Previously, there were a number of "unofficial" world championship matches held between the undisputed leading players of the day, but talk of an official World Championship did not occur prior to the 1866 match between Steinitz and Adolf Anderssen.

[1] Though not yet officially an American citizen, Steinitz wanted the United States flag to be placed next to him during the match.

[2] Zukertort staked his rival claim to being the world's leading player by a number of tournament wins, notably Paris 1878 and London 1883.

A common story relates to an incident that occurred at the tournament banquet, when the St. George Chess Club President proposed a toast to the best chess player in the world and both Steinitz and Zukertort stood up at the same time to thank him.

[4] Steinitz challenged Zuckertort to a one-on-one match the day after the conclusion of London 1883.

Zukertort was given the princely sum of $750 to make the trip across the Atlantic, and the winner of the match was promised a quarter of the proceeds from the betting syndication.

For the first time in chess history, a demonstration board measuring approximately 1 metre square was erected above the players, so that the spectators could follow the game while seated.

With the match result still in the balance (4–4, with one draw), the concluding chapter was played in New Orleans, by which time Zukertort was said to be living on his wits, physically fatigued and approaching mental breakdown.

Steinitz, on the other hand, appeared to be playing more robustly, with a bottomless pit of mental stamina.

His strategic mastery quickly took control of the match and he wrapped things up with a further six wins, four draws and just one defeat.

The final game ended on March 29, 1886 when Zukertort tendered his resignation and congratulated the new World Champion.

In the aftermath, it was apparent that Zukertort's play had been overly impulsive; he had regularly taken half the time of Steinitz and it is likely that this was connected to a heart condition he had carried since childhood, with Zukertort dying of a heart attack two years later.

Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence (ECO C67) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0–0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.Rxe5+ Be7 8.Nc3 0–0 9.Bd3 Bf6 10.Re3 g6 11.b3 Re8 12.Qf3 Bg5 13.Rxe8+ Nxe8 14.Bb2 c6 15.Ne4 Be7 16.Qe3 d5 17.Qd4 f6 18.Ng3 Be6 19.Re1 Ng7 20.h4 Qd7 21.h5 Bf7 22.hxg6 Bxg6 23.Qe3 Kf7 24.Qf4 Re8 25.Re3 Ne6 26.Qg4 Nf8 27.Nf5 Bc5 28.Nh6+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kf7 30.Nh6+ Kg7 31.Nf5+ Kf7 32.Nh6+ Kg7 33.Nf5+ Kf7 34.Nh6+ Kg7 (The threefold repetition rule was not in force during this match, the position had to be repeated six times before a draw could be claimed.)

35.Bxg6 Qxg4 36.Nxg4 Rxe3 37.fxe3 Kxg6 38.Nxf6 Bb4 39.d3 Ne6 40.Kf2 h5 41.g4 h4 42.Nh5 Bd6 43.Kg2 c5 44.Bf6 Ng5 45.Bxg5 Kxg5 46.Kh3 Be5 47.Nf4 d4 48.Ne6+ Kf6 49.exd4 cxd4 50.Nc5 Kg5 51.Nxb7 Kf4 52.Na5 Bf6 53.Nc6 Ke3 54.Nxa7 Kd2 55.Nc6 Kxc2 56.a4 Kxd3 57.Nb4+ Ke2 58.a5 Be7 59.Nd5 Kf3 60.Nxe7 d3 61.Nd5 1–0[11] Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch Defense (ECO D40) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 c5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.a3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Be3 Bd7 11.Qd3 Rc8 12.Rac1 Qa5 13.Ba2 Rfd8 14.Rfe1 Be8 15.Bb1 g6 16.Qe2 Bf8 17.Red1 Bg7 18.Ba2 Ne7 19.Qd2 Qa6 (White has been vacillating with no clear strategy in view.

(This bold move avoids a draw by repetition and Black's queen is even more exposed than White's king.)