Anderssen vs Kieseritzky
London | ?
210
[Event "London"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Anderssen"] [Black "Kieseritzky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C33"] [Opening "KGA: Bishop's Gambit"] 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.} 1... 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.} 8... 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.} 11... 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.} 14... 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.} 16... 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.} 17... Qxb2 18. Bd6 { Thus begins the "Immortal Sacrifice".} 18... 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.} 20... 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.} 22... 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
1-0
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