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Steinitz, William

World Champion

classical era

William Steinitz was the first official World Chess Champion (1886-1894), a Prague-born pioneer who revolutionized the game by replacing the Romantic attack-at-all-costs style with a new positional approach based on the accumulation of small strategic advantages. Unbeaten in match play for 32 years from 1862 to 1894, his theories on pawn structure and defensive play laid the foundation of modern chess strategy. Along with Paul Morphy, he is widely regarded as one of the founders of modern chess.

Total Games

583

Wins

319

Draws

118

Losses

146

54.7% wins20.2% draws25.0% losses

Most Played Openings

C52 - Italian Game: Evans Gambit42C51 - Italian Game: Evans Gambit38C25 - Vienna Game23C29 - Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit21C62 - Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense20C30 - King's Gambit20C54 - Italian Game: Classical Variation18C45 - Scotch Game17C65 - Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense16C60 - Ruy Lopez15

Most Faced Opponents

Chigorin, Mikhail58 gamesLasker, Emanuel46 gamesBlackburne, Joseph Henry34 gamesZukertort, Johannes Hermann31 gamesBird, Henry Edward28 gamesAnderssen, Adolf23 gamesGunsberg, Isidor20 gamesPillsbury, Harry Nelson13 gamesSchiffers, Emanuel Stepanovich12 gamesDeacon, Frederic11 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
0-1

Gunsberg, Isidor vs Steinitz, William

World Championship 3rd

1890

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FCGFCG
1-0

Lasker, Emanuel vs Steinitz, William

World Championship 5th

1894

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FCGFCG
0-1

Steinitz, William vs Chigorin, Mikhail

World Championship 4th

1892

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FCGFCG
0-1

Steinitz, William vs Lasker, Emanuel

World Championship 5th

1894

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FCGFCG
0-1

Steinitz, William vs Lasker, Emanuel

World Championship 6th

1896

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FCGFCG
0-1

Zukertort, Johannes Hermann vs Steinitz, William

World Championship 1st

1886

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FCGFCG
0-1

Steinitz, William vs Gunsberg, Isidor

World Championship 3rd

1890

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FCGFCG
1-0

Lasker, Emanuel vs Steinitz, William

World Championship 5th

1894

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FCGFCG
1-0

Lasker, Emanuel vs Steinitz, William

World Championship 6th

1896

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FCGFCG
0-1

Chigorin, Mikhail vs Steinitz, William

World Championship 2nd

1889

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Games (583)

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Steinitz, William vs Loyd, Sam
1-0
Paris it 1867 C25
Steinitz, William vs Hamel , S.
1-0
Dundee 1867 B01
Steinitz, William vs Baxter, CM.
1/2-1/2
Dundee 1867 C30
Neumann, Gustav Richard vs Steinitz, William
1/2-1/2
Paris it 1867 C51
Steinitz, William vs Fraser Mitchell, James
0-1
Dundee m 1867 C30
Steinitz, William vs Golmayo Zupide, Celso
1-0
Paris it 1867 B24
Steinitz, William vs Winawer, Szymon
1-0
Paris it 1867 C01
Steinitz, William vs From, Sigfred
1-0
Paris it 1867 C31
Steinitz, William vs Scott, R.
1-0
Dundee 1867 C15
De Riviere, Jules Arnous vs Steinitz, William
0-1
Paris it 1867 C60
Steinitz, William vs Kolisch, Ignatz
0-1
Paris it 1867 C38
Steinitz, William vs Czarnowski, J.
1-0
Paris it 1867 B15
Steinitz, William vs Fraser Mitchell, James
1-0
Dundee m 1867 C30
Steinitz, William vs De Vere, Cecil Valentine
1-0
Paris it 1867 B00
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
1-0
London m2 1866 C62
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1-0
London m2 1866 C00
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1-0
London m2 1866 C01
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London m1 1866 C51
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
1/2-1/2
London m2 1866 C65
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1/2-1/2
London m2 1866 C01
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
1-0
London m1 1866 C51
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
0-1
London m1 1866 B20
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London m1 1866 C65
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
1-0
London m2 1866 C65
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London m1 1866 C51
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
0-1
London m1 1866 C37
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London m2 1866 A02
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
1-0
London m1 1866 C51
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1-0
London m2 1866 C10
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
1-0
London m1 1866 C37
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
1-0
London m1 1866 C37
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1-0
London m2 1866 C10
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
0-1
London m1 1866 B20
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
1-0
London m2 1866 C67
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
1-0
London m1 1866 C37
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
0-1
London m2 1866 C10
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
0-1
London m2 1866 C14
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
1/2-1/2
London m2 1866 C65
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London m1 1866 C51
Anderssen, Adolf vs Steinitz, William
1-0
London m1 1866 C51
Steinitz, William vs Anderssen, Adolf
1-0
London m1 1866 C30
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1-0
London m2 1866 C29
Steinitz, William vs Bird, Henry Edward
1/2-1/2
London m2 1866 C10
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London m2 1866 C65
Bird, Henry Edward vs Steinitz, William
1/2-1/2
London m2 1866 C65
Steinitz, William vs Duffy
1-0
London it 1865 C51
Steinitz, William vs MacDonnell, George Alcock
1-0
Dublin 1865 C41
Taylor, JOH. vs Steinitz, William
1/2-1/2
London it 1865 C52
Steinitz, William vs Burden, Francis
1-0
London it 1865 C25
NN vs Steinitz, William
0-1
London it 1865 C33
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