Annotated chess game: Immortal Game

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ANNOTATED GAME

Immortal Game
Adolf Anderssen (N/A) vs. Lionel Kierseritzky (N/A)
Annotated by: tomwhufc (1200)
Chess opening: KGA (C33), bishop's gambit, Bryan counter-gambit

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1. e4

I am sure many people have annotated this game on this site. I just thought I'd have a go at annotating the 'Immortal Game.' Hope you like this wonderful game. It shows the romantic spirit of the mid 1800s loved to attack first at the expence pf material. This is how the game should be played, when was the last game you can say you won a game when you were 21 points down. I wish I could! "Adolf Anderssen was one of the strongest players of his time, and was considered by many to be the world champion after winning the 1851 London tournament. Lionel Kieseritzky lived in France much of his life, where he gave chess lessons, and played games for five francs an hour at the Caf� de la Regence in Paris. Kieseritzky was well known for being able to beat lesser players despite handicapping himself - by playing without his queen, for example. The immortal game was an informal one, played between these two great players at the Simpson's-in-the-Strand Divan in London. Kieseritzky was very impressed when the game was over, and telegraphed the moves of the game to his Parisian chess club. The French chess magazine La Regence published the game in July 1851. This game was later nicknamed "The Immortal Game" in 1855 by the Austrian Ernst Falkbeer. Lionel Kieseritzky This game is acclaimed as an excellent demonstration of the style of chess play in the 1800s, where rapid development and attack were considered the most effective way to win, where many gambits and counter-gambits were offered (and not accepting them would be considered slightly ungentlemanly), and where material was often held in contempt. These games, with their rapid attacks and counter-attacks, are often entertaining to review, even if some of the moves would no longer be considered the best by today's standards."-Wikipedia. This is considered the main opening for the majority of GMs

1... e5

Black meets White's centralization of a pawn with one of his own. Standard.

2. f4

The King's Gambit. White offers up the f-pawn in exchange for fast development, control over the centre and an attack on f7.White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn and build a stronger center with d2-d4. Theory has shown that in order for Black to maintain the one pawn advantage, moves must be made that seriously weaken the position of the Black pieces. The King's Gambit is now rarely seen at the master level. However it was popularized by Fischer, Spassky and Bromstien. Black can obtain a reasonable position by relinquishing the extra pawn at a later time and consolidating defensively.

2... exf4

Black takes up White's offer by accepting the the free pawn. This by far the best way that Black can play aginst the KG in my opinion. Other options include: 2...d5!? The Falkbeer Counter-Gambit; 2...Bc5 which is the most reliable way to decline the gambit.

3. Bc4

The King's Bishop Opening.This move is contradictory to the opening principle that you should move your knights before bishops. HOwever it is an adequate move. It was famously played by Bobby Fischer with 100% scored In this opening when White doesn't play 3.Nf3, he allows Black to get in 3...Qh4 , but the check is considered double-edged since Black may lose time in retreating the queen in some lines.

3... Qh4+

Black forsakes the principal "Knights and Bishops before the Queen and Rooks," for an early check.

4. Kf1

Andersson wants to develop rapidly and he doesn't care if it is at the expence of castling rights. If 4.g3, than 4...fxg3!

4... b5

?! This is the Bryan Counter-Gambit, named for Thomas Jefferson Bryan. It is not considered a sound move by modern players. The idea is to return the pawn by forcing White's bishop off the a2-g8 diagonal where it can easily be attacked a second time with a timely c6. Mainline is 4...d5 5.Bxd5 Bd6

5. Bxb5 Nf6

Development of pieces are paramount for both sides.

6. Nf3

White attacks Black's queen. Blacks early check with the queen now makes black regret his decision because now he will have to lose time retreating his queen.

6... Qh6 7. d3

Protecting the e-pawn as well as setting up an attack on f4. I prefer 7.Nc3

7... Nh5

The knight moves to protect the f-pawn. Better would be to develop the bishop to e7.Another move that is deemed superior is 7...Bc5.

8. Nh4

The white knight heads for the outpost square on f5. This is sometimes praised as Anderssen's attacking intelligence, however some people say that 8.Rg1 is better.

8... Qg5

The Queen moves to avoid the coming attack by the knight. At this point, Black's queen has now made three moves in the opening phase of the game. It also threatens 9...Qxh4 or 9...Qxb5.

9. Nf5

! This prevents 9...Qxb5. It also puts the knight in a very commanding position.

9... c6

?! Black now attacks the bishop, but I don't think this move is good enough. The idea is to support the pawn push to d5. The problem is that ...c6 takes away the strong space for Black's knight on b8. A much better move would have been 9...g6 which immediately attacks whites overly attacking knight.

10. g4

! Piece attack and Black cannot take en passant due to his queen's vulnerable position.

10... Nf6

Black's knight has now moved three times in the opening. Black is three tempos behind.

11. Rg1

!White protects the g-pawn while leaving his bishop en prise. Much more safer more solid play lies in 11. Ba4 or 11.Bc4. However if Anderssen played a different move here he would not have been able to create this masterful masterpiece.

11... cxb5

Piece capture. White loses his bishop, but for what compensation? We shall see further down the line as White is now a bishop and a pawn down.

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