importance of endgames. In a time without even the smallest hint of a computer engine, Capablanca practically was one. Without taking more than a few seconds to think, the "Human Chess Machine" had already calculated the deepest of variations. His speed of play was unmatched, his precision, other-worldly, and his personality, unforgettable.
Can you imagine what Capablanca would have been had he actually studied Chess? What can be greater than invincible I do not know, but whatever that is, he would have been. Let us never forget the greatness of this man, and his contributions to our game. For those of us in Latin America, especially, the popularity of Chess we owe to him. A genius, a gentleman, an artist, the Cid Campeador of Chess, let us not think of the sixty-four squared board without hearing his name be echoed in our minds, nor play a game without the letters of his name be spelled in a winning position: CAPABLANCA
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