Wilhelm Steinitz

Wilhelm Steinitz was the first official World Champion of chess. Known for his original contributions to chess strategy such as his ideas on positional play, his theories were held in high regard by disparate chess players such as Aron Nimzovitch, Siegbert Tarrasch[?], and Emanuel Lasker. Lasker, who took the championship from Steinitz, once said, "I who defeated Steinitz shall do justice to his theories, and I shall avenge the wrongs he sufferred."