GameKnot: annotated chess game - "The Immortal Game"

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ANNOTATED GAME:

"The Immortal Game"
Adolph Anderssen vs. Lionel Kieseritzky
Annotated by: tag1153

(1434)
Chess opening: KGA (C33), bishop's gambit, Bryan counter-gambit

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	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.
	5 comments rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: it's not so popular these days, cos ways have been discovered for black to keep the pawn whilst keeping the rest of their position under control. jasong222 (1206) on 07-Oct-07: Why do you keep flipping who is on top and bottom...? That makes it very difficult to follow the game... kv-ly (1268) on 02-Nov-08: The King's Gambit isn't in my opening repertoire. I don't like playing with that structure. sarasani (1868) on 20-Jul-09: lol...jasong222, you can choose 'View as:' white or black, or flip accordingly at the top of this page. It's your own choice. :) davidliu2009 (1050) on 04-Sep-09: I don't particularly like it. -


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:)
	2 comments rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: You need to play e5 to have a chance of facing kings gambit tag, something you never do! kv-ly (1268) on 02-Nov-08: Not capturing the pawn is just cowardly. -


3. Bc4	King's Bishop Gambit. My research shows that 3. Nf3 is a much more standard response.
	2 comments rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: To prevent. 3. Qh4+ earmouse (1320) on 19-Sep-09: Anderssen moves his bishop out to c4, strengthening white's hold on the center of the board, and attacking the weak f7 pawn. (This pawn is weak since it is guarded only by the King.) These early moves may suggest a kingside attack. Kieseritzky (black) will move his queen to h4, putting white in check. This isn't anything like a checkmate, but it will destroy the king's ability to castle, thus leaving him in the center of the board and much easier to attack. However, the Queen is now in the center of the board, and Kieseritzky will need to spend time protecting and repositioning the Queen. Anderssen is down a pawn, and can no longer castle. This is an interesting juncture in the game, since both players have made calculated risks, and it will take many more moves to see who made the better gamble. -


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?
	2 comments rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: your right tag! This isn't played any more, cos it's a pretty poor gambit! If black wants to play a counter gambit to catch up in development, surely d5 is appropiate? Harrasses the bishop whilst efficiently developing the white bishop. Still, guess we're smarter than people back then. pruza (1520) on 08-Sep-09: how black queen and b-pawn came out together?? -


5. Bxb5	Regaining material equality.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1416) on 06-Oct-08: Because it is, as rt4sm said, a poor gambit - capturing the pawn is the best response! -


5... Nf6	Eying the e pawn.
	-


6. Nf3	The beginning of a developmental attack on the black queen.
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6... Qh6 7. d3	Protecting e4, and aiming at f4. Supposedly, Anderssen spent a lot of time on this one.....
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7... Nh5	Protecting the f pawn and threatening 8...Ng3 , winning a rook for a knight.
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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.
	1 comment rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: To get to f5, whilst stopping the threat of Ng3+. Note black would like to play d6 to get the white bishop to solve the f5 problem, but thanks to blacks 'counter gambit' the d pawns pinned. -


8... Qg5	Threatening 9...Qxh4 OR 9...Qxb5.
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9. Nf5	The only move to stop 9...Qxb5.
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9... c6	And it appears that the harrassment of the bishop has begun.
	1 comment rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: Surely g6 is better to try and remove the knight from it's unpleasantly offensive base? -


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.
	1 comment rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: Just for once, i disagree with white. I can't see a lot wrong with 10. cxb5 11. gxh4 g6 for black, forcing the knight away and meaning the queen isn't restricted by a knight on f6. Perhaps white should have played Rg1 first, then after cxb5 g4 will definitely force the knight onto f6. But since that results in exactly the same position as occured in the game it doesn't matter in the slightest. -


10... Nf6 11. Rg1	!Sacrifice #1 - Bye Bye Bishop. Safer plays included Ba4 or Bc4, but Anderssen had bigger plans.
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11... cxb5 12. h4	Notice the little box that the black queen is trapped in.
	1 comment johnnyk12 (1164) on 30-Jun-09: Black now finds himself forced to run away with this queen for a few moves while white strengthens his position and continues his attack. -


12... Qg6	Forced.
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13. h5 Qg5	Forced again.
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14. Qf3	Threatening to play Bxf4 followed by e5.
	1 comment rt4sm (2289) on 29-Aug-07: Bxf4 also traps the queen, as well as e5! Ng8 is the only way black can stop both these threats. -


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!
	1 comment johnnyk12 (1164) on 30-Jun-09: There is a large space disparity between white and black. This is the deciding factor. -

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