Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941) was the world chess champion from 1894 to 1920, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Born in Berlinchen, Prussia on December 24, 1868, Lasker was the son of a Jewish cantor. When he was 11 years old, he was sent to Berlin to study mathematics. In Berlin, he lived with his older brother, who taught him how to play chess to pass the time. The brothers were poor, but Lasker soon found that he could make a little money by beating other players at the local chess clubs. His favorite place to play was the Cafe Kaiserhof, where he soon began winning tournaments.

In 1889, Lasker went to Breslau and won first place in one of the tournament's divisions. Later that year, he traveled to Amsterdam, where he came in second against very highly regarded players. He went to London in 1890, returned to win...