[Event "Adolf Anderssen - Lionel Kieseritzky, 1851 (The Immortal Game): Adolf Anderssen - Lionel Kieseritzky, 1851 (The Immortal Game)"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/agESaWbF/cScPsrC4"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C33"] [Opening "King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bryan Countergambit"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/flohahn22"] [UTCDate "2018.06.18"] [UTCTime "11:52:03"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/agESaWbF/cScPsrC4"] [Orientation "white"] { The romantic era of chess” is a period from around 1850 to 1950. In this period, chess players mainly relied on tactics, wild sacrifices and extremely dynamic play. One of the most famous games from the romantic era of chess is the game between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky. It was played in London in 1851. Nowadays, it is known as the "Immortal Game". Anderssen gave up almost all his pieces to checkmate his opponent. } 1. e4 e5 2. f4 { This is the King's Gambit. White offers a pawn as early as on move two to get a lead in development. The King's Gambit was a fashionable opening at that time. It leads the extremely sharp play. Today, due to the dominance of strong chess engines, databases and improved defensive techniques, the King's Gambit is considered to be a risky opening for White. The world's best players usually don't play it in serious tournament games. Still, playing the King's Gambit can be a lot of fun - even today. } { [%csl Re5][%cal Gf4e5] } 2... exf4 { Black accepts the Gambit. } 3. Bc4 { White quickly develops his bishop to an active square and eyes Black's pawn on f7. } { [%csl Rf7][%cal Gc4f7] } 3... Qh4+ { Black gives a check and forces White's king to move. Afterwards, White won't be able to castle. This shows us that the King's Gambit is a double-edged opening. White tries to go for a quick attack against Black's king, but is own king won't be safe either. } { [%csl Re1][%cal Rh4e1] } 4. Kf1 b5 { Black wants to drive away White's bishop from the dangerous a2-g8-diagonal. } { [%csl Rc4][%cal Gb5c4] } 5. Bxb5 { The material balance is restored. Both players took a pawn. However, the position remains sharp. } 5... Nf6 { Black develops a piece and attack the e4-pawn. } { [%csl Re4][%cal Gf6e4] } 6. Nf3 { [%csl Rh4][%cal Gf3h4] } 6... Qh6 7. d3 { White stabilizes his center. } { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gd3e4] } 7... Nh5 { This move threatens ...Ng3+. However, most of Black's pieces aren't developed and he moves a piece twice in the opening - a risky decision. } { [%csl Gh5][%cal Rh5g3,Yg3f1,Yg3h1] } 8. Nh4 { White stops the threat of ...Ng3+ and wants to bring his knight to f5. } { [%cal Gh4f5] } 8... Qg5 9. Nf5 c6 { [%csl Rb5][%cal Gc6b5] } 10. g4 { A weird move - Black can't take the pawn en passant as the f4-pawn is pinned. } { [%csl Rh5,Rb5][%cal Gg4h5,Gc6b5] } 10... Nf6 { [%csl Rg4][%cal Gf6g4,Gg5g4] } 11. Rg1 { White protects his pawn, but sacrifices a piece at the same time. The bishop on b5 is still hanging. } { [%csl Rb5][%cal Gc6b5] } 11... cxb5 { Black wins a whole piece, but loses time to develop his pieces. } 12. h4 { White has to go all out for an attack. He can't play calmly as he is a piece down. } { [%csl Rg5][%cal Gh4g5] } 12... Qg6 13. h5 Qg5 14. Qf3 { With this move, White creates two threats at the same time: 1. White plans to play 15.Bxf4, trapping Black's queen 2. White threatens to play 15. e5, attacking Black's knight on f6 and simultaneously the unprotected black rook at a8. } { [%csl Ra8,Rf6,Rf4,Gf3][%cal Ye4e5,Yc1f4,Gf3a8,Gf3f4] } 14... Ng8 { Black defends against both threats by retreating his knight. Now, the queen has an escape square on d8 and e4-e5 no longer attacks the knight on f6. However, Black moves his knight back to g8 and loses even more time. } 15. Bxf4 { A logical move - winning a pawn and developing a piece. } 15... Qf6 16. Nc3 Bc5 17. Nd5 { White brings his knight to the excellent d5-square. } { [%csl Rf6,Rc7][%cal Gd5f6,Gd5c7] } 17... Qxb2 { Black takes on b2 and attacks White's rook on a1. } { [%csl Ra1][%cal Gb2a1] } 18. Bd6 { A surprising move with a brilliant idea in mind by Anderssen. Black can't take the bishop as this would lead to mate. However, both White's rooks are hanging. } 18... Bxg1 (18... Bxd6? 19. Nxd6+ Kd8 20. Nxf7+ Ke8 21. Nd6+ Kd8 22. Qf8#) 19. e5 { With this move, White sacrifices another rook. However, White's move blocks the queen from participating in the defense as the a1-h8 diagonal is closed now. } 19... Qxa1+ 20. Ke2 Na6 { With this move, Black defends against the threat 21.Nxg7+ Kd8 22.Bc7#. However, White has another beautiful mate in 3 now. Can you spot it? } { [%csl Rc7][%cal Ga6c7] } 21. Nxg7+ Kd8 22. Qf6+ { [%cal Rf6d8] } 22... Nxf6 23. Be7# { This was chess in the romantic era. White sacrificed a queen, two rook and a bishop to mate Black with only three pieces - a masterpiece by Anderssen and one of the most famous chess games of all time. } *