46 moments

1. Birth at Castillo del Príncipe

   1888-11-19 · Castillo del Príncipe, Havana, Cuba

   Capablanca was born in Havana, at Castillo del Príncipe, beginning the life of the future world chess champion. Coordinates identify Castillo del Príncipe.

2. Corzo match

   1901-01-01 · Havana, Cuba

   As a twelve-year-old, Capablanca defeated Cuban champion Juan Corzo in Havana. The source supports November–December 1901 but the card uses year precision because no single date is specified.

3. Columbia College and Manhattan Chess Club

   1905-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

   Capablanca entered Columbia College in New York and joined the Manhattan Chess Club, establishing his early New York chess base. Coordinates identify Columbia University; the Manhattan Chess Club was also in New York City.

4. Marshall match

   1909-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

   Capablanca defeated U.S. champion Frank Marshall in New York, a result that elevated his international standing. The source's match-results table identifies New York as the match location.

5. New York State Championship

   1910-01-01 · New York State, United States

   Capablanca won the New York State Championship, winning six games and drawing one. The cited source identifies New York State but not a host settlement; coordinates are a representative point for the state.

6. National Tournament

   1911-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

   Capablanca finished second in the National Tournament in New York before traveling to Europe for the San Sebastián tournament.

7. San Sebastián tournament victory

   1911-01-01 · San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain

   Capablanca won the major San Sebastián tournament, a breakthrough that established him as a world-title contender.

8. Berlin exhibitions and matches

   1913-01-01 · Berlin, Germany

   In Berlin, Capablanca gave exhibitions and won two-game matches against Richard Teichmann and Jacques Mieses. The source places this journey after his September 1913 Foreign Office appointment but does not give a month for the Berlin stop.

9. Havana tournament

   1913-01-01 · Havana, Cuba

   Capablanca competed in Havana, placing second to Frank Marshall in a tournament attended by a large home crowd.

10. London exhibition stop

    1913-01-01 · London, England, United Kingdom

    After joining the Cuban Foreign Office, Capablanca traveled toward Saint Petersburg and gave simultaneous exhibitions in London. The source places this journey after his September 1913 Foreign Office appointment but does not give a month for the London stop.

11. New York tournament

    1913-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    Capablanca won a New York tournament with 11 points from 13.

12. Paris exhibition stop

    1913-01-01 · Paris, France

    Capablanca gave a simultaneous exhibition in Paris while traveling to Saint Petersburg on Cuban Foreign Office instructions. The source places this journey after his September 1913 Foreign Office appointment but does not give a month for the Paris stop.

13. Saint Petersburg matches

    1913-01-01 · Saint Petersburg, Russia

    At Saint Petersburg, Capablanca played stake matches against Alekhine, Znosko-Borovsky, and Duz-Chotimirsky.

14. Moscow match with Bernstein

    1914-01-01 · Moscow, Russia

    Capablanca played and won a short match against Ossip Bernstein in Moscow. The source's match-results table identifies Moscow as the match location.

15. Paris match with Aurbach

    1914-01-01 · Paris, France

    Capablanca played and won a two-game match against Arnold Aurbach in Paris. The source's match-results table identifies Paris as the match location.

16. Saint Petersburg tournament

    1914-01-01 · Saint Petersburg, Russia

    Capablanca competed in the Saint Petersburg tournament, finishing second behind Emanuel Lasker after leading the preliminary stage.

17. Vienna match with Tartakower

    1914-01-01 · Vienna, Austria

    Capablanca played and won a short match against Savielly Tartakower in Vienna. The source's match-results table identifies Vienna as the match location.

18. New York wartime tournament sequence

    1918-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    During World War I, Capablanca won a sequence of New York tournaments; the 1918 event included his celebrated defense against Marshall's prepared attack. This card represents the documented New York tournament sequence, rather than separate cards for each annual event.

19. Hastings Victory tournament

    1919-01-01 · Hastings, England, United Kingdom

    Capablanca won the Hastings Victory tournament, the first international competition on Allied soil since 1914.

20. Kostić match

    1919-01-01 · Havana, Cuba

    Capablanca defeated Borislav Kostić in Havana, winning the first five games and prompting Kostić's resignation. The source's match-results table identifies Havana as the match location.

21. World Championship match begins

    1921-03-01 · Havana, Cuba

    

    Capablanca began his world championship match against Emanuel Lasker in Havana and became champion after Lasker's resignation. The surrounding source text establishes that the 1921 Lasker–Capablanca match was played in Havana; month precision is used because the card represents the match's opening period.

22. Cleveland simultaneous exhibition

    1922-01-01 · Cleveland, Ohio, United States

    Capablanca gave a record-setting simultaneous exhibition against 103 opponents in Cleveland.

23. London tournament and London Rules

    1922-01-01 · London, England, United Kingdom

    Capablanca won the London tournament undefeated and proposed the London Rules for future world championship negotiations.

24. New York international tournament

    1924-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    Capablanca placed second in the New York 1924 tournament; his loss to Richard Réti ended an eight-year unbeaten run in serious competition.

25. Moscow tournament

    1925-01-01 · Moscow, Russia

    Capablanca competed at the Moscow 1925 tournament and recovered from a poor start to finish third.

26. Lake Hopatcong tournament

    1926-01-01 · Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, United States

    Capablanca won the Lake Hopatcong tournament ahead of Abraham Kupchik and Géza Maróczy.

27. New York quadruple-round-robin

    1927-02-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    Capablanca won the New York 1927 tournament undefeated, finishing well ahead of Alekhine before their title match later that year. Month precision reflects the tournament's documented opening date.

28. World Championship title defense

    1927-09-01 · Buenos Aires, Argentina

    

    Capablanca defended his world title against Alexander Alekhine in Buenos Aires but lost the match after 34 games. Month precision reflects the documented opening month of the match.

29. Berlin tournament victory

    1928-01-01 · Berlin, Germany

    Capablanca won the Berlin tournament without losing a game. The source's tournament-results table identifies Berlin as the tournament location.

30. Budapest tournament victory

    1928-01-01 · Budapest, Hungary

    Capablanca won the Budapest tournament during his active post-championship campaign for a rematch with Alekhine. The source's tournament-results table identifies Budapest as the tournament location.

31. Barcelona tournament victory

    1929-01-01 · Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    Capablanca won the Barcelona tournament with 13½ points from 14. The source's tournament-results table identifies Barcelona as the tournament location.

32. Carlsbad tournament

    1929-01-01 · Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

    Capablanca tied for second in the major Carlsbad tournament, behind Aron Nimzowitsch. Carlsbad is the historical German name for present-day Karlovy Vary.

33. Ramsgate tournament victory

    1929-01-01 · Ramsgate, England, United Kingdom

    Capablanca won the Ramsgate tournament ahead of Vera Menchik and Akiba Rubinstein. The source's tournament-results table identifies Ramsgate as the tournament location.

34. Berlin simultaneous display

    1929-06-01 · Berlin, Germany

    

    Capablanca gave a simultaneous display on thirty boards in Berlin. This is a photograph caption documenting the event.

35. New York tournament victory

    1931-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    Capablanca won a New York tournament shortly before withdrawing from serious competitive chess.

36. Manhattan Chess Club rapid tournament

    1933-12-06 · Manhattan Chess Club, New York City, New York, United States

    Capablanca won all nine games in a Manhattan Chess Club weekly rapid-chess tournament. Coordinates are a representative point in Midtown Manhattan because the source does not identify the club's street address for this event.

37. Hastings comeback tournament

    1934-01-01 · Hastings, England, United Kingdom

    Capablanca returned to serious tournament play at Hastings in the 1934–35 season. The event crossed 1934–35; year precision represents its opening year.

38. Moscow tournament

    1935-01-01 · Moscow, Russia

    Capablanca competed in the Moscow 1935 tournament and finished fourth.

39. Moscow tournament victory

    1936-01-01 · Moscow, Russia

    Capablanca won the stronger Moscow 1936 tournament, finishing ahead of Botvinnik and Flohr.

40. Nottingham shared victory

    1936-01-01 · Nottingham, England, United Kingdom

    A month after Moscow, Capablanca shared first place with Botvinnik at Nottingham.

41. Semmering tournament

    1937-01-01 · Semmering, Lower Austria, Austria

    Capablanca tied for second place at the Semmering tournament.

42. AVRO tournament tour

    1938-01-01 · Netherlands

    Capablanca competed in the elite AVRO tournament, which was staged across ten cities in the Netherlands. The source identifies a multi-city Netherlands event without specifying Capablanca's location for a particular game; coordinates are a representative national point.

43. Paris tournament victory

    1938-01-01 · Paris, France

    Capablanca shared first place in the Paris tournament.

44. Chess Olympiad

    1939-01-01 · Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Capablanca represented Cuba at the Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires and won the gold medal for best first-board performance.

45. Collapse at Manhattan Chess Club

    1942-03-07 · Manhattan Chess Club, New York City, New York, United States

    Capablanca collapsed while observing a skittles game and talking with friends at the Manhattan Chess Club. Coordinates are a representative point in Midtown Manhattan because the source does not identify the club's street address for this event.

46. Death at Mount Sinai Hospital

    1942-03-08 · Mount Sinai Hospital, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

    After collapsing at the Manhattan Chess Club, Capablanca was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died of a cerebral hemorrhage.