Nottingham 1936

The passing of the torch. Capablanca, visibly ill, tied for first with the 25-year-old Botvinnik. It was the last time Capablanca would compete at the highest level. Botvinnik's era had begun.

Two Generations

Nottingham 1936 brought together virtually every strong player in the world for a round-robin of 15 players. The field included five past, present, or future World Champions: Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Euwe, and Botvinnik. It was one of the strongest tournaments ever held.

Capablanca, the former champion, had been in declining health since losing to Alekhine in 1927. His high blood pressure and general physical deterioration were becoming visible. Yet at Nottingham, he summoned one last great performance, scoring 10/14 with seven wins and six draws.

Botvinnik matched him exactly. The 25-year-old Soviet player had announced himself at Moscow 1935 and now confirmed his arrival on the world stage. His shared first place with Capablanca was widely interpreted as a generational transition: the old champion and the new titan standing side by side.

Alekhine's Decline

Alekhine finished sixth, behind Capablanca, Botvinnik, Fine, Reshevsky, and Flohr. It was a shocking result for the reigning World Champion, who had dominated chess since 1927. His alcoholism and personal problems were beginning to affect his play. He would lose the World Championship to Euwe the following year.

Lasker, now 67, finished a creditable eighth in his final major tournament. Nottingham 1936 was, in many ways, an ending and a beginning: the end of the Lasker-Capablanca-Alekhine era and the beginning of Botvinnik's long dominance.