World Chess Championship 1896 – 1897
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The FIDE World Chess Championship 1896–1897 was a rematch between reigning champion Emanuel Lasker (Germany) and former champion Wilhelm Steinitz (Austrian Empire/USA). Held in Moscow, it was Lasker’s first title defense after seizing the crown in 1894. Lasker won decisively.
Winner/Reigning Champion: Emanuel Lasker
Born: 1868, Berlinchen, German Empire
Died: 1941, New York City, USA
Emanuel Lasker entered the 1896–1897 World Championship as an assertive and intellectual champion. At just 28, he had already dethroned Steinitz in 1894 and dominated the elite field at St. Petersburg 1895–96, finishing ahead of Steinitz, Pillsbury, and Chigorin. With a doctorate in mathematics and a deep interest in philosophy, Lasker brought a pragmatic, psychological approach to chess that stood in contrast to his predecessor’s rigid positional theories. His play was dynamic, steering opponents into unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations. Despite his superiority, Lasker displayed notable sportsmanship in Game 6, declining to claim a win when Steinitz overstepped the time limit. This title defense firmly established Lasker’s reign, which would last until 1921 — the longest in chess history.
“I keep on fighting as long as my opponent can make a mistake.” — Emanuel Lasker
Challenger: Wilhelm Steinitz
Born: May 17, 1836, Prague, Bohemia (Austrian Empire); later emigrated to the USA.
Died: 1900, New York City, USA
Wilhelm Steinitz, aged 60 and in poor health, returned for one last title challenge after placing second at St. Petersburg 1895–96. A trailblazing positional theorist, Steinitz had transformed chess into a game of principled evaluation and strategic depth. But the world had changed. Against Lasker’s more adaptive and psychological style, Steinitz’s once-revolutionary methods now appeared outdated. He lost ten games, won two, and drew five. His courage and resolve remained evident, but this defeat signaled the end of his elite career.
“If Steinitz is destined to be defeated by Lasker, he could not be defeated by a more worthy opponent.” — British Chess Magazine
Match Overview
Match Dates: November 6, 1896 – January 14, 1897
Location: Moscow, Russian Empire
Format: First to 10 wins (draws not counted)
Time Control: 15 moves per hour
Prize Fund: £250 to the winner, £100 to the loser, plus £50 stake from each player
Main Sponsor: Moscow Chess Club
Historical and Cultural Context
Held during Europe’s Belle Époque — a period of cultural and scientific optimism — the match marked Moscow’s arrival as a global chess hub. The event was emblematic of chess’s transition from 19th-century scientific ideals to the modern psychological era. Steinitz embodied classical theory, while Lasker represented innovation and intuition. The championship helped redefine the image of the world chess champion as a versatile, well-rounded thinker beyond the chessboard.
Steinitz’s record across all his World Championship matches:
| Year | Location | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | USA & UK | Johannes Zukertort | ✅ Won (Claimed title) |
| 1889 | Havana | Mikhail Chigorin | ✅ Title defense |
| 1890–1891 | New York | Isidor Gunsberg | ✅ Title defense |
| 1892 | Havana | Mikhail Chigorin | ✅ Title defense |
| 1894 | USA & Canada | Emanuel Lasker | ❌ Lost title |
| 1896–1897 | Moscow | Emanuel Lasker | ❌ Final appearance |
Note: In contemporary English records and diagrams, Steinitz is often listed as William, an anglicized form of his original name Wilhelm.
World Chess Championship 1896 – 1897 Games
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
Game 9
Game 10
Game 11
Game 12
Game 13
Game 14
Game 15
Game 16
Game 17
World Chess Championship 1896 – 1897
Emanuel Lasker, Germany
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World Chess Championship 1896 – 1897 Sources
Sources for Quotes
- Emanuel Lasker: Common Sense in Chess – (Archive.org)
- British Chess Magazine: 1897 issue covering Lasker–Steinitz – (Chess History Archive)
General Sources
- Edward Winter: Chess Notes – Lasker vs. Steinitz 1896–1897
- Wikipedia:
- Israel Horowitz: From Morphy to Fischer, Batsford, 1973 (via Archive.org)
- Garry Kasparov: My Great Predecessors, Part I, 2003 (Google Books)
- Wilhelm Steinitz: The Modern Chess Instructor (1889) Available via Google Books
- New York Times Archives: (search coverage from Nov 1896 – Jan 1897)
- British Chess Magazine: 1897 (select pages reprinted in Chess History Center)
- Deutsche Schachzeitung: (1896–1897 editions)
- La Stratégie: (Paris, 1896–1897)
Image Credits
Emanuel Lasker Portrait: Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-14194 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, DE via Wikimedia Commons
William Steinitz 1889: Cleveland Public Library Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
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.