Chess Giants

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".

Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (June 17, 1929 – August 13, 1984) was an Armenian World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence, which emphasised safety above all else. He was arguably the hardest player to beat in the history of chess.

Siegbert Tarrasch was one of the strongest chess players and most influential chess teachers of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Tarrasch was a highly esteemed chess writer. It was Tarrasch who wrote in his Preface to The Game of Chess (1931) the often repeated line:
“Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy.”

Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years. In his prime Lasker was one of the most dominant champions, and he is still generally regarded as one of the strongest players ever.

Wilhelm Steinitz, sometimes called William, was an Austrian and then American chess player and the first undisputed world chess champion from 1886 to 1894. Steinitz was also a prolific writer on chess, and defended his new ideas vigorously. The debate was so bitter and sometimes abusive that it became known as the "Ink War".

Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever. By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world.