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ANNOTATED GAME

"The Immortal Game"
Adolph Anderssen vs. Lionel Kieseritzky
Annotated by: tag1153 (1700)
Chess opening: KGA (C33), bishop's gambit, Bryan counter-gambit
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Pages: 12
The game that follows is my second Adolph Anderssen masterpiece. First named "the Immortal Game" by Austrian superstar Ernst Falkbeer, this is perhaps Anderssen's finest work ever - and quite possibly the most famous game of chess ever played. In it, Anderssen plays the King's Bishop Gambit (which I am totally unfamiliar with). After sacrificing a bishop, BOTH rooks, AND his queen, Anderssen delivers a mate that is truly inspired by some higher power. How many of us GameKnot patzers would ever dream of winning a game with a -21 material deficit? While the normal human would be scared senseless at the prospect of having his king so exposed (and from such an early point), Anderssen attacks like a man possesed (and after studying his games, I think he very well may have been:) I will try to provide a commentary (with some liberal usage of key points made by players far more keen than I) that will keep you tuned into the mind of this master. I hope you enjoy:)
1. e4 e5 2. f4
King's Gambit - an Anderssen favorite.
9 comments
 
2... exf4
King's Gambit Accepted. In studying this opening a little, I have learned that this is usually the best response for black. We must have SOME King's Gambit players out there, and I would love to play against you to become more familiar with this opening:)
6 comments
 
3. Bc4
King's Bishop Gambit. My research shows that 3. Nf3 is a much more standard response.
4 comments
 
3... Qh4+ 4. Kf1 b5
Bryan's Counter-Gambit. Named for American ameteur Thomas Jefferson Bryan who studied it extensively in Paris and London in the 19th century. It aims to gambit a pawn while harrassing white's light squared bishop. This kind of play is WAAAAY over my head. I think most of us would agree that black needs to accelerate his development. But what do I know?
7 comments
 
5. Bxb5
Regaining material equality.
3 comments
 
5... Nf6
Eying the e pawn.
1 comment
 
6. Nf3
The beginning of a developmental attack on the black queen.

 
6... Qh6 7. d3
Protecting e4, and aiming at f4. Supposedly, Anderssen spent a lot of time on this one.....
2 comments
 
7... Nh5
Protecting the f pawn and threatening 8...Ng3 , winning a rook for a knight.

 
8. Nh4
Does anyone else notice a seemingly non-chalant attitude by Anderssen about his piece development? I have no idea what would prompt such a move. There are PAGES of analysis about this move that have been published.
2 comments
 
8... Qg5
Threatening 9...Qxh4 OR 9...Qxb5.
1 comment
 
9. Nf5
The only move to stop 9...Qxb5.

 
9... c6
And it appears that the harrassment of the bishop has begun.
5 comments
 
10. g4
! Anderssen is willing to let the bishop fall as he starts a plan of attacking the black queen. First things first though - that Nh5 need to be forced to a square that restricts the queen's escape.
3 comments
 
10... Nf6 11. Rg1
!Sacrifice #1 - Bye Bye Bishop. Safer plays included Ba4 or Bc4, but Anderssen had bigger plans.
1 comment
 
11... cxb5 12. h4
Notice the little box that the black queen is trapped in.
1 comment
 
12... Qg6
Forced.

 
13. h5 Qg5
Forced again.

 
14. Qf3
Threatening to play Bxf4 followed by e5.
1 comment
 
14... Ng8
Forced yet again. Black has to create an escape path for his queen. We now approach the 15th move of the game, and notice that now only one piece on the whole board is developed!
4 comments
 

Pages: 12