Wilhelm Steinitz
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William Steinitz was a Bohemian-Austrian, and later American, chess player. From 1886 to 1894, he was the first World Chess Champion. He was also a highly influential writer and chess theoretician.
Steinitz in 1866
Steinitz's rival and bitter enemy Johannes Zukertort lost matches to him in 1872 and 1886. The second match made Steinitz the undisputed world champion.
Emanuel Lasker (right) playing Steinitz for the World Chess Championship, New York 1894
World Chess Championship
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The World Chess Championship is played to determine the world champion in chess. The current world champion is Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated the previous champion Ding Liren in the 2024 World Chess C
Gukesh Dommaraju of India, the current world chess champion (2025)
A depiction of the chess match between Howard Staunton and Pierre Saint-Amant, on 16 December 1843
Alexandre Deschapelles, reputed to be the best player in the early nineteenth century
Louis de la Bourdonnais, the world's strongest player from 1821 to his death in 1840