Grandmaster games · Casual game during the London tournament 1851
The Immortal Game
Two rooks, a bishop and then the queen, all given away so that three minor pieces could mate: the most celebrated sacrificial game of the romantic age.
The setting
London, June 1851: the first international tournament has brought the best players together, and between rounds Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky sit down to a friendly game. Kieseritzky sent the moves to the Paris journal La Régence, which printed them that July. The nickname 'Immortal Game' came from Ernst Falkbeer in 1855. Kieseritzky's own report is said to end at White's 20th move; the final mating moves are the traditional continuation, and may have been announced rather than played.
Why study it
Live it from inside both minds. Anderssen gives up a pawn, castling and then both rooks because every one of Black's pieces is still at home. Kieseritzky takes everything on offer, and the engine shows how much of the time that was right, and the three moves where it was not.
Live it from inside a mind
Each player speaks in the first person, in a voice of their own: what they see, what they fear, the lines they calculate, why they choose. Switch minds at any move.
Adolf Anderssen
White · Germany
A mathematics teacher from Breslau and the player who won the London tournament of 1851, which made Anderssen the recognised best player of the time.
Lionel Kieseritzky
Black · France
A Paris chess teacher and a leading figure at the Café de la Régence. Kieseritzky analysed the Bryan Countergambit deeply and took part in London 1851.
A friendly game against Kieseritzky, between rounds of the tournament, so there is no clock to fear and no reason to play safely. Kieseritzky knows the King's Gambit and the lines that follow it better than most. I would rather give a pawn and get my pieces out than sit in a quiet position and wait.
A friendly game against Anderssen, between rounds of the tournament. I know the King's Gambit and I have analysed this very line with ...Qh4+ and ...b5 at length, so I will accept the pawn and trust my preparation. A pawn up and White's king on f1 is a position I am happy to defend.
The game in 5 chapters
- 1
The gambit and the lost castling moves 1–7
Anderssen offers the f-pawn, Kieseritzky takes it and checks on h4, and White's king walks to f1. Black replies with the Bryan Countergambit, ...b5, and Black's queen and knight go wandering.
- 2
Knights on the rim moves 8–11
A white knight lands on f5 and stays there. Black's queen runs, Black's knight sits on h5, and Kieseritzky wins the bishop on b5 with 11...cxb5, the pawn grab that decides the game.
- 3
The queen is chased moves 12–16
h4 and h5 drive the black queen back and forth, Qf3 threatens Bxf4 and e5, and Black retreats the knight to g8. By move 16 Black has a queen, a bishop and a rook-pawn out and nothing else developed, while White has the pieces out.
- 4
Two rooks and a bishop moves 17–19
Nd5 hits the queen, Qxb2 wins a pawn and eyes a1, then Bd6 offers both rooks. Black takes the rook on g1, and e5 answers; the second rook falls on a1 with check.
- 5
Three pieces against everything moves 20–23
Ke2, then Nxg7+, Qf6+ and Be7: the queen is given away so that the bishop mates on e7, with two knights and a king all doing a job.