#capablanca

[the following took place at a ball given by an American ambassador in Paris in 1936. Capablanca was the former chess world champion and a commercial attache of the Cuban Embassy at the time.]

Two more people arrived about this time through the same entrance: a highly-decorated French General and then, shortly afterwards, a pleasant-looking elderly lady in a black lace dress and several rows of large pearls.

Capa and the old General became engrossed in each other, discussing the Napoleonic wars.

I touched Capa’s sleeve, repeating first in French, then in English, reserved for our official communications.

“Dear, please come to meet the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.”

No response. In vain I insisted. Capa only made a slight gesture towards Murphy, who was our good friend, then sharply turned back to the General. One could hear, “Vagram … the troops assembled at sunrise …”

I got up and joined Murphy, who by now was wiping his forehead.

“It is hopeless. Capa has met another Bonapartist. But I’ll be delighted to join you.”

Vera Menchik was a Russian-born Czechoslovak chess player who primarily resided in England. The first and longest-reigning Women's World Chess Champion, she won the championship eight times from 1927 to 1944, mainly in round-robin tournaments which she totally dominated (to the point that Alekhine once commented it was unfair she had to keep defending her title when her dominance was so obvious). Sadly, she was killed by a V1 rocket at her home in London in 1944, aged only 38.

Although her life was cut tragically short, she achieved a helluva a lot and should be remembered as an important part of chess history. A few points are needed to fully appreciate Menchik's chess career.

First, she was the first woman to compete in master's level tournaments against some of the world's best male players which she did throughout the 1920s and 1930s - people like Alekhine, Capablanca, Reshevksy, Maroczy, Rubinstein, Euwe.

She did this despite considerable sexism. Both the press and players joked that those who lost to her were members of the "Vera Menchik Club" - a term first mockingly suggested by Albert Becker to make fun of her at the Carlsbad tournament in 1929 when she lost her first game. Before that tournmanet, one journalist - Hans Kmoch - said he would "go on stage as a ballerina" if she scored more than three points.

Fittingly, Menchik beat Becker in the tournament, making him the first member of the "club" he'd just suggested, and Kmoch was forced to public express regret for his comment when she did indeed score three points.

The idea of the "Vera Menchik Club" took off in the press after that, though it became more a term of respect - when FIDE began awarding the title of Grandmaster in 1950 four of the new GMs were members of the club and eight were "candidate members" having only drawn against her. When a member of the "club" includes a World Champion like Max Euwe, it's an impressive club!

Menchik giving a 13-board simultaneous exhibition after winning the 1926 London Girls' Championship.

Secondly, Menchik did all this while NOT being a full-time professional player or even aiming to be fully dedicated to chess, unlike the world's top players of the time. That's not to say she didn't have a big impact on the game though, especially in Britain where she gave lessons, was chess editor for different journals, edited Social Chess with William Winter, was a columnist and editor for Chess magazine, and served as director of the British National Chess Centre.

It's also not to say she wasn't a flipping good chess player. According to chess.com she was on a level with the strongest male British chess players of the time who were "undeniably strong players" though "a level below the Laskers, Capablancas, and Alekhines of the world". Nevertheless, the top players treated her with respect. After that 1929 tournament where she was mocked, Alekhine - then the reigning World Champion - commented:

"She indisputably has attained her three points against the strong masters, but it is little known to the public that she has also attained superior positions against Euwe, Treybal, Colle and Dr. Vidmar. She was beaten by Dr. Vidmar only after a nine hour match. It is the chess world's duty to grant her every possibility for development."

Similarly, when asked "are there any women who played good chess" in 1932, Capablanca replied, "One. Her name is Vera Menchik. She is Czechoslovakian and Slavic and was trained in England, where she now lives. She played against me and she is very strong."

She even apparently inspired a 1929 Vogue cover!

Her legacy is long-lasting. As chess.com notes, "to this day the winning nation in the Women’s Olympiad is awarded the Vera Menchik Cup, a fitting way to remember the first world champion".

Portrait study of the best chess players Kappa. There are some sketches I'm happy with, some of them could be a little better. Maybe I'll do the 2nd part soon. Who is your favourite one?