This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2015
The “Human Chess Machine”, Casablanca declares that he won 23 games tonight and 30 last night!
Jose Raul Capablanca (Extremely Rare Hand Written and Signed letter form Toronto Canada, 1909.Capablanca letters are extremely rare, especially talking about chess from this early date in his career.This letter is during his tour in 1909. José Raúl Capablanca (19 November 1888 – 8 March 1942) was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. One of the greatest players of all time, he was renowned for his exceptional endgame skill and speed of play. Due to his achievements in the chess world, mastery over the board and his relatively simple style of play he was nicknamed the “Human Chess Machine”.Anything from Capablanca is scarce but to find a letter talking about his matches and is exceptional.
Early letter on the back of a postcard to Mr. F. D Rosenbault,On top he writes" Won all 23 games here two nights, and all 30 at Buffalo last night. ...I got the parcel and to send registered letter to Milwalkee, where he will be on Saturday and Sunday. Cannot say about the Marshall match as I do not know if I will stay to play, by the time I come back-It is very tiresome trip. If you have time write to your friends in Detroit-about the girls- Yours, J. R Capablanca". The reference to Marshall is (Frank James Marshall, who was the U.S. Chess Champion from 1909 to 1936, and one of the world's strongest chess players in the early part of the 20th century. He did play Marshall that year and won soundly.
(2) Also, includes letter from a player in November 1, 1913 named Beckman, who writes that a player named Williams has resigned and to notify Hermann Helms who was known as the Dean of chess and was editor of the American Chess Bulletin of his status in wins. The letter says Than a Mr. Dunbar drew his game last night but all others lost. Does not remember the number of opponents but suppose there where about 15. He then goes on to say that he is leaving for Lexington Kentucky at 4pm.
Capablance was on tour of the USA and in Canada in 1909 showing his ability and speed in chess. He was known to be able to play as many as 25 players at one time. Anything from Capablanca is scarce but to find a letter talking about his matches and to another famous player is exceptional. Capablanca’s skill in rapid chess lent itself to simultaneous exhibitions, and his increasing reputation in these events led to a USA-wide tour in 1909.Playing 602 games in 27 cities, he scored 96.4% – a much higher percentage than those of, for example, Géza Maróczy’s 88% and Frank Marshall’s 86% in 1906. This performance gained him sponsorship for an exhibition match that year against Marshall, the US champion who had won the 1904 Cambridge Springs tournament ahead of World Champion Emanuel Lasker and Dawid Janowski, and whom Chessmetrics ranks as one of the world’s top three players at his peak.Capablanca beat Marshall by 15–8 (8 wins, 1 loss, 14 draws) – a margin comparable to what Emanuel Lasker achieved against Marshall (8 wins, no losses, 7 draws) in winning his 1907 World Championship match. After the match, Capablanca said that he had never opened a book on chess openings. Following this match, Chessmetrics rates Capablanca the world’s third strongest player for most of the period from 1909 through 1912.
Hermann Helms was born in Brooklyn, but spent much of his childhood in Hamburg, Germany and in Halifax, Canada, where a schoolmate taught him chess. n. His first notable chess achievement was as a member of the Brooklyn Chess Club team which won the New York Metropolitan League of 1894-95, with Harry Nelson Pillsbury as captain. As a player, Helms twice won the New York State Championship, and was of national Master strength, with an emphasis on sharp attacking play. During his chess career, he defeated such powers as Pillsbury and Frank Marshall. Helms won the New York State Championship in 1925. Helms also represented the United States in five cable matches against England, in the early part of the 20th century. He retired from most serious chess competition while in his forties, but remained active in blitz tournaments at the Frank Marshall Chess Club until his late eighties. Helms founded the American Chess Bulletin in 1904, and would publish and edit this journal until his death in 1963. Helms wrote chess columns for newspapers from 1893 until the paper folded in 1955. Helms helped to organize the great international grandmaster events of New York 1924 (won by Emanuel Lasker) and New York 1927 (won by José Raúl Capablanca), which are among the most important tournaments ever staged. He edited the tournament books for those two events, which were written by Alexander Alekhine. Helms also organized and promoted national chess tours for top players such as Capablanca, Alekhine, Lasker, Géza Maróczy, and Frank Marshall. Helms was formally recognized in 1943 by the United States Chess Federation as the 'Dean of American Chess', and held this designation until his death at age 93 in 1963. Helms was called "the most important journalist in American chess history. Helms assisted Bobby Fischer in 1951 with his move into organized chess, when he responded to a letter from Bobby's mother Regina Fischer, who was seeking opponents in Brooklyn for her eight-year-old son. Helms encouraged and stimulated the young Fischer, who would develop very rapidly, and become U.S. Champion by age 14 in 1957, later going on to win the World Chess Championship in 1972.