★★★ INTRO ★★★

The 1892 World Chess Championship was between 55 year old defending champio Wilhelm Steinitz of the United States and 41 year old challenger Mikhail Chigorin of the Russian Empire.

★★★ BACKGROUND ★★★

This match was a re-match (see Game Collection: 1889 World Chess Championship).

★★★ CONDITIONS ★★★

The winner would be first to reach 10 1/2 points or score 10 victories. If the match was tied after 20 games, play continues until one players scores 10 wins. Game 1 began on January 1st, 1892. Note: Games 1-20 are measured in total points. Games 21-23 are measured in wins.

★★★ NOTABLE GAMES ★★★

Game 1: Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1892

1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗c4 ♗c5 4.b4 ♗xb4 5.c3 ♗a5 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 ♗g4 8.♗b5 exd4 9.cxd4 ♗d7 10.♗b2 ♘ce7 11.♗xd7+ ♕xd7 12.♘a3 ♘h6 13.♘c4 ♗b6 14.a4 c6 15.e5 d5 16.♘d6+ ♔f8 17.♗a3 ♔g8 18.♖b1 ♘hf5 19.♘xf7

After 19.♘xf7

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A brilliant knight sacrifice, as it rather win the exchange or lures the king out to the center of the board.

19...♔xf7 20.e6+ ♔xe6 21.♘e5 ♕c8 22.♖e1 ♔f6 23.♕h5 g6 24.♗xe7+ ♔xe7 25.♘xg6+ ♔f6 26.♘xh8 ♗xd4 27.♖b3 ♕d7 28.♖f3 ♖xh8 29.g4 ♖g8 30.♕h6+ ♖g6 31.♖xf5+ 1-0

31.♖xf5+ 1-0

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According to a post, 31...♕xf5 32.♕f8+ ♔g5 33.♕xf5+ ♔h6 (33...♔h4 34.♕h5# 1-0) 34.♕h5+ ♔g7 35.♖e7+ ♔h8 36.♕xh7# 1-0 is mate.

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Game 4: Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1892

1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 ♘f6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 g6 6.♘bd2 ♗g7 7.♘f1 0-0 8.♗a4 ♘d7 9.♘e3 ♘c5 10.♗c2 ♘e6 11.h4 ♘e7 12.h5 d5 13.hxg6 fxg6 14.exd5 ♘xd5 15.♘xd5 ♕xd5 16.♗b3 ♕c6 17.♕e2 ♗d7 18.♗e3 ♔h8 19.0-0-0 ♖ae8 20.♕f1 a5 21.d4 exd4 22.♘xd4 ♗xd4 23.♖xd4 ♘xd4

23...♘xd4

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White has already sacrificed a rook, and is not done yet.

24.♖xh7+ ♔xh7 25.♕h1+ ♔g7 26.♗h6+ ♔f6 27.♕h4+ ♔e5 28.♕xd4+ 1-0

28.♕xd4+ 1-0

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The knight that has been hanging for about 4 moves in finally captured, as I see mate is to follow in the form of 28...♔f5 29.g4# 1-0.

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Game 10: Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1892

1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗c4 ♘f6 4.♘g5 d5 5.exd5 ♘a5 6.♗b5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.♗f1 h6 9.♘h3 ♗c5 10.♕e2 0-0 11.c3 ♗b6 12.d3 ♘d5 13.♘a3 ♖e8 14.♗d2 ♗f5 15.0-0-0 ♖b8 16.g4 ♗g6 17.♗g2 ♗c5 18.♘c2 ♕b6 19.b4 ♕b5 20.♗e4 ♕a4 21.♔b2 ♖e7 22.♗xg6 fxg6 23.♖b1 ♗d6 24.♖hc1 ♖b6 25.♔a1 ♖eb7 26.♖b2 c5 27.♕e4 ♘f6 28.♕xg6

After 28.♕xg6

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White gets a little too greedy, and that the moment, is up 2 pawns. However, white's queen has only one escape: f5.

28...cxb4 29.cxb4 ♘c6 30.g5 ♘e7 0-1

30...♘e7 0-1

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In my opinion, the best escape for white would be 31.♕xf6 gxf6 32.gxf6, which for the moment, leaves black with a queen in exchange for a knight and 2 pawns, but f6 will likely fall, and b4 is currently under fire too.

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★★★ FINAL ★★★

Game 23 was played on February 28th, 1892. Entering the round, Steinitz had the black pieces but needed just 1 win to retain his title.

Game 23: Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1892

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.♘f3 ♘f6 4.e5 ♘h5 5.♗e2 g6 6.d4 ♗g7 7.0-0 d6 8.♘c3 0-0 9.♘e1 dxe5 10.♗xh5 gxh5 11.dxe5 ♕xd1 12.♘xd1 ♘c6 13.♗xf4 ♗f5 14.♘e3 ♗e4 15.♘f3 ♖fe8 16.♘g5 ♗g6 17.♘d5 ♗xe5 18.♘xc7 ♗xc7 19.♗xc7 ♖ac8 20.♗g3 ♘d4 21.c3 ♘e2+ 22.♔f2 h4 23.♗d6 ♘d4 24.cxd4 ♖c2+ 25.♔g1 ♖ee2 26.♖ae1 ♖xg2+ 27.♔h1 ♔g7 28.♖e8 f5 29.♘e6+ ♔f6 30.♖e7 ♖ge2 31.d5 ♖cd2

After 31...♖cd2

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Earlier, Steinitz sacrificed a knight, but up to this point, it's not paying off.

32.♗b4 ♖xh2+

32...♖xh2+ 0-1

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The bishop had been defending h2, but not anymore. A mate of 33.♔g1 ♖dg2# 0-1 is easily spotted even for a beginner like me.

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Steinitz retained his title for the 3rd straight time by the score of 10-8 (12 1/2-10 1/2).

★★★ MINI TABLE ★★★

Steinitz 0 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1 0 0 1/2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1/2 1 1 (10 wins, 5 draws, 8 losses) <54.3% score>

Chigorin 1 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 0 1 1 1/2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1/2 0 0 (8 wins, 5 draws, 10 losses) <45.7% score>

★★★ OTHER LINKS ★★★

See also: Steinitz - Chigorin World Championship Rematch (1892)

Head to Head Match up Prior to 1892: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... (12 wins, 11 losses, and 1 draw in favour of Chigorin)

Previous World Championship Title: Game Collection: 1890-1891 World Chess Championship

Next World Championship Title: Game Collection: 1894 World Chess Championship