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World Chess Championship 1896–1897

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World Chess Championship 1896–1897
 
Defending champion
Challenger
 
Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker
Wilheilm Steinitz
Wilheilm Steinitz
  German Empire Emanuel Lasker United States Wilhelm Steinitz
 
12½Scores
  Born 24 December 1868
27/28 years old
Born 14 May 1836
60 years old
← 1894
1907 →

The World Chess Championship 1896–1897 was a match for the World Chess Championship, contested between Emanuel Lasker and Wilhelm Steinitz. It was played in Moscow between November 6, 1896, and January 14, 1897. Lasker won by a score of 10 wins to 2 (with 5 draws), thus retaining his title.

Background

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Lasker had won the world title from Steinitz in 1894, and this was his first time defending the world title. At the Saint Petersburg 1895–96 chess tournament, Steinitz came second behind Lasker, ahead of other potential challengers Harry Nelson Pillsbury and Mikhail Chigorin. This allowed Steinitz to raise support for a rematch.[1]

Results

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The first player to win 10 games would be champion. Lasker won by 10 games to 2, with 5 draws.

World Chess Championship Match 1897
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Wins Total
 William Steinitz (United States) 0 0 0 0 = 0 = = = 0 0 1 1 0 = 0 0 2
 Emanuel Lasker (Germany) 1 1 1 1 = 1 = = = 1 1 0 0 1 = 1 1 10 12½
Steinitz–Lasker, game 17
abcdefgh
8
b8 black rook
h8 black king
d7 black queen
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
a6 black pawn
c6 black bishop
f6 black pawn
g6 black knight
a5 white pawn
e5 black pawn
b4 white bishop
c4 white bishop
d4 black rook
b3 white queen
g3 white pawn
b2 white pawn
e2 white rook
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
e1 white rook
g1 white king
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Steinitz played 35.Qc3?, allowing Lasker to play 36...Bxg2! 37.Kxg2 Qc6+ 38.Re4 Rxe4 39.Rxe4 Qxe4+, winning a decisive advantage and retaining the Championship.

References

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  1. ^ Israel Horowitz, From Morphy to Fischer, Batsford, 1973, page 52
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