Guillermo García González

Considered one of the five most outstanding Cuban chess players of all time, alongside José Raúl Capablanca, Leinier Domínguez, Lázaro Bruzón and Jesús Nogueiras.

He learned chess at age six. His triumphs were predicted one day, when an unknown woman, overcome by the heat, asked for water at the García residence in Santa Clara and, grateful, made a prophecy to the lady of the house: "one of your four sons bears the white cross in the sky of the mouth, he will do great things".

The mother, intrigued, later verified that the youngest of the three boys bore the aforementioned mark and the passage of years would prove the unknown woman's prophecy right.

At age 16 he participated in his first international tournament, the VII edition of the Capablanca Memorial, held in 1969. In that event, he achieved his first victory over a Grandmaster, defeating Argentine Oscar Panno. Two years later, Guillermito set a record that stands to this day: he won the XI national youth championship undefeated, winning all 11 of his games.

His level of play rose rapidly and in 1974, fourteen months after the youth title and at only 21 years old, Guille obtained his first national title among seniors. There began his golden era. In the second half of the seventies, Guillermito established himself as Cuba's best player. In a three-year period, from 73 to 76, he rose from National Expert to Grandmaster. He obtained his final and definitive Grandmaster norm at the Orense tournament.

Guillermo García's first triumph occurred in 1971, when he dominated the National Youth Tournament with a still-standing record of 11 victories in the same number of games, although that same year saw his dream of attending the world championship in his category cut short.

He obtained the title of National Master at the XI Championship of Cuba in 1973, fourteen months after winning the National Youth Championship held in his hometown, with the excellent result of 11-0. In the period 1973-1976 he progressed from national expert to Grandmaster; at age 22 he had achieved the highest rank granted to a chess player.

Guille had a peculiar way of studying chess. According to journalist Nelson García, he could spend several hours studying only through a book. On one occasion Nelson asked him if it wouldn't be easier to use a board, and Guille replied: "there's no need, I have the board in my memory, it's good exercise for calculating."

Beyond his successful performance in the New York Open, in which with 6.5 points he placed second to star Vasili Ivanchuk (7.5), Guillermito achieved a commendable performance in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in 1974, when he obtained his first Grandmaster norm with 9.5 units, half a point more than required.

He finished in fifth place and among his six victims was the renowned player Bent Larsen (Denmark), who praised his performance by noting that his play had impressed him more than that of the then-Soviet Alexander Beliavsky.

In 1971 he won decisively in the national youth championship, defeating the 11 rivals he faced across the board; among them, the well-known Amador Rodríguez, José Luis Vilela, Nelson Pinal and Lázaro Bueno.

Nine years later he reached the top of Premier I in the "Capablanca in Memóriam," after accumulating 9.5 points out of 13 possible.

And in 1982 he gave one of his most outstanding performances, placing sixth at the Interzonal Tournament in Moscow, after leading the impressive lineup during the first six rounds.

There he drew with extraclass Garry Kasparov, leaving his lifetime score even with the brilliant player, as previously, in 1979, they had split the point at the Banja Luka tournament, then in Yugoslavia.

He won the national championship three times (1974, 1976 and 1983) and dominated the Radio Rebelde tournament three other times, of which he became the greatest winner of honors. His participation in Championships of Cuba was fruitful. He won the championship three times (1975, 1976 and 1983) and in total participated on 11 occasions, from 1969 to 1990, with a record of W-54 D-95 L-24 (58.6% effectiveness).

Guille was for our chess a kind of trailblazer.

Discounting the post-mortem analyses that have been made about José Raúl Capablanca, in 1978 he became the first Cuban to exceed 2,500 ELO points, accumulating 2,535 units, which earned him a share that year of positions 43 to 46 in the world ranking.

He also had to break the ice for Cubans in the "Capablancas," when in 1980 he became the first player from the island to win alone in a Premier group at the tournament that pays tribute to the third world monarch in history.

In 1981 he became our first representative at one of the most prestigious chess tournaments organized in the world: the Linares Tournament, Spain.

And among people from Villa Clara he was the first to obtain the Grandmaster diploma, following his brilliant performance at the Orense tournament (Spain).

It was no coincidence that until the arrival of Leinier Domínguez and Lázaro Bruzón, Guillermito was recognized as the most talented Cuban player after Capablanca.

Both Guille and Capablanca were the only chess players included among the 100 best athletes of our archipelago in the twentieth century, according to the popular poll conducted in 2001.

When in 1976 the territory of Las Villas was divided into three provinces, Guillermito was distinguished as the most outstanding Villa Clara athlete of the year, a condition he repeated in 1980 and 1982.

He appeared twice on the list of the most outstanding in the country: 1973 and 1982. In that latter year he also gained access to the list of the most distinguished in Latin America.

Guille had a very particular way of understanding friendship. In 1985 it didn't bother him that Jesús Nogueiras was his main rival in the country and he helped in his preparation for the interzonal in Taxco, Mexico, in which the Remedios native earned a ticket to the Candidates Tournament for the world crown.

A few hours after the lamentable loss of Guillermo García, in an interview Nogueiras confessed: "In the Aztec nation he did everything so I would qualify. I remember that in the game against American Alburt I had a clear advantage; but I couldn't find the decisive blow. I went to the bathroom and bumped into Guille, who, very moved, gave me the winning solution." "Guillermito is one of those people who, upon leaving this life, leave many friends. For his humility, for his charisma, for the gift he possessed of always having a smile for everyone," Nogueiras affirmed.

Another of his dear friends, International Master of Placetas Luis Sieiro, told that at a tournament, he had half a point advantage over Guillermito, who would be his opponent in the last round.

Sieiro needed a draw to obtain the International Master norm, and Guille needed to defeat him to win the tournament.

Before the game Guillermito approached him to ask what he needed. Then Sieiro told him that a draw for the norm; even though that meant Guille winning the tournament. "For me your norm is more important than winning the tournament," said the GM of Santa Clara. And with the draw Sieiro obtained the norm and won the tournament.

Guillermito participated in 7 Olympiads. His debut took place in 1974 and he remained as Cuba's first board until 1982. He then moved to the second board between 84 and 86 and the third in 1988. His statistical data in Olympiads reflects a clear positive balance of 32 victories, 20 defeats and 38 draws, for 56% effectiveness.

A fatal automobile accident cut short his life on October 26, 1990, in Havana, when he was preparing to participate in the Olympiad in Novid Sad. With this, Cuba lost one of its main figures in chess, and an admired and beloved friend, who will always be remembered for his affable and cheerful character, of unlimited charisma.