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."