Wilhelm Steinitz biography. Wilhelm Steinitz is the first world chess champion and the first chess king! Creative path and achievements

Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900) - Austrian and American chess player who became the first world champion. The author of a new doctrine for his time on positional play, which replaced the previously dominant ideas of the “romantic” school.

Wolf Steinitz (the chess player adopted the name Wilhelm later) was born on May 14, 1836 in Prague into a large Jewish family. The future champion was the last, thirteenth child. His father Joseph Solomon made a living by sewing clothes, but there was still absolutely not enough money. Wilhelm became acquainted with the basics of the ancient game at the age of 12, watching his father play, and immediately discovered his remarkable talent. At the same time, school teachers noted that the boy had good mathematical abilities.

One of the turning points in Steinitz's fate was his move to Vienna. In 1858 he came to the Austrian capital to study as a journalist. But instead he began to study mathematics at the Vienna Polytechnic School, studying to become an engineer. Due to a constant lack of funds, the young man began to visit the “Partridge” cafe, where local chess fans traditionally gathered. Bets on games were placed here, so Wilhelm was able to earn some money. At that time, such establishments were similar to modern sports clubs with their own rules and champions. The young 23-year-old Steinitz captivated all the cafe regulars with his ability to play blind. He soon dropped out of school and began working as a reporter.

Start of performances

Around the same time, Steinitz began to compete in competitions held under the auspices of the Vienna Chess Society. His successes were progressive: 1859 - 3rd place, 1860 - 2nd place and 1861 - 1st place. Soon he leaves for London, where he participates in the international London tournament, representing Austria, and takes 6th place there. For this, the chess player receives the title of maestro.

After this, he remains to live in Foggy Albion, where he holds a series of meetings against strong chess players - S. Dubois, D. Backburn, F. Deacon, V. Green and wins in all of them. Then Wilhelm consolidates his success with victories at tournaments in Dublin (1865) and London (1866). Already at this time, against the background of typical combinational play, notes of a strategic approach to the conduct of the game began to appear in Steinitz.

London stage

The first serious successes became the basis for Steinitz’s meeting with, who was recognized, after leaving chess, as the strongest player on the planet. In 1866, a match took place between them, which ended, if not convincingly, but with a victory for the Austrian (+8-6). After this, old acquaintances G. Bird (1866) and D. Blackburn (1870) were defeated. This made it possible to recognize Steinitz as the most powerful chess player in the British Empire.

But he had no luck at tournaments for a long time: Paris (1867) - 3rd place, Dundee (1867) and Baden-Baden (1870) - 2nd place. Only in 1871-1872 did he excel at tournaments in London, and then defeat his future rival in the championship match, I. Zukertort. In 1873, Steinitz shared 1-2 places in the Vienna tournament, after which he won a micro-match against Blackburn.

In the same year, Steinitz became actively involved in journalism and began leading the chess department of the sports publication Field. He saw his mission in promoting his own method of playing the game and searching for fundamental laws in chess. For the next three years, this work would become his main one and he had to forget about participating in competitions for now.

The resumption of his chess career took place in 1876, when a match took place against Blackburn. The London match demonstrated the unprecedented power of Steinitz's play, who forced his, by no means weak, opponent to capitulate 7 times in a row. Any doubts that anyone had about who the No. 1 player in the world was were completely eliminated. Apparently, Steinitz himself adhered to the same opinion, again leaving chess for six long years.

American stage

In 1882, Wilhelm was fired from the editorial office, and this marked the end of the twenty-year London stage of his life. He was left without work and livelihood. At this time, he received an offer from overseas and soon the chess player and his family moved to the USA. Steinitz was 46 years old and his famous beard was already half gray. Wilhelm was overcome by lameness, so he walked with a crutch, but his figure did not lose its decisive posture.

Having settled in New York, Steinitz again withdrew from competitive practice, concentrating on publishing. He published the International Chess Magazine, while simultaneously developing the theory of positional play.

In 1884, a personal meeting between Steinitz and Morphy took place here, under the terms of which they agreed not to communicate on chess topics. True, they were unable to really talk about anything else, and after half an hour spent in painful silence, the chess players parted. A few months later, Morphy passed away.

Championship match

In January 1886, the first chess match in the history of the planet for the title of world champion began on Fifth Avenue in New York. This fight became possible only after the death of Morphy, since Steinitz considered it blasphemous to play for the world crown while the great American was alive. Wilhelm decided to challenge the German Johann Zukertort, to whom he lost at a tournament in London in 1883. Moreover, it was he who took Steinitz’s place on the editorial board.

The preparatory stage for the match took two years. The negotiations were difficult, since the German believed that he did not need to prove anything to anyone - he was already the strongest. Steinitz, on the contrary, considered it necessary to justify his strength in the game and dreamed of proving to the inveterate tactician Zukertort the correctness of the developed positional method.

According to the rules of the meeting, the match was supposed to start in New York and be played there until 4 victories of one of the players, then according to the same scheme in St. Louis until 3 victories. The confrontation ended in New Orleans, the small homeland of P. Morphy. The games were played with a time control of 120 minutes for 30 moves, and after the break another 60 minutes for 15 moves. The first one to win 10 victories was declared the champion. With a possible outcome of 9:9, the match must be interrupted without identifying a winner. Moreover, each chess player paid a fee of 2 thousand dollars.

In the New York part of the meeting, despite winning the first game, Steinitz lost, forcing his opponent to think about his superiority. However, in St. Louis, Wilhelm transformed and won three victories, evening the score in the duel. In New Orleans, Zukertort finally broke down and managed to get only one victory. As a result, Steinitz won 10 victories and defeated his opponent with a total score of 12.5:7.5.

Subsequently, he will successfully defend his title three times. Wilhelm twice prevented Mikhail Chigorin from taking away the championship title (both fights took place in Havana in 1889 and 1892) and once to I. Gunsberg (New York, 1891). However, in 1894 he lost the championship (+5-10=4).

After the championship

The loss of the chess crown did not discourage interest in performances and Steinitz continued to take an active part in competitions. His collection includes victory at a tournament in New York (1895), 2nd place in St. Petersburg (1896), as well as more modest results of the fight in Nuremberg (1896) - 6th place, Cologne (1898) - 5th e place, London (1899) - 10/11 places. Between tournaments, he managed to play a rematch against Lasker (Moscow, 1897), in which he was completely defeated (+2-10).

Chess achievements

Wilhelm Steinitz is the first official world champion in history, who laid the foundations of modern chess. The positional theory he created was outlined in the author’s works “The Modern School and Its Traditions”, as well as “Morphy and the Chess Game of His Time”. He carried out an in-depth analysis of many games of his contemporaries and predecessors and came to the conclusion that the success of combination attacks was brought about by imperfect defense. Instead of constantly searching for tactical moves, Steinitz proposed using a position assessment strategy.

The main postulate of his concept was the theory of equilibrium, which stated that with error-free play in a game, one equilibrium follows another. It is violated by the incorrect actions of the player, who through his mistakes gives the initiative to the enemy. He must certainly develop it, otherwise the advantage will go to his opponent. In turn, defense should be based on the principle of economy of force - when performing defensive actions, you need to make only those concessions that are really necessary, while certainly avoiding weakening the pawn position. As a result, the maestro came to the conclusion that the logic of a chess player’s actions is determined by the characteristics of the position.

Steinitz's name is given to the variation of the defense in the Spanish game, the French defense, the position in the Vienna game and the Queen's Gambit. Despite the fact that many positions today are evaluated differently than Steinitz did, the key tenets of his theory continue to underlie modern chess strategy.

Difficult person

The first champion was stubborn, very honest and obsessed with the game, like many people of this type of character, very difficult to communicate with. He loved to engage in moralizing and absolutely did not tolerate objections.

The difficult life of a chess professional had a detrimental effect on Steinitz's health. He began to suffer from increased nervous excitability, for which he was treated by taking cold baths. At first it bore fruit, but then the disease began to progress and it became more and more difficult to cope with it. In 1897, after meeting Lasker, he suffered a severe seizure and was taken to one of the Moscow hospitals. This was followed by a short-term improvement, but after returning to New York his condition noticeably worsened and began to be accompanied by delusional ideas. He could wander the streets for hours and, waving his cane, talk to mythical interlocutors. As a result, at the insistence of those around him, Steinitz was placed in a psychiatric hospital, where he died of a heart attack on August 12, 1900.

• On the eve of his death, Wilhelm stated that an electric current passes through him, which controls the chess pieces.
• Having moved to New York, Steinitz specifically chose a walking route past the house where the legendary man lived in order to accidentally see him.
• It was Steinitz who insisted that the winner of his match with Zukertort be officially declared world champion.
• In the course of in-depth analysis, Steinitz developed some postulates of chess that continue to be relevant to this day. For example, a player with an advantage must definitely go on the attack, otherwise he may lose his existing initiative.
• While living in London, lacking money, Steinitz earned money by playing at the Gambit cafe. There he got a regular client who dreamed of winning at least a game against the maestro. One day Steinitz was advised to give in on purpose so that the fan would not be disappointed in himself, and the great chess player agreed. In one of the games, he deliberately substituted the queen and admitted himself as a loser. Overjoyed, the lucky guy jumped out of the cafe with the words “I defeated the champion”... and never returned there.

Video

A fragment of the film “Thirteen Champions” (1993), about the first world champion Wilhelm Steinitz.

Best games

The selection includes Steinitz's best games played between 1862 and 1899.

Good evening!

(Match between Steinitz (right) and Andersen (London, 1866). The winner of two international tournaments (1851, 1862) was considered the favorite)

Continuing the story about the relatively young Steinitz, I would like to dwell on the period that was something of a transition in his chess worldview. Those. becoming an apologist for a dry and calculating positional school, from a bright tactician “a la Andersen” is definitely not a “two-day solution.”

Let me remind you that in 1862, having taken a worthy, but not champion, 6th place in the 2nd London international tournament, Wilhelm remained to live in London.

Perhaps this move played an important role in the generation of the future “Steinitz theory”. Here's the thing.

The Austro-German chess school, it was dominated mainly by players of the sharp attacking style (Old Italian style). The surnames of the best are Falkbeer, Allgaier, Gampe... these surnames are found exclusively in monographs on the most acute gambits.

Having moved from Vienna to London, Steinitz discovered a calmer and more systematic game of English chess players... i.e. noticed a completely alternative path to victory, so to speak, without unnecessary “noise effects”.

He found it interesting to research the best games played in both styles. Those. I set myself the task of finding my optimal path based on the best from everyone... somehow describing it for myself and formulating it.

Besides, he was intrigued by Morphy. Still, he beat Andersen very confidently. At the same time, he played neither like the prudent English, nor like Andersen...
This approach to Morphy's playing seemed to him the best. He appreciated that Morphy did not attack at any cost, and did not mind endgames if his POSITIONAL advantage was significant in them.

Another very important point, starting with Steinitz, we can say that the art of defense, and faith in the capabilities of defense, were put on an equal footing with the ability to attack!!!

Analyzing the games of the Morphy - Andersen match, he began to think that even though Morphy was “a magician and wizard of chess,” he was losing! This means that it is possible to set conditions under which “wizards” like Andersen or Morphy will not lose. Just don't lose!

In a word, all this did not happen in two days, but in the period from 1862 to 1866 (the match against Andersen) - Steinitz already had confidence that the game of chess is subject to certain laws, and that some signs become decisive in a position.
Such signs, which dominate over the others, make it possible to sharply narrow the consideration of what is secondary in the party in order to develop the most powerful plan of action.

The 1866 match against Adolf Andersen was unusually tough and interesting! Out of 14 games, not a single one ended in a draw!!! At the same time, the course of the fight was dramatic and sportingly entertaining.

What was interesting was that this was the first match in which the game was played with a time limit!
There were no traditional chess clocks yet, but the judge kept track of the norm - 2 hours for 20 moves...

Here is his brief chronology of this match duel, game by game:

1) Andersen started the match with his signature Evans gambit and opened the score 1-0

2) In his return white game, Steinitz played an equally daring Salvio gambit
(1.e4 e5 2.f4 e:f4 3.Kf3 g5 4.Cc4 g4 5.Ke5 Qh4+ 6.Kpf1 Kh6 7.d4), and the score was equal - 1:1

3) It is unknown what kind of problems Andersen was experiencing at that moment (perhaps the statement before the start of the match that Steinitz would not win a single game was pressing), but he frankly “floated.” He lost twice in the Evans Gambit with White, and once again in the Salvio Gambit. The score was now with a serious lead for 30-year-old Steinitz - 4:1!

3) In the 6th game, Andersen resorted to the Sicilian Defense with black and achieved a difficult and protracted victory - 2:4

4) Apparently on the wave of this success, after this victory Adolf wins 3 more games in a row!!! Twice with white to Evans and once (finally!) with black to Salvio. And again comes forward! 4:5! Many fans at that moment thought that Steinitz as an opponent had been killed psychologically, but here and in subsequent matches the Steinitz factor was felt - he played the endings of matches perfectly!

5) Steinitz wins the next two games again (in both gambits), and in game 12 Andersen re-applies the Sicilian Defense and, winning, equalizes the score!
6:6! The most stubborn fight in a match up to 8 wins, without taking into account draws...

And then the next thirteenth game became a turning point, not only in the match, but also possibly in Steinitz’s own concept of play in general!

Having lost this unusual game for himself, Andersen was confused and followed it by losing the 14th and final game. In the thirteenth, he saw a fundamentally different, much stronger opponent than the one with whom he had previously played 12 games here and two at the 1862 tournament...

Steinitz had indeed played like Andersen himself before this game; in this game, with black he not only did not give his opponent a chance for success, but also demonstrated unprecedented rationality and progression in the game.

It is precisely this game of the “transitional” Steinitz that I would like to present to you today!

Andersen - Steinitz
(1866, match/game 13, London)

Spanish party.

1.e4 e5 2.Kf3 Kc6 3.Cb5 Kf6 4.d3 d6

Diagram No. 1

Black's last move is an emphasized restraint and a bet in the game on a solid formation, guaranteeing the absence of a crisis in the opening.

5.С:с6?! b:c6 6.h3

Diagram No. 2

Let me give you an interesting quote from Em. Lasker regarding the h3 move played by Andersen:
“White wastes tempo defending against Cg4 (Andersen wrongly believes that the knight is stronger than the bishop), and, as we will see later, weakens his pawn phalanx. Perhaps the course of this game inspired thoughts in Steinitz that later formed the basis of the doctrine of the pawn phalanx.”

6…g6!?
This interesting move and plan associated with the pawn assault on the king's side that followed in the game became the prototype of Black's method of play in modern schemes of the King's Indian Defense or the English Open.

The bishop develops precisely on g7, where it has a not entirely traditional function for bishops. I’ll tell you a little about it, because... this really needs to be understood.

Having placed the g7 bishop in a seemingly closed position, Black intends to use it for improved observation of the center, which White will try to open with the move d3-d4, and at the same time for it to replace the pawns and cover the Black king... a real pawn assault is planned for the weakened move h2-h3 White castling - by advancing pawns g and f. And if necessary, the third h-pawn will also join. Such risky flanking operations are possible only with a very stable and preferably closed center.
The bishop on g7 is called upon to fight against White opening up the center.

7.Kc3 Cg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Cg5?!

Diagram No. 3

Again not the strongest approach to the position.

White absolutely should not have “provoked” Black to make the move h7-h6, which would be useful for the attack of the king’s side pawns. Better was 9.Be3

9… h6 10.Ce3 c5

Diagram No. 4

Black is interested in a complete freeze of activity in the center. Complete stability. Under these conditions, the pawn assault will take place without risking its own king.

11.Rb1 Ke8
Diagram No. 5

It cannot be said that Andersen sat idly by in this game and rightly paid for it. No. He is preparing the advance of the b pawn, which is important for obtaining counterplay, with the goal of opening the queenside line and eliminating the c5 pawn from control of the d4 square.

It’s just that Black has a higher chance of success due to a stronger plan. Now Steinitz is preparing to carry out f7-f5 and the pawn attack on the king's side will begin. The black pieces will follow the pawns...

The opponents are building the next game exactly in this vein.

12.b4 c:b4 13.R:b4 c5!
Diagram No. 6

Note! All moves starting from 6... g7-g6 for Steinitz are included in a single strategic plan. He intends to use the weakening of h2-h3 with a pawn assault, to implement it he fights against the opponent’s most important objection - an explosion in the center! Therefore, he does not take into account the weakening of the d5 square; for him it is more important to keep the center “locked”.

14.La4
The dangerous journey of the rook. It was much better - 14.Rb2 f5 15.Kd5 Kf6

14… Cd7 15.Ra3 f5
Diagram No. 7

“Black’s pawn phalanx has begun to move” (Em. Lasker)

16. Qb1 Kph8?!
Diagram No. 8

On the one hand, the move is formally correct. Black, by moving his king into the corner, insures himself against possible threats to his king along the b1-h7 diagonal; in the future, the g8 square for the rook can also be used.
However, right now, winning the pawn 16…f:e4 17.d:e4 C:h3 looked good

Well, such prevention was much more powerful - 16... Nc7 and it’s not possible to attack the a7 pawn with 17.Qb7? because of 17... Rb8 18.Q:a7 Ra8

17.Qb7 a5 18.Rb1 a4
Diagram No. 9

Now Andersen could soberly assess that exchanging queens is a way out of difficulties, but Andersen... he is Andersen :-)). Instead of proposing an exchange of queens (19.Qb6), he wanted to “sound a temporary all-clear.”
The analyzes also showed that the move 19.Nd5 left good prospects for the equation

19.Qd5?! Qc8 20.Rb6 Ra7
Diagram No. 10

With such a side move, the black rook not only escapes from the attack of the king d5, which frees the hands of the black queen and bishop (they aimed at the h3 point), but also prepares to transfer it to squares f7, g7 to support the storming column of black pawns from behind.

Now Andersen's prophylaxis on the next move was condemned by commentators, but little was offered in return... Here is the best possible (suggested by Garry Kasparov)
21.Fs4!?

f4 22.Cd2 - without fearing 22… C:h3!? 23.g:h3 Q:h3 - after 24.Ne1 f3 25.Kd3 - the great champion does not see anything more than a draw for black (see diagram No. 11)

Diagram No. 11 (possible option in the batch)
21.Kph2?! f4 22.Cd2 g5 23.Qs4 Qd8 24.Rb1?

Diagram No. 12

But this is a mistake. Black's attack develops without obstacles. It was better - 24.Kd5

24… Kf6?!

Now, as Garry Kasparov pointed out, Black should have made only the last preparatory move 24... Kc7! , taking control of the b5 square and White would be helpless against the pawn assault on the king's side. 25.Kpg1?! Kh7
(protecting the g5 pawn in order to push the pawn to h5 and then g5-g4)
26.Kpf1

Diagram No. 13

Should I have played 26.Kb5!? Qb8 27.Ks3
26…h5 27.Kg1?

Decisive miss. “After 27.Kb5 Ra6 28.Kc7 Ra7 29.Ke6 - nothing fatal is visible for White” (G. Kasparov)

27… g4 28.h:g4 h:g4 29.f3
Diagram No. 15

Only contributes to White's attack.

29… Qh4 30.Kd1 Kg5
Diagram No. 16

Performed by Wilhelm Steinitz, we are now seeing a typical scenario for a successful pawn assault from the position of one’s own castling:

Pushed pawns allow their pieces to regroup behind the chain, in such a way that the subsequent opening of lines and diagonals would be fatal for the defender.
White, having less space and physical space for his pieces, perishes.

31.Be1 Qh7 32.d4
Diagram No. 17

The German's desperate attempt to knock Steinitz off the beaten track and create chaos... does not help.

32… g:f3 33.g:f3 Kh3 !?
Diagram No. 18

A much easier way to reach the goal was 33… c:d4

34.Cf2 K:g1 35.d:c5 Qh3+ 36.Kpe1
Diagram No. 19

It was really bad instead of 36.Kpe1 there was 36.Kp:g1 due to 36... Rg8

36… K:f3+ 37.L:f3 Q:f3
Diagram No. 20

Here, without a rook and under attack, it was possible to calmly surrender, but the discouraged Andersen did this only after 5 moves.

Years of life (1836-1900)

Championship years (1886-1894)

Studying the biographies and creative paths of champions, you involuntarily become imbued with respect and admiration for these gifted and strong individuals. But some of them cause a deep resonance in the soul and encourage us to change for the better, to do something very important and global for history... one of these personalities was the first world champion in the history of chess - Wilhelm Steinitz!

Wilhelm Steinitz was something of a revolutionary in the art of chess. It was during the time of his chess dominance that chess acquired scientific status, framing its romantic and combinational portrait within the framework of the strict theory of positional play, the founder of which was the Great Steinitz!

Creative path and achievements

Coming from the family of tailor Joseph-Solomon Steinitz, Wolf (his real name at birth) proved to the world that you don't have to have a genetic predisposition to chess to achieve success in this field.

Wilhelm Steinitz became familiar with the rules of chess at the age of 12. Chess greatly fascinated the talented young man and became his main hobby, but still, he began his professional path as a chess player a little later... after he was expelled from the Vienna Polytechnic Institute!

Like most of his contemporaries, at the beginning of his chess career, Steinitz preferred a combinational style of play, but having an inquisitive mind and living chess, the champion came to the conclusion that there is something more than the romance of combinational intricacies in the chess game. So he began to show interest in the patterns he observed in chess. This direction of his work resulted in a serious work, which is invaluable for world chess history and is the starting point for the status of chess as a science.

If we had to compare Wilhelm Steinitz's discoveries in chess with the discoveries of scientists in science, then he could be compared with Mendeleev, who created a table of elements that is invaluable for modern science!

Thanks to Steinitz, such basic concepts as position assessment and game plan appeared in chess. Wilhelm Steinitz attached particular importance to the pawn structure and assessment of the position depending on its features. He studied this topic closely and often published his research in chess literature. Thus, one of the directions of his chess career was journalistic activity. Wilhelm was a passionate chess journalist, discussing in the press with the leading chess players of his time, among whom Jan Tarrasch occupied a special place. Such discussions led to various experiments at the chessboard, which sometimes discouraged the entire chess world, but did not prevent the genius from remaining among the leaders of tournaments...

The closest followers of the new school of positional play were Paulsen and Emmanuel Lasker. Being a psychologist and philosopher, the latter saw a bright philosophical beginning in Wilhelm Steinitz!

But still, his main goal was the chess throne! At the age of fifty, Wilhelm Steinitz achieved his goal! Defeating his rival Zukertort (1886).

Steinitz's reaction to proposals for further matches for the championship title is admirable. This is how he rejected opponents who did not show consistent results in international tournaments and, on the contrary, accepted the challenges of those opponents with whom he had a bad record! Thus, Wilhelm Steinitz strived for the absolute championship!

Of course, in this article, you cannot describe all the features of this amazing personality, but I would just like to add that Wilhelm Steinitz, who began as a tactician and subsequently created the theory of positional play, became the owner of a new style and acquired the status of a pioneer, whose experience is highly valued by modern professionals, both for theory and for a basic understanding of chess to this day!

At the time when Morphy and Andersen were sorting things out between themselves in Paris, in the Vienna cafe “Partridge” a twenty-two-year-old student of the Vienna Polytechnic Institute, a native of Prague, Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900), earned his living by playing chess.

Students did not receive any scholarships in those days. Everyone had to provide for themselves.

He was the thirteenth child in the family, experienced hopeless poverty in childhood, poverty in his youth, and, if not for the dedication of those close to him, he could hardly count on ever making it into the people.

He saw the first chess in his life in a store window. The father explained what it was, said that it was a very ancient game and that wise people played it.

Wilhelm made his first chess from cardboard (there was no money to buy real ones). And he begged his father to teach him.

So chess powerfully entered the life of the future world champion. True, only during his studies did he become truly interested in them: he began to visit the Vienna City Chess Club and participate in club tournaments. And very soon he became a threat to local fans. Thus, in the 1861 club championship he scored thirty points out of a possible thirty-one!

If at first his victories were greeted without much enthusiasm, then over time they got used to them and the attitude towards the young master changed.

When the club received an invitation to send the strongest Austrian chess player to the Second International Tournament in London, it was decided to send Steinitz.

Best of the day

Who opposed him in London in 1862? The best chess players in Europe. But Steinitz was not afraid. He set himself up only for victory. But he was examined by Adolf Andersen, Ludwig Paulsen, Serafino Dubois. Johann Leventhal, John Owen, Thomas Barnes, the young but promising Joseph Blackburn and others - eleven in total.

Alas, the performance was without the expected success: only sixth place and a prize for the most beautiful game in the tournament

But he was counting on more!

The mood was somewhat lifted by winning the match against the fifth prize-winner, Italian S. Dubois - 5.5:3.5.

After reflection, Steinitz makes a responsible decision: to leave the institute, settle in London, choosing the path (a very thorny path) of a professional chess player.

The immediate goal is the title of world champion!

This hardly made his family and friends happy. But the decision has been made and cannot be appealed.

Over the next year, Steinitz dealt with all the leading English chess players: D. Blackburn - 8:2, Deacon - 5:1, A. Mongredien - 7:0, R. Green - 8:1, and took first prizes in two club tournaments.

I. Leventhal refuses to match with him, Ludwig Paulsen and the Hungarian master Ignaz Kolis are in no hurry to cross arms, who recently ended the match in a draw with Paulsen and lost only one point in the match to Andersen.

Since there are no more hunters, the management of English clubs turns directly to Andersen: does he consider it possible for himself to meet with the new English champion?

Andersen never refused to play and was never afraid of anyone. Of course, he remembered that four years ago he had won a good game against Steinitz. But that was four years ago. During this time, Steinitz gained strength. Well, the more interesting the fight will be.

Andersen comes to London and... loses with a score of 6:8.

Now it seems that the main goal has been achieved; Steinitz can be called the strongest chess player in the world. However, can they?

After all, there is still a whole group of talented craftsmen vying for this title. Among them are Andersen's student Johann Zukertort, experienced Ludwig Paulsen and Henry Bird, young Joseph Blackburn - he has learned a lot in recent years...

Only by defeating each of them could one prove that he, Steinitz, was the strongest. And Steinitz beats in a difficult match first G. Bird - 9.5:7.5, then D. Blackburn - 5.5:0.5 and I. Zukertort - 9:3.

But... performances in international tournaments set the mood in a different way: Paris, 1867 - third place (ahead of I. Kolish and the Polish master S. Winaver), Dundee, 1867 - second result (ahead of the German master G. Neumann), Baden -Baden, 1870 - second again (ahead of A. Andersen).

In addition, Andersen loses (after all, he is already over fifty!) the match to Zukertort, and then to Paulsen.

But a high goal has been set, and we must go towards it without turning back. Steinitz has enough tenacity; he has no intention of going anywhere, but he intends to critically review his game. And not only his own, but also his contemporaries and predecessors too.

And here are the important conclusions he comes to: combination play, generally recognized thanks to the victories of Morphy and Andersen, does not always guarantee lasting success. Without giving up combinations, Steinitz puts forward the concept of a justified attack and a premature, incorrect attack. Before going on the offensive, you need to achieve a whole, a number of small advantages, then the attack can be successful.

What are these “small” advantages?

Advantage in development. Capturing the center. Unfortunate position of the enemy king. Weak fields in the enemy camp. Best walking location. Mastery of open lines. The advantage of two bishops over two knights or a bishop and a knight.

Some of these types of advantage are temporary, others (position of pawns, position of kings, two bishop advantage) are more permanent.

Steinitz also did not ignore the role of the king in the chess game. In a number of cases, the king can become a strong figure and, through his active actions, decisively influence the outcome of the game.

Defense is no less a formidable weapon than attack, he proclaimed.

It cannot be said that Steinitz's conclusions were met with universal approval. But Steinitz was stubborn and believed that he was right. It took decades before others believed it. Today his teaching is an immutable truth.

So, the laws are defined. Now all that remains is to test them in practice.

Vienna, 1873 - first place; match with D. Blackburn, 1876 - 7:0; Vein,

1882 - first and second places; London, 1883 - second place (the first was I. Zukertort); duel with American master D. Mackenzie, 1883 - 4:2; finally, the decisive match with I. Zukertort for the title of world champion, 1886 - 12.5:7.5.

From this moment on, Steinitz is the world champion. He then defended his title three times: in 1889 and 1892, playing with the Russian champion Mikhail Chigorin, in 1890 - with the strong English chess player Isidore Gunsberg.

But in 1894 he lost to Emanuel Lasker...

Wilhelm Steinitz is the first official world chess champion. Unfortunately, not much information has been preserved about this unique person. It is known that V. Steinitz is an Austrian and American chess player. At the turn of the 1860-1870s, having already received recognition as the strongest player of his time after winning a match against Adolf Andersen, he developed the doctrine of positional play, which replaced the dominant “romantic” combination school and significantly enriched chess.

Steinitz was a writer, at the peak of his career he stopped playing tournaments for nine years to concentrate on his work as a journalist, and in 1885 he founded the International Chess Magazine. Steinitz published reviews of games and programmatic theoretical articles; his polemics with other publicists, which he conducted aggressively and peremptorily, themselves became an important event in the chess world.

The tournament and match results of Wilhelm Steinitz, by today's standards, are not very fantastic, but they deserve attention, I will list some of them:

Championship of the Vienna Chess Society (1861, 1st place), International Tournament (1865, 1st place), Handicap Tournament (1871/1872, 1st place), International Tournament (1872, 1st place), City Championship (1894 1st place), World Championship match with I. Zukertort (1886, 1st place), World Championship match with M. Chigorin (1889, 1st place), World Championship match with I. Gunsberg (1890/1891) . 1st place), World Championship match with M. Chigorin (1892 1st place).

Separately, it is worth noting the game of the first world champion; a subtle positional understanding of the position was intertwined with spectacular combinational play, resulting in the birth of chess masterpieces. Let's look at one of them. Gampe – Steinitz game, Vienna 1859.

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 2...Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.ed?!(if 4.fe N:e4 then black can fight to equalize the position). 4...K:d5 5.fe N:c3 6.bc Qh4+ 7.Kre2 Bg4+ (White is ready to return the pawn in order to seize the initiative, for example: 7...Qe4+ 8.Kрf2 Q:e5 9.Nf3 Qh5 10.d4) 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.d4 O-O-O 10.Bd2 This position is of historical interest (Diagram 1), as it was studied a century and a half ago.

In addition to the move in the game, White has a maneuver(10.Qe1 now the rook sacrifice suggests itself 10...R:d4 11.cd N:d4+ 12.Kрd3 Bf5+ 13.Kрc4 b5+ 14.Kрc3 Ne2+ 15.Kрb2 Qa4 with a win). 10...B:f3+ (tempting victim 10...K:e5 until it goes away, for example 11.de Bc5 12.Qe1 Bf2 13.Qc1 Rhe8 14.Bf4 Bc5 15.g3 Qh5 16.Bg2 g5 17.h3 B:f3+ 18.B:f3 Qg6)

It is unlikely that Wilhelm Steinitz fully calculated all the options; his intuition simply protected him from the wrong path. But still, Black had a more flexible move 10...f6!

11.gf N:e5 12.de Bc5 13.Qe1 Qc4+ 14.Kрd1 Q:c3 15.Rb1 Q:f3+ 16.Qe2 (White's pawns fall one after another, but their troubles do not end there. Now on 16.Be2 solved 16...R:d2+ 17.Kр:d2 Qe3+ 18.Kрd1 Rd8+ 19.Bd3 R:d3+ 20.cd Q:d3+ 21.Kрc1 Ba3+ 22.Rb2 Qb5 23.Qd2 Qc6+) 16...L:d2+ Of course, you can take the rook in the corner of the board, but Steinitz prefers a spectacular ending (Diagram 2).17.Kр:d2 Rd8+ 18.Kрc1 Ba3+ 19.Rb2 Qc3 20.Bh3+ Kрb8 21.Qb5 Qd2+ 22.Kрb1 Qd1+ 23.R:d1 R:d1x

That's all for now, subscribe to our free newsletter and lessons, join our social groups VKontakte and Odnoklassniki so as not to miss interesting material.