Steinitz having elevated chess to a science starts out very systematical and explains movement, mode of capture and the value of the various pieces. The bulk of the book is an analysis of six openings: The Ruy Lopez, Double Ruy Lopez, The Scotch Gambit, The Two Knight's Defence, Petroff's Defence and Philidor's Defence. He concludes with all 17 games played in the match Steinitz - Tchigorin, Havana 1889, which was won by Steinitz.
Steinitz also started to write part 2.
1st edition 1889; 237 pages.
word count: 84861 which is equivalent to 339 standard pages of text