Evening star., 1942-06-14
YCHESS =
The Game and Its
Players
BY Paul J. Miller,
Chess Editor Of The Star.

A college president, speaking be-
fore students at commencement
last Monday evening in a local
chapel, said, Remember 1912 as the
year in which fists were substituted
for brains" Before me lies the lat
est issue of British Chess Maga-
zine. Turning the pages Of this
May edition one finds on page 102
a youthful portrait of Jose Raoul
Capablanca, world chess champion,
1921-1927.
Several months ago the great
Cuban chess grandmother suddenly
became i'll. lapsed into a coma, died
quickly. "Capa" was one of the most
popular of players and stands as
one of the greatest heroes chess
will ever have.
At the age of 5 he learned the
moves by watching his father play
with friends. Soon, thereafter, he
beat his pater and when he was II
he defeated j. Corzo, champion of
Cuba. in a set match. He studied
chemical engineering at Columbia
University. In 1905, at the age of
IT, he joined the Manhattan Chess
Club of New York City and his
prowess led to a match with Frank
Marshall, United States champion,
whom he bested, 81, with IA draws.
He went to Europe in 1911, to COM
pete in the strong San Sebastian
masters tournament and won it.
Ten years later he met DR.. Eman-
uel Lasker and, in 1921, captured
the world chess crown, which he
held for six years, losing to DR.. A.
Alekhin, 6-3, with 25 games drawn.
Here was a man who substituted
brains for fists. He was an in
tellectual and the Cuban govern
ment rewarded his chessic ability
by giving him a diplomatic post.
All over the world travelled "Capa"
-feted by kings, dukes, presidents
as the crown prince of chess, the
emissary of brains. Chess players
will not remember 1912 as the year
in which fists were substituted for
brains but the year in which passed
on one Of the most picturesque of
chess characters the world has
ever known.
Six years ago the famous Not
tingham England masters tourna-
ment was unique in that the four
men, who had worn the kingly raj
ment of world chess champion, par
ticipated. There were DR.. Max Euwe,
mathematician and Dutch school
master: DR.. Emanuel Lasker, doyen
of champions, mathematician-sci
tist; DR.. Alexander Alekhin, legalist
and lawyer, and Senor Jose Capa-
blanca, chemist and Cuban diplo-
mat.
Today two of the great have
departed for the chess players
Valhalla-first Lasker, then Capa-
blanca. Only Euwe and Alekhin re-
main. Alekhin now doing the bidding
of one Adolf Hitler, seeking Euro
pean chess union under the leader
ship of the benevolent blessing" OF
Greater Germany" Euwe, still
the teacher but commercially
minded, charting his business future
with mathematical precision.
The year 1912 will be remembered
by the chess lover as the year in
which a gallant, brilliant. glamorous
knight of the romantic era OF
combination fell on the battlefield
at chess and legions the world
over mourn the loss of the dashing
Cuban cavalier, Jose Raoul Capa-
blanca, not for his flsts-but for his
brains and his soft-spoken, earnest
diplomacy, his refreshing effer-
vescence!
From the living chess exhibition,
staged in Los Angeles, in 1888, i;
culled this pearl. this precious gem
Of Capablancas brilliance as he
fenced with Herman Steiner, in
ternationalist and chess editor oi
the Los Angeles Times.