Wilhelm Steinitz

Wilhelm SteinitzWilhelm Steinitz (1834-1900) was an Austrian and later American chess Master. He was the first World Chess Champion between 1886 and 1894, when he lost the title to Emanuel Lasker.

GM Brewington Hardaway

The Second Chess Grandmaster

When Maurice Ashley became a grandmaster, he was the first USA federation Black player to achieve that title. Brewington Hardaway, whose father is African American, is the second USA federation Black player to become a grandmaster. At SuperNationals VIII, Hardaway finished with 6 points out of seven games. That score placed Hardaway in a seven-way […] More 🡢
GM Vincent Keymer and Alexey Root

Prague International Chess Festival: Opening Ceremony

While in Prague for the World Senior Team Chess Championship, as a member of the USA Women 50+ team, I visited the Prague International Chess Festival. A former President of the Czech Republic was one of the speakers. At a post-ceremony reception, I briefly interviewed Grandmasters Liem Le and Vincent Keymer. More 🡢
Ian Nepomniachtchi

Greatest World Chess Champion of All Time?

How to judge which world chess champion is the greatest of all time? One might look at the number of years that the champion held the title, inflation-adjusted peak rating, dominance over peers, or abilities as a chess ambassador. Another criterion, adopted by this article, is how many different challengers has each world chess champion faced. More 🡢
Sherlock Holmes and Chess

Sherlock Holmes and Chess

There was a triple dose of Sherlock Holmes and chess at US Chess in December of 2020. On December 10, 2020, the 2017 U.S. Women’s Chess Champion Sabina Foisor appeared in the Girls Club to discuss Sherlock’s Method: The Working Tool for the Club Player, written with Grandmaster Elshan Moradiabadi. The December Ladies Knight podcast featured Maria Konnikova, author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes. On December 18, The Madwoman’s Book Club discussed Konnikova’s book, with Konnikova herself appearing in the first 10 minutes, and retrograde analysis. More 🡢
IM Jack Peters

Day of the Dead: Post-Mortems and Newspaper Chess Columns

Two traditions that were part of my formative years in chess now seem to be dying or dead. When I was an active tournament player (from around 1975 through 1996), post-mortems and newspaper chess columns were common. In this SparkChess article, published close to the Day of the Dead, I reminisce about post-mortems and my […] More 🡢
world chess champions

Infographic: All World Chess Champions

We all know that Magnus Carlsen is the World Chess Champion, but who was the first one? And when? Even less is known about women champions. You probably have heard about Susan Polgar, but who is the current woman chess champion? More 🡢
diagram of Wilhelm Steinitz vs. Albert Hodges chess puzzle

Wilhelm Steinitz vs. Albert Hodges

Play this on line puzzle which illustrate the position strategy adopted by Wilhelm Steinitz against Hodges. He has sacrificed his Queen but won the game.
diagram of Wilhelm Steinitz vs. Herbert Trenchard chess puzzle

Wilhelm Steinitz vs. Herbert Trenchard

A nice online chess puzzle from Wilhelm Steinitz vs. Herbert Trenchard in 1887.