Anderssen – Kieseritzky

Known as the “Immortal Game” this magnificent example of Adolf Anderssen’s combinative powers is still considered one of the best games of all time.

Metadata » Click to open.

Date: 1851.??.??
Location: ?
Tournament: London
Round:
Opening:
Submitted by:
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "London"] [Site "?"] [Date "1851.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Anderssen"] [Black "Kieseritzky"] [Result "1-0"] [PlyCount "45"] 1.e4 {Known as the "Immortal Game" this magnificent example of Adolf Anderssen's combinative powers is still considered one of the best games of all time.} e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 b5 {The Bryan Counter-Gam bit where Black wishes to draw the bishop away from the a2-g8 diagonal.} 5.Bxb5 Nf6 6.Nf3 Qh6 {The Black queen proves to be out of play here. Better was 6...Qh5.} 7.d3 Nh5 {7...g5 was a more natural way to defend the f-pawn.} 8.Nh4 {8.Kg1 would stop Black's threat of Ng3+ winning the exchange. However, White would now drop a piece instead.} Qg5 9.Nf5 c6 {9...g6 10.h4 Qf6 11.Nc3 gxf5 12.Qxh5 would give White the lead in development.} 10.g4 Nf6 11.Rg1 {This piece sacrifice pursues White's agressive policy started with 8.Nh4. The important d5-square will now become available.} cxb5 12.h4 Qg6 {The queen is a useless bystander now.} 13.h5 Qg5 14.Qf3 {Threatens to trap the Black queen with 15.Bxf4.} Ng8 {So Black is forced to retreat to the home square.} 15.Bxf4 Qf6 16.Nc3 {Although White has only two pawns for a piece he has a winning position due to his large lead in development. Black's pieces, with the exception of the queen and the b-pawn, are all on their original squares.} Bc5 17.Nd5 {This introduces a double rook sacrifice, where White will give up both of his rooks, even though he is already a piece down.} Qxb2 18.Bd6 {Thus begins the "Immortal Sacrifice".} Qxa1+ {18...Bxd6 19.Nxd6+ Kd8 20.Nxf7+ Ke8 when White would have a forced mate in two.} 19.Ke2 Bxg1 {The best defense, as noted by Steinitz, was 19...Qb2, but fortunately for posterity Kieseritzky didn't figure that out. 19...Qxg1 would again allow White a forced mate.} 20.e5 {By blocking the queen off the protection of his g-pawn. White is threatening to mate in two with 21.Nxg7+ Kd8 22.Bc7 mate.} Na6 {Black covers the c7 square from White's dark squared bishop. However, just when you think Black might defend, Anderssen explodes the position with yet another brilliant line.} 21.Nxg7+ Kd8 22.Qf6+ {By sacrificing the queen White has mate next move.} Nxf6 {The only move.} 23.Be7# {A forced mate by three minor pieces while Black still has most of his pieces on the board. Truly a magnificent game...The Immortal Game.} 1-0