The people behind the game
José Raúl Capablanca
Celebrated for clarity and endgame technique. He defeated Emanuel Lasker in 1921 without losing a game, then held the title until 1927.
- Born
- 1888
- Died
- 1942
- Country connections
- Cuba
At the board
The games. The ideas.
Explore classic encounters and championship battles. Play every move, or jump straight to the moments that tell the story.
1921 · World championship · Game 10
Capablanca’s endgame technique
Game 10 of the 1921 world championship shows how an active rook, knight and king can work together against a restricted defense.
Read the position
Every move sets the scene.
Use the controls to explore the full game, or select an annotated moment below. Each explanation describes the position immediately after its highlighted move.
Complete move list 68 moves
The journey
A remarkable path.
Capablanca grew up in Havana and gained international attention through his match victory over Frank Marshall and his success at San Sebastián in 1911. His book Chess Fundamentals remains a notable expression of his approach to simple positions and endgames. [1]
Explore the championship record →The championship record
Time with the crown.
- 1921–1927Open world championship
Reigns are periods of title ownership, not a count of championship victories. Open-ended reigns reflect the record checked on 18 October 2026.
Sources & credits
Biographical details and title records checked . Country connections describe the player’s career and background, rather than a live federation listing.
Portrait: AnonymousUnknown author (Keystone-France) · Public domain. Displayed in monochrome and cropped.
