World Chess Championship 1892

In the World Chess Championship 1892 World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz defended his title successfully against Mikhail Chigorin.

Prehistory

For the second time since 1889, the very wealthy Chess Club of Havana had agreed to finance and organize a world title fight. Counterparty Steinitz had originally chosen the German master Siegbert Tarrasch, but this dreaded the long sea voyage. So got Chigorin after its defeat in world title fight in 1889 the chance for revenge.

With Chigorin Steinitz was delivered in April 1891 a telegraphic contest over two games to decide a dispute about two opening variations, and lost.

Organization and rules

The competition should take, would be played up to 20 games or one of the players would have won 10 games. In the case of a 10:10 should be played until one of the players would have won 10 games.

Course

The match was dramatic. The 14 years younger challengers won at the opening and kept the lead until Steinitz was able to compensate in the 20th game of the 8:8 and 9:8 was in the 22nd game of the lead. In the following game, Chigorin won a piece and had a clear winning position, but then overlooked an elementary mate in two moves and lost.