Official World Chess Champions

In the 1870s, a Polish immigrant to the United Kingdom named Johannes Zukertort was gaining worldwide attention. By the 1880s many believed that he had surpassed Steinitz, which was further confirmed when Zukertort won the London tournament of 1883, defeating nearly every leading player in the world, finishing three points above second-place Steinitz. The stage was finally set for the first official World Chess Championship.

So who was better, really? In 1886 these two masters settled the question in the only acceptable way: they played a long chess match. Although not held under the aegis of any official organization, most chess historians regard the Steinitz-Zukertort match as the first official World Chess Championship, because it started a grand tradition. This tradition is characterized by several components, chief among which are:

1. The title is determined by a match of sufficient length to demonstrate a superiority of one player over the other.
2. The winner of the match becomes heir to the title of World Chess Champion, the highest title there is.
3. The title, although intangible, is treated for all purposes like a physical object which may be possessed by only one person at a time.
4. The reigning champion can only relinquish the title by losing a subsequent match to a competitor, or by retiring, or by death.
5. From time to time, the reigning champion is obligated to defend his title against the strongest challengers.

Starting with Steinitz, the title of World Chess Champion has been handed down through the generations from one player to another, like an Olympic torch.