The Savorin Cup was a series of two-game matches played in St. Petersburg between Jose Raul Capablanca and the strongest Russian players of the day: Alexander Alekhine, Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky, and Eugene Znosko-Borovsky. In his first game against Alekhine, Capablanca played the Semi-Slave Defense.
Jose Raul Capablanca excelled in simple game-play and accurate endgames, earning him the nickname "Chess Machine;" he was undefeated in match and tournament play from 1916 to 1924, held the World Chess Champion title from 1921 to 1927, and is generally regarded as one of the best players of all time. Alexander Alekhine's dynamic game-play allowed him to dominate the international tournaments of the 1920s and 1930s and take the World Chess Champion title twice; though he died in ambiguous circumstances during his second reign, he is best remembered for his uniquely aggressive and imaginative playing style.
