The first official match of 1886: Steinitz – Zukertort
World Chess Championship 1886: the birth of the chess crown
When chess first found its king
Before 1886, the chess world had no official world champion. There were great players, prestigious tournaments, and heated debates, but no supreme title.
It was precisely the World Chess Championship of 1886 that put an end to this uncertainty, officially determining the strongest chess player in the world for the first time.
This historic encounter was not merely a series of games — it became the moment when the chess crown was born.
Two contenders for history
The match brought together two outstanding chess players of the 19th century:
Wilhelm Steinitz — a philosopher of chess, a reformer of positional play, and a man who viewed chess as a science.
Johannes Zukertort — a brilliant attacker, a master of combinations, and one of the most dazzling players of his era.
Their confrontation symbolized a clash of two approaches:
— logic versus intuition
— strategy versus attack
— system versus improvisation
Rules of the first World Championship
The 1886 World Championship was held in the United States from January 11 to March 29 and featured a structure unusual by modern standards.
The match was divided among three cities:
New York — the first 5 games
St. Louis — the next 4 games
New Orleans — the final 11 games
The format was unforgiving:
— the winner was the first to score 10 victories
— draws did not count toward the score
— the number of games was not limited in advance
This made the match a severe test of endurance and psychological resilience.
A struggle of styles and characters
The opening phase was tense. Zukertort started confidently, displaying attacking power and creative freedom.
However, as the match progressed, the initiative increasingly shifted to Steinitz.
He played methodically:
— strengthening positions
— avoiding unjustified risk
— gradually wearing down his opponent
The key factor became endurance. Zukertort began to lose concentration, while Steinitz, on the contrary, intensified the pressure.
Decisive games and the result
The turning point came in the second half of the match, especially in New Orleans.
In the twentieth game, Wilhelm Steinitz achieved his tenth victory, thereby ending the match ahead of schedule.
Final score:
— Steinitz — 10 wins
— Zukertort — 5 wins
— 5 games ended in draws
Thus, Steinitz became the first official World Chess Champion.
The historical significance of the 1886 championship
The World Chess Championship of 1886 became a turning point in chess history:
— for the first time, an official world champion was crowned
— the tradition of matches for the chess crown was established
— the idea was affirmed that chess is not only about attack, but also positional logic
— the era of a systematic approach to the game began
It was Steinitz’s ideas that later became the foundation of modern chess theory.
The beginning of a great tradition
The Steinitz–Zukertort match was more than a sporting event.
It marked the beginning of a chain of championships that continues to this day.
From 1886 onward, chess ceased to be merely a game of masters — it became a global intellectual sport with history, hierarchy, and legends.
And it all began with one match, three cities, and one man who proved:
chess is, above all, about thinking.