William Steinitz vs Henry Bird
In London 1866, the English player Henry Bird faced off against the legendary William Steinitz. Find the three-move checkmate that secured a victory for Black in this historic meeting.
Roll over to see the solution: 1... Be3+ 2. Rf2 Qh2+ 3. Kf1 Qh1#
FEN: 3r1rk1/p1p4p/8/1PP1p1bq/2P5/3N1Pp1/PB2Q3/1R3RK1 b - - 0 1
About the players
William Steinitz was a Bohemian-Austrian and American chess player. He became the first World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1886 to 1894. Some commentators argue he could be seen as the champion as early as 1866.
He was a writer and chess theoretician. Steinitz eventually lost his title to Emanuel Lasker in 1894 and lost a rematch between 1896 and 1897. Because he took several long breaks from the game, statistical rating systems often give him a low ranking compared to other world champions.