World Chess Championship 1892

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The World Chess Championship 1892 was a rematch between reigning champion Wilhelm Steinitz (USA) and challenger Mikhail Chigorin (Russia), held in Havana, Cuba, and organized by the Havana Chess Club. Contemporary reports frequently mention the Tacón Theatre as a principal venue. Steinitz retained his title, winning 10–8. This championship is best remembered for Chigorin’s tragic blunder in the final game, one of the most infamous collapses in chess history.

World Chess Championship 1892, Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz
Cleveland Public Library Public domain License Public Domain US via Wikimedia Commons

Winner/Reigning Champion: Wilhelm Steinitz

Born: May 17, 1836, Prague, Bohemia (Austrian Empire); later emigrated to the USA
Died: August 12, 1900, New York City, USA

Wilhelm Steinitz entered the 1892 championship at age 55, still regarded as the founding father of modern positional chess. Having won the inaugural official title against Johannes Zukertort in 1886, he had since defended it successfully against Mikhail Chigorin (1889) and Isidor Gunsberg (1890–91). Steinitz’s scientific approach—prioritizing positional foundations and the gradual accumulation of small advantages—continued to shape elite play. In Havana, his stamina was tested by the climate and by Chigorin’s relentless aggression, yet his ability to steer games toward strategically favorable middlegames and technical endgames proved decisive. The 1892 match further validated his theories against the last great Romantic attacker of the 19th century.

Despite his win, Steinitz’s grip on the title was loosening, and Emanuel Lasker was already preparing to challenge him. His remark after the match remains telling:

«I have fully established the principles which I have always contended for.»

Mikhail Chigorin, World Chess Championship 1892
Mikhail Chigorin
Cleveland Public Library Public domain License Public Domain US via Wikimedia Commons

Challenger: Mikhail Chigorin

Born: 1850, Gatchina, Russian Empire
Died: 1908, Lublin, Russian Empire (present-day Poland)

Mikhail Chigorin, the strongest Russian master of his time, returned to Havana with renewed energy and fierce determination. After his narrow defeat in the 1889 match, he refined his style—combining trademark tactical sharpness with greater positional nuance. His play in Havana was spirited and often brilliant, including dazzling victories in the Evans Gambit.

Yet his tendency to overextend proved costly. With the score 9–8 to Steinitz going into the final game, Chigorin blundered a mate-in-two in a level position, handing Steinitz his 10th win and the match, 10–8. Despite the heartbreak, Chigorin’s romantic style and leadership in Russian chess deeply influenced later champions such as Alekhine and Tal. His bitter words remain etched in history:

“Every game against Steinitz is a test of survival.”

Match Overview

Match Dates: January–February, 1892
Location: Havana, Cuba
Format: First to 10 wins (draws not counted)
Time Control: Classical time control (not uniformly standardized)
Prize Fund: Approximately $5,000 (sponsored by Cuban patrons and private backers)
Main Sponsors: Club de Ajedrez de La Habana (Cuban Chess Club)

Historical and Cultural Context

The 1892 championship took place in a politically stable but socially stratified Spanish colonial Cuba, with Havana as a rising hub for international chess. Local press gave notable attention to the event, with publications like La Lucha and El Triunfo offering commentary. Organizers ensured excellent playing conditions, and the Tacón Theatre provided a prestigious venue. Chigorin’s participation was also supported by Russian patrons, reflecting the growing institutional interest in chess within the Russian Empire. While the event received less attention in Western Europe, it was closely followed in the Russian press and in British Chess Magazine. Havana’s role as host city once again affirmed its pivotal place in early world championship history.

World Chess Championship 1892, Wilhelm Steinitz (USA), Mikhail Chigorin (RUS)

Note: In contemporary English records and diagrams, Steinitz is often listed as William, an anglicized form of his original name Wilhelm.

World Chess Championship 1892 Games

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

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Game 15

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Game 18

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Game 21

Game 22

Game 23

World Chess Championship 1892

Wilhelm Steinitz, USA

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World Chess Championship 1892 Sources

Sources for Quotes

General Sources

Photo Credits

Wilhelm Steinitz (photograph from the Cleveland Public Library collection)
Cleveland Public Library: Public domain (License: Public Domain – U.S.) via Wikimedia Commons
Photo date: Before 1930 (exact date unknown)

Mikhail Chigorin (photograph from the Cleveland Public Library collection)
Cleveland Public Library: Public domain (License: Public Domain – U.S.) via Wikimedia Commons
Photo date: Before 1930 (exact date unknown)

Sources, image credits, and attributions for this championship are listed on this page. For general information about the World Chess Champions timeline, visit the main page.