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Home , Adolf Anderssen, Double check, Exchange (chess), Immortal Game, Jean Dufresne, Paul Morphy

Photo – Dr. Alex Bolton Winner of First International Tournament 1851

Adolf Anderssen (July 6, 1818 – March 13, 1879) was a German chess master, who by today’s standards would have been awarded the title of . He was regarded as the world’s strongest player in the 1850s and 1860s, although he was temporarily dethroned in 1858 by the meteoric rise of the American .

After his defeat by 1866, Anderssen improved his play and became the most successful tournament player in Europe, winning over half the events he entered even though he was over the age of 50! Today, Anderssen is best remembered for his brilliant sacrificial attacking play as epitomized in the “Evergreen Game" (P41) and the "" (P48).

Anderssen £ Sacrifices

In this section we look at £ sacrifices from the brilliant attacking play of Adolf Anderssen the German master and winner of the very first International – London 1851.

Anderssen – Dufresne, 1852 (P41, Exercise16)

The “Evergreen Game” is one of the true treasures in chess literature. With his own ¢ threatened with mate in one, Anderssen unleashes an followed by a stunning “attraction” £ sacrifice that pulls the black ¢ into a mating net.

Harritz – Anderssen, Breslau Match 1848 (P43, Exercise17)

With his £ under attack, Anderssen places his ¤ under attack as well and threatens a ¦+¤ mate on the white ¢. White defends the d1 mate square, but Anderssen uses the back rank threats against the white ¢ to net a ¥.

Nathan – Anderssen, Berlin 1850 (P45 Exercise18)

With his ¤ on e5 pinned to his £ and attacked by a , Anderssen unleashes a powerful double attack which offers his £ but forces mate on the boxed in white ¢.

Anderssen - Mayet, Berlin 1848 (P46 Exercise19)

Out of the opening, Anderssen sacrificed his ¦ in the corner on a1. From move 12 on, we are treated to a classic attack that culminates in the sham £ sacrifice 20.£xb8+, which allows White to promote his passed e-pawn and emerge a full piece ahead in the endgame.

Anderssen - Falkbeer, Berlin 1851 (P47 Exercise20)

With his £ on e2 under attack and his f3 ¤ pinned, Anderssen exploits his own along the d- file to sacrifice his £ and expose the black back rank. When Black declines the offer, two moves later Anderssen again offers his £ to ensure the of his passed d-pawn.

Anderssen - Kieseritzky, London 1851 (P48 Exercise21)

The “Immortal Game” is one of the most precious jewels in the crown of chess literature. It was an informal game played during a break in a tournament and took place at the prestigious Simpson’s-in-the-Strand in London.

Anderssen sacrificed both his ¦s and then finishes off the boxed-in black ¢ with a beautiful £ sacrifice that forces mate with a ¥ and 2¤s.

“The Immortal Game” Suriname 1984

Anderssen - Kieseritzky, London Match G8 1851 (P49 Exercise22)

In some ways the attacking play is actually deeper than in the “Immortal Game”. Anderssen’s ¤ on f3 is pinned to his £ on d1, but with 18.¤xg5!! he still offers his £ to blast open the g-file. The stunning follow up is 19.¤f5!! trapping the black £ on h6. Black manages to maintain material equality, but his exposed ¢ on h6 and lack of piece coordination allow Anderssen to win material.

Anderssen - Kieseritzky, London Match G8 1851 (P52 Exercise23)

Anderssen sacrificed pawns on the queenside and built up his attack along the g-file with 25.gxf6! and 26.¦hg1! When Black played the defensive error 26.¢h8?, Anderssen’s 28.£h6! set up the unstoppable attraction £ sacrifice 29.£xh7+!! weaving a mating net.

K Adolf Anderssen White could continue with 21.¦xd7+! XABCDEFGHY k 8-tr-mk-+r+( Berlin 1852 7zplzpR+p+p' XABCDEFGHY 6-vln+-zP-+& 8-tr-+k+r+( 5+-+-+-+-% 4Q+-+-+-+$ 7zplzppsnp+p' 3vL-zPL+q+-# 6-vln+-zP-+& 2P+-+-zPPzP" 5+-+-+-+-% 1+-+R+-mK-! 4Q+-+-+-+$ xabcdefghy ¦ SACRIFICE 3vL-zPL+q+-# (ANALYSIS) 2P+-+-zPPzP" 1+-+RtR-mK-! a) 21…¢xd7 22.¥f5+ ¢e8 23.¥d7+ ¢d8 24.¥xc6+ £xd1 25. £xd1 ¢c8 26.£d7 mate. xabcdefghy The Evergreen Game b) 21…¢c8 22.¦d8+!! XABCDEFGHY 20.¦xe7+! 8-trktR-+r+( XABCDEFGHY 7zplzp-+p+p' 8-tr-+k+r+( 6-vln+-zP-+& 5+-+-+-+-% 7zplzpptRp+p' 4Q+-+-+-+$ 6-vln+-zP-+& 3vL-zPL+q+-# 5+-+-+-+-% 2P+-+-zPPzP" 4Q+-+-+-+$ 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy 3vL-zPL+q+-# ¦ SACRIFICE 2P+-+-zPPzP" (ANALYSIS) 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy b1) 22…¢xd8 23.¥e2+ wins the black £. b2) 22...¦xd8 23.gxf3 wins the black £. EXCHANGE SACRIFICE b3) 22...¤xd8 23.£d7+!! is similar to the game continuation. White pulls the trigger on one of the most beautiful combinations in the . 21.£xd7+!! XABCDEFGHY 20…¤xe7!? 8-tr-+k+r+( After 20...¢d8!? XABCDEFGHY 7zplzpQsnp+p' 8-tr-mk-+r+( 6-vl-+-zP-+& 7zplzpptRp+p' 5+-+-+-+-% 6-vln+-zP-+& 4-+-+-+-+$ 5+-+-+-+-% 4Q+-+-+-+$ 3vL-zPL+q+-# 3vL-zPL+q+-# 2P+-+-zPPzP" 2P+-+-zPPzP" 1+-+R+-mK-! 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy xabcdefghy £ SACRIFICE (ANALYSIS) Anderssen sacrifices his £ to attract the black ¢ to the d7 square where he will be If 22…¢c6 then 23.¥d7+ is mate. subject to the white attackers. XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-mk-+r+( 21…¢xd7 22.¥f5+ 7zplzpLvLp+p' XABCDEFGHY 6-vl-+-zP-+& 8-tr-+-+r+( 5+-+-+-+-% 7zplzpksnp+p' 4-+-+-+-+$ 6-vl-+-zP-+& 3+-zP-+q+-# 2P+-+-zPPzP" 5+-+-+L+-% 1+-+R+-mK-! 4-+-+-+-+$ xabcdefghy 3vL-zP-+q+-# ¦ +2 ¥ MATE 2P+-+-zPPzP" (ANALYSIS)

1+-+R+-mK-! 24.¥xe7 mate. xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY DOUBLE 8-tr-+-mkr+( 7zplzpLvLp+p' The power of a : the defender has no TIME to capture both pieces 6-vl-+-zP-+& delivering check! In this case the white ¦ on 5+-+-+-+-% d1 and ¥ on f5 are both unprotected, but 4-+-+-+-+$ immune from capture! 3+-zP-+q+-# 2P+-+-zPPzP" 22…¢e8 1+-+R+-mK-! If 22…¢c6 then 23. ¥d7+ is mate. xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY 2 ¥ + PAWN MATE 8-tr-+-+r+( 7zplzpLsnp+p' Chess players of the period were impressed 6-vlk+-zP-+& by this kind of greatness. However, the old 5+-+-+-+-% combinational school, led by Anderssen, 4-+-+-+-+$ 3vL-zP-+q+-# would meet its match in the battle against 2P+-+-zPPzP" the modernized warfare techniques of Paul 1+-+R+-mK-! Morphy, whose tactics had much better xabcdefghy positional foundations.

¦ +2 ¥ MATE (ANALYSIS) 23.¥d7+ ¢f8