Q 01/05

Whom did Wilhelm Steinitz beat in the 1886 match recognised as the first world championship?

A) Adolf Anderssen

B) Mikhail Chigorin

C) Johannes Zukertort

D) Isidor Gunsberg

Answer · why

C) Johannes Zukertort

Steinitz won and became the first official champion; the two had already met in an 1872 match that Steinitz took 7–1.

Q 02/05

For how many years did the longest-serving world champion hold the title?

A) 27

B) 15

C) 20

D) 24

Answer · why

A) 27

Emanuel Lasker reigned from 1894 to 1921 and once went ten years without defending the title at all.

Q 03/05

Which reigning champion died in 1946, leaving the title vacant and prompting FIDE to take over?

A) José Raúl Capablanca

B) Max Euwe

C) Emanuel Lasker

D) Alexander Alekhine

Answer · why

D) Alexander Alekhine

He is still the only champion to die while holding the title, which is why a 1948 tournament rather than a match chose his successor.

Q 04/05

How many players actually competed in the 1948 championship tournament that ended the interregnum?

A) 4

B) 5

C) 6

D) 8

Answer · why

B) 5

Six were invited from the 1938 AVRO field, but Reuben Fine dropped out to finish a psychology degree, and Botvinnik won convincingly.

Q 05/05

Under which new body did Kasparov and Short play their 1993 match after breaking from FIDE?

A) World Chess Council

B) Professional Chess Association

C) Grand Chess Federation

D) International Chess Union

Answer · why

B) Professional Chess Association

FIDE responded by stripping Kasparov of its title, and for the first time there were two world champions at once.