[Event "London"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1851.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anderssen"]
[Black "Kieseritzky"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "45"]
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.}
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.}
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.}
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.}
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.}
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.}
Qxb2 18.Bd6
{Thus begins the "Immortal Sacrifice".}
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.}
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.}
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
[Site "?"]
[Date "1851.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anderssen"]
[Black "Kieseritzky"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "45"]
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.}
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.}
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.}
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.}
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.}
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.}
Qxb2 18.Bd6
{Thus begins the "Immortal Sacrifice".}
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.}
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.}
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
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