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    Rivalry · 1 title event

    2nd world champion · 1894–1921

    Emanuel Lasker

    v

    3rd world champion · 1921–1927

    José Raúl Capablanca

    Emanuel Lasker v José Raúl Capablanca

    2

    Lasker wins

    16

    draws

    6

    Capablanca wins

    24 recorded games, 1914–1936. Score 10–14 to Capablanca. Source: chessgames.com

    Their title match

    YearWinnerScoreWhereFormat
    1921José Raúl Capablanca9–5HavanaBest of 24

    How they compare

    LaskerMeasureCapablanca
    1868Born1888
    27Years as champion6
    6 of 7Title events won1 of 2
    2Head-to-head wins6
    2Wins with White3
    0Wins with Black3
    2878 May 1894Peak (Chessmetrics)2877 May 1921
    2938On today's scale2937
    +105Lead over No. 2 at peak+115

    A star marks the better figure. "On today's scale" and the lead are explained on the champions page.

    Trophy cabinets

    LaskerHonourCapablanca
    6

    1894, 1896, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1910

    		World titles1

    1921

    –Olympiad board1

    1939

    Each year links to its source. World championship titles are title events won or kept. Olympiad board golds are the best score on a board. Most of these events didn't exist before the 1920s.

    Decade by decade

    1910s1 – 2 – 0
    1920s0 – 12 – 5
    1930s1 – 2 – 1

    Lasker wins – draws – Capablanca wins, per decade.

    Famous games between them

    Emanuel Lasker v Jose Raul Capablanca, St. Petersburg · 1–0

    Needing a win, Lasker surprised with a quiet opening that let Capablanca simplify early, and won.

    Jose Raul Capablanca
    Emanuel Lasker

    Start position

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    43. 1–0

    Arrow keys step through the moves; click any move to jump to it. Pieces by Colin M. L. Burnett (BSD licence).

    Every recorded game

    YearWhiteResultMovesEvent
    1914Capablanca½–½49St. Petersburg
    1914Capablanca½–½100St. Petersburg
    1914Lasker1-042St. Petersburg
    1921Capablanca½–½50Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Lasker½–½41Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Capablanca½–½63Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Lasker½–½30Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Capablanca1-046Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Lasker½–½43Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Capablanca½–½23Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Lasker½–½30Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Capablanca½–½24Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Lasker0-168Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Capablanca1-048Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match
    1921Lasker½–½31Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match

    Every game between them in the chessgames.com database (checked 2026-11-04): classical, rapid, blitz and exhibition games together, as the database records them.

    Quick answers

    Who won more games, Emanuel Lasker or José Raúl Capablanca?

    In the 24 games between them in the chessgames.com database (1914–1936), Lasker won 2, Capablanca won 6 and 16 were drawn: Capablanca leads. The count includes every recorded game, not only classical ones.

    How many world championship matches did Lasker and Capablanca play?

    1: 1921 (Capablanca won, 9–5).

    All 18 rivalries·All 18 world champions