World Chess Championship Matches: Steinitz vs Lasker (1894)

The following material was written according to a great online resource by Jacques N. Pope, Chess Archeology. 

Before challenging Steinitz for the World Chess Championship match, Lasker tried to organize a match with another contender for the crown, his compatriot, Dr. Siegberg Tarrasch, who, out of his ignorance or arrogance, stated that “as Lasker had not won an international tournament, he would not be considered in his class (Brooklyn Daily Standard-Union, 1893.07.15).” 

There had also been numerous attacks on Lasker in various journal and newspaper columns regarding his lack of enough success in winning strong tournaments. In Lasker’s defense, the “New York Sun” wrote about Dr. Tarrasch’s constant refusal of playing matches, including against Steinitz and Lasker, calling him “an amateur, [pretending] to play chess only once a year, during his vacation (1893.07.30)”.

Such criticism, of course, didn’t stop Lasker from challenging Steinitz to the match for the World Crown. In their pre-match interviews, both Steinitz and Lasker spoke of each other in a respectful way, showing their willingness and motivation to play a fair match with a reasonable prize fund.

Initially, Steinitz published a statement about hearing rumors that Lasker is willing to play a match for the purse of $5,000 a side (of course, I checked the inflation calculator, and the amount sums up to $150,000 by today’s standards). In September 1893, Steinitz formally accepted the challenge to play the match for the World Chess Championship, with the funding of $3,000 a side, planned for the Spring of the next year. Columns of the time frequently speak of Steinitz’s fine physical condition despite his disability.

Soon, however, Lasker found it impossible to raise enough money for the match. Interesting is “Brooklyn Daily Eagle”s witty remark:

“It is a noteworthy fact that while hundreds of so called athletic clubs are willing to hang up purses of thousands of dollars to see two pugilists pound each other, all the chess clubs of the country combined fail to contribute the small purse of $3,000 to bring about a grand contest at the game of chess between two of the greatest players of the world (1893.10.30).”

Lasker was against the match to be held in Havana where chess was very popular, claiming that the Southern climate is working against him. Alas, decades later, circumstances and necessity forced him to play his match for the World Chess Championship against Capablanca, in contender’s native Havana. The second World Chess Champion lost the match without being able to win a single game.

After some discussion, when the Havana chess clubs refused to host the World Chess Championship match in their city, the possibility of not having the match arose. As the time was passing, Lasker started to have more difficulties in raising enough money, and asked Steinitz to reduce the purse to $2,250, who, after refusing the offer initially, agreed on the conditions by forcing several terms into the agreement. When the financial issues were resolved after “great efforts”, finally, chess clubs of different cities agreed upon holding the match for the World Chess Championship.

The Match Conditions

After meeting in the Manhattan and City Chess clubs in the next year, Lasker provided Steinitz a copy of the conditions about the match. Major points included the following:

1. The purse is $2,250 per side, the winner claiming the whole amount.
2. The side winning 10 games is declared a winner (draws not counting).
3. Time control is 15 moves per hour.
4. The match should begin no later than the second Monday of March, 1894.
5. Both sides may claim for being absent three times during the match.
6. The records of the games are the property rights of the players.

As it is clear now, almost all conditions but one have been strictly met afterward. Claims of chess players for keeping copyright on the records of their own games still remain as an unrealized dream, and rightfully so. 

The World Chess Championship match between Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker, who was 32 years junior to the World Champion, took place in New York City (first 8 games), Philadelphia (3 games), and Montreal (last 8 games) between March 15 and May 26, 1894. The winner of the first ten games would be declared the victor, draws not counting, with the time control of fifteen moves per hour. Games would take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays unless adjourned. Before the match, the purse from each side was then further reduced to $2,000. In the opening ceremony, Wesley Bigelow, the Vice-President of the Manhattan Chess Club, gave a brief and wonderful speech: 

“To you, Mr. Steinitz, whose brow has been decorated with the laurels of many victories, the chess world will look with confidence for the highest illustration of our noble pastime, and to you, Mr. Lasker, who have also garnered distinguished laurels, both on the other side of the water and in this country, chess players will feel assured that your share in this match will be one to excite the keenest interest and admiration. I wish you both excellent health, not only for all time, but especially during this contest as upon your physical condition depends much of your mental powers, and therefore the quality of your play. Whoever wins can feel assured of receiving the hearty plaudits of the entire chess community, and he who loses will have the satisfaction of knowing that he lost only to a master (New York Sun, 1894.03.16)."

Analysis of the Games

Post-Match Controversy

Steinitz, in his post-match interviews, attributed his loss to his poor physical form, especially to his disability, which wouldn’t allow him to freely walk and exercise properly, causing “insomnia, rush of blood to the head, and general depression”. He also mentions the misfortune of nearly stifling with gas in Philadelphia.

Of course, these words are mainly said due to ex-World Chess Champion’s backers, who, by the end of the match, foreseeing that Steinitz is close to losing his title, had deposited $600 for a return match between Lasker and Steinitz. Almost immediately after the match ended, On June 1, 1894, in a letter, Steinitz officially challenged Emanuel Lasker to yet another match for the World Crown, with the proviso that the match should take place by the end of the same year.

On the next day, in his reply, Lasker noted that he was looking forward to the possibility of playing a rematch with Steinitz, but before the match, the new World Champion was willing to “settle some businesses in the city and leave for the tour in Europe”, leaving Mr. De Visser as his second for the businesses in the city.

Soon Steinitz sent a letter to Mr. Visser, blaming Lasker for not keeping his promise of playing a match by the end of this year (which was actually Steinitz’s misinterpretation of Lasker’s letter), and trying to shorten the new champion's world trip, Steinitz urged the return match to take place no later than the March of 1895. Of course, pressure from Steinitz’s backers also fueled the arising scandal, however, Tsigorin’s remark on the way to his match against Steinitz, two years prior, should a little disclose the first World Chess Champion’s character: "After I agreed to everything that Mr. Steinitz asked, I received all of these letters!" - and he showed a large handful.

About a month later, De Visser, Lasker’s second in the city, wrote a reply, which didn’t conclude anything about Lasker’s arrival. The tone of the letter didn’t come suitable to the taste of Steinitz, and in his very lengthy and direct reply, in addition to some non-friendly remarks, he sent an ultimatum that in case Lasker was not going to return for having a rematch until the March of the next year, Steinitz would reclaim his championship title.

After some communication between Steinitz and De Visser, Lasker himself wrote a rather short letter to Steinitz, noting that his return till March was uncertain, Dr. Visser was fired from being his second, and that Steinitz’s other claims were rather not serious. To which, Steinitz wrote a rather childish reply, signing his letter as follows: “W.Steinitz, Chess Champion of the World”.

Of course, my summary of what happened is just a glimpse of the conversation that took place in the public letters that are known to us, and therefore, for a better vision, the reader should refer to the actual letters on the Chess Archeology website mentioned at the beginning of the article.

By the end of the year, Lasker voiced his uncertainty on whether he was looking forward to having yet another match with Steinitz for the World Chess Championship title...

Appendix

References

Pope, N.J. - Chess Archeology - 1894 Lasker-Steinitz World Championship Match

Neishtadt, Y.I. - The First World Champion / Нейштадт, Я.И. - Первый Чемпион Мира (1971)

Vainshtein, B.S. - The Thinker / Вайнштейн, Б.С. - Мыслитель (1981)

Dvoretsky, M.I. - Dvoretsky's Analytical Manual / Дворецкий, М.И. - Марк Дворецкий Анализирует (2008)

Encyclopedia Britannica - Wilhelm Steinitz

Chessgames - Steinitz vs Lasker 1894