January 08 1905
New York Tribune, New York, New York, Sunday, January 08, 1905
Cuban Chess Prodigy: Boy Sixteen Years Old Outplays Masters at the Sport.
A new star in the American chess firmament has arisen in the person of Jose Raul Capablanca, of Havana, Cuba, sixteen years old. He is already far above the average of well equipped amateurs. This youth was first heard of through the well known metropolitan expert A. Ettlinger, whose frequent visits to the new republic brought this genius to light. He is now here in America attending the Woodycliff School, at South Orange, N. J., where he proposes to prepare for Columbia. His stay will probably extend over a period of about six or seven years. He has been an occasional visitor at the Manhattan Chess Club, in the Carnegie Hall Building, and on Thursday he gave practical evidence that he has ability which more than comes up to the expectations his friends have aroused. In a game with Joseph D. Redding, the lawyer, Capablanca scored a victory in a game lasting twenty-nine moves. After resigning, Mr. Redding, to test the lad's resources, asked him what he would have done at that point had he continued by capturing the rook offered to him. Without hesitation Capablanca replied: “I would have mated you in ten moves,” and proceeded to demonstrate offhand the method of procedure.
On the advice of Dr. William J. Eckoff, principal of the Woodycliff School, Capablanca will refrain from active work in chess circles here until the more serious duties of life have received their due attention. His style of play is well illustrated by the game played with J. D. Redding, referred to. The score is appended:
Jose Raul Capablanca vs Joseph Redding
Casual game (1905), Manhattan CC, New York, NY USA, Jan-05
Russian Game: Modern Attack. Center Variation (C43) 1-0
