Although the chess world never completely lost hope in the
possibility of a rematch between Alexander Alekhine and Jose
Capablanca, it never happened. After a few years, the two were
not on speaking terms. When Alekhine heard rumors that Capablanca
might play in a tournament being organized in Pasadena,
California in 1932, he fired off the following letter to the
tournament's organizer...

(Russell Collection #1706)
From: Alexander Alekhin
To: Mr. McMahon
Date: May 19, 1932

Dear Mr. MacMahon:

I was about to mail the foregoing letter to you, when I received
yours of the 5th May and to save time I am replying with this
P.S.

Your letter of the 5th May completely alters the entire caracter
[sic] of the tournament as I had understood it, and when the
conditions that were agreed upon between your committee and
myself were proposed, I was led to believe that the tournament
was not to be a big international event.

Capablanca's participation in the Chess Congress tournament where
he would meet me for the first time since I won the World Title
from him would oblige me to consider the tournament from a new
business point of view. I shall be very glad to keep my
engagements with you and to have the sportingly welcome occasion
to meet Capablanca in a tournament, but I must have an additional
fee of 2000 (two thousand) dollars for this.

I believe you should have no difficulty in raising this extra sum
considering the importance of the first meeting
Alekhine-Capablanca in a tournament since Buenos-Aires; as you so
aptly put it "first-rate world-wide news."

As for a "set" game twixt myself and Capablanca, as suggested by
your president Mr. Nickerson, an individual encounter between us
is impossible unless Capablanca organises a return match with me
on the same conditions as those of the Buenos-Aires match.

Will you kindly cable me immediately on receipt of this letter
and make your reply explicit:

1) Does our original agreement hold?

2) Does Capablanca participate in the tournament and does your
committee agree to pay me in that case 2000 dollars extra fee?

As the time is now so short, I trust that you will realize the
importance to me of an answer without delay as otherwise I cannot
make my arrangements of the voyage and book my passage by the
"Aquitania."

Looking forward to the pleasure to meet again all of my
California friends

I remain
Sincerely yours,
/s/ A. Alekhin