Steinitz-Zukertort 1886

Steinitz-Zukertort 1886 was a match between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort. Zukertort had won the London tournament of 1883, finishing three points ahead of Steinitz, who took second place. The match ran from January 11 to March 29 in New York, Saint Louis, and New Orleans. It is now generally recognized as the first formal World Chess Championship match.

The principal target was ten wins; draws did not count toward that target. Zukertort won four of the first five games and left New York leading by four wins to one. Steinitz’s comeback took shape in Saint Louis: he won three games and drew one, bringing the score level at four wins apiece.

In New Orleans, Steinitz won six games to Zukertort’s one. Steinitz finished with 10 wins, 5 losses, and 5 draws (12.5 to 7.5 when draws are counted as half a point).

The title was not simply attached to the contest afterwards: the agreement of December 29, 1885, published in Chess Monthly in January 1886, explicitly stated that the world championship was at stake. The later recognition of 1886 as the conventional starting point of the world-champion succession is a separate matter.

Steinitz versus Zukertort: game 20

This win gave Steinitz his tenth victory and concluded the first generally recognised official world championship. His king moves into the centre early, but development, open lines and a fork decide the finish, rather than an executed checkmate.