World Chess Championship 1889

In the World Chess Championship 1889 World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz defended his title successfully against Mikhail Chigorin. The amount initially recognized at 20 games duel for the world chess title extended over 17 games that were played between 20 January and 24 February 1889.

Prehistory

Steinitz, who had ever won in 1886 at the first World Chess Championship world title against John Hermann Zukertort, dwelt 1887 in Havana, where he gave simultaneous exhibitions and defeated superior to the local master. The local chess club offered him then to organize a contest between the world champion and a champion evenly matched, and put a considerable amount of prize money in prospect. Steinitz should be free to choose his opponent.

Steinitz accepted the tempting offer and chose for his first title defense Michael Chigorin, who was regarded as the best chess player of Russia and had beaten him at the London 1883 tournament twice. There was also a duel between two philosophies: Steinitz advocated a strictly "scientific" doctrine that there is always a best train and spectacular combinations only after a failure of the opponent are possible. Chigorin, however, was considered a " romantic", who propagated the idea of the creative chess.

Course

The match was scheduled for 20 games and started on 20 January 1889. Chigorin had a good start and went 1-0, 2-1 and 4-3 of them. But then Steinitz won three times in succession. The same he succeeded once again with the score at 7-6. In the 17th game of Steinitz secured a draw the title. It was the only draw in this match.

Games

First game

2nd game

3 game

4 game

5 game

6 game

7 game

8 game

9 game

10 game

11 game

12 game

13 game

14 game

15 game

16 game

17 game

Follow

In 1892 there was a second meeting between Steinitz and Chigorin, again in Havana, in which Steinitz also kept the upper hand.