Steinitz Defence - Definition and Key Ideas

Steinitz Defence

Definition

The Steinitz Defence is a family of solid yet somewhat passive setups that Wilhelm Steinitz—the first official World Chess Champion—employed and analysed extensively in the late-19th century. Today the term most commonly designates the line of the Ruy Lopez beginning 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6, known as the Old Steinitz Defence, and its more flexible cousin 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6, called the Steinitz Defence Deferred. In both cases Black supports the e5-pawn with …d6 and prepares a kingside fianchetto or central counter-thrusts while keeping the position closed.

Strategic Ideas and Usage

Steinitz’s writings stressed the importance of a sound defensive foundation before launching active operations. His defence embodies that philosophy:

• Central Control – …d6 bolsters e5 and makes d4 more difficult for White, slowing typical Ruy Lopez pressure.
• Flexibility – Black may castle kingside or delay castling, choose …g6 & …Bg7 setups, or strike later with …f5 or …d5.
• Space Concession – By not challenging the centre immediately, Black accepts slightly cramped play and must defend accurately against a potential kingside bind.
• Piece Placement – Knights often reach e7 and g6, while the light-squared bishop can emerge via …Bd7–g4 or stay passive on c8 depending on White’s plan.

In modern praxis the Old Steinitz (3…d6 directly) is considered risky because the un-developed queenside leaves Black vulnerable to early tactical blows such as 4.d4 or 4.Bxc6 + bxc6 5.d4. The Deferred Steinitz (adding …a6 first) is more popular and objectively sound; it avoids some direct refutations and yields a rich strategic game, though Black still fights for full equality.

Main Lines

1. Old Steinitz: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6
   4.d4 Bd7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.O-O Be7 – Steinitz’s original treatment; Black aims for …O-O and perhaps …exd4, …Re8 and …Bf8-g7.

2. Steinitz Deferred: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6
   5.c3 Nf6 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 b5 8.Bb3 O-O – a modern tabiya in which Black can later choose …Na5 …c5 or …Bb7 and …Re8 d5 breaks.

3. Boleslavsky Variation vs. Deferred: 5.Bxc6 + bxc6 6.d4 – an attempt to exploit Black’s doubled c-pawns and delayed development.

Historical Significance

Steinitz’s advocacy of the defence illustrated his shift from the romantic, sacrificial style of the 1860s to a more scientific, positional approach. Although many contemporaries considered the line “cowardly,” Steinitz proved that careful defence and counter-attack could outclass speculative assaults.
The defence featured in several championship matches, notably Steinitz – Zukertort (1886) and Steinitz – Chigorin (1889), reinforcing Steinitz’s strategic principles that now underpin modern chess.

Illustrative Games

• Steinitz vs. von Bardeleben, Hastings 1895
  . A classic illustration of Steinitz’s patient build-up culminating in a sudden kingside mating attack.
  
• Anand vs. Ivanchuk, Linares 1992 – Modern treatment of the Deferred Steinitz where Black equalised smoothly with …Na5 and …c5.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The line was once nicknamed the “Old” Steinitz to distinguish it from the then-fashionable Steinitz Variation of the French Defence (3.Nc3 Nf6) and from Steinitz’s later refinement (the Deferred Defence).
• Steinitz reportedly defended his system by saying “the king is a strong piece and should be used as such,” a philosophy evident when he sometimes left his monarch in the centre behind the stout d6 – e5 phalanx.
• World Champion Emanuel Lasker, Steinitz’s successor, employed the Steinitz Defence sparingly but successfully—proof of its resilience when handled energetically.
• Despite computer assessments favouring White by roughly +0.40 in modern engines, the Deferred Steinitz still appears in elite play as a surprise weapon; Alexander Grischuk and Teimour Radjabov have both used it in rapid events.

When to Choose the Steinitz Defence

Select the Steinitz Defence if you:

• Enjoy strategic manoeuvring over sharp early tactics.
• Are comfortable defending slightly cramped positions in exchange for a robust pawn centre.
• Wish to sidestep heavily analysed Marshall and Berlin systems of the Ruy Lopez.
• Like to guide the game toward middlegames rich in pawn breaks (…f5, …d5) and knight manoeuvres (…Ne7-g6, …Nc6-e7-g6).

Conclusion

The Steinitz Defence is more than an opening line; it is a philosophical statement echoing Wilhelm Steinitz’s belief in strong defensive foundations and gradual accumulation of small advantages. Though no longer at the forefront of opening theory, it remains a practical, instructive choice that teaches the value of solidity, flexibility, and counter-punching play.