The Evergreen Game (1852)

Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne
Berlin, 1852

Just one year after the Immortal Game, Adolf Anderssen produced another timeless masterpiece. The Evergreen Game, named by Austrian master Wilhelm Steinitz because its brilliance would remain "ever green" (forever fresh), features a dazzling combination where Anderssen sacrifices his queen to create an unstoppable mating attack. While less famous than the Immortal Game, many connoisseurs consider the Evergreen Game to be an even finer work of art.

Historical Context

After winning the London 1851 tournament, Anderssen was recognized as the world's strongest player. Jean Dufresne was a German master and chess writer who would later author a popular chess handbook. This game was played in Berlin, likely as a casual game between friends.

The Romantic era was in full bloom. Players sought beauty in their games, valuing spectacular combinations over quiet positional play. Anderssen was the master of this style -- his ability to conjure attacks from seemingly innocuous positions was unmatched.

The Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 -- The Evans Gambit! One of the most aggressive openings of the 19th century. White sacrifices a pawn to gain time and open lines.

4...Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d3?! -- Black tries to keep the extra pawn, but this is slow. Modern theory prefers returning the pawn for active play.

8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Re1 Nge7 11.Ba3 -- White has a powerful initiative. The bishop on a3 prevents Black from castling. The pawn on e5 clamps down on the center.

11...b5? -- A natural attempt to challenge the bishop on c4, but it creates weaknesses. Black's position is already difficult.

12.Qxb5 Rb8 13.Qa4 Bb6 14.Nbd2 Bb7 -- White has won back the pawn and maintains a strong initiative. Black has developed the bishop to b7, eyeing the long diagonal, but White's pieces are more actively placed.

15.Ne4 Qf5? -- The queen goes to f5, but this allows a devastating tactical sequence. Black needed to find a way to castle or consolidate.

16.Bxd3! -- Capturing the advanced pawn and clearing the way for the combination. The bishop on d3 now attacks the queen on f5.

16...Qh5 -- The queen retreats. Black's position looks defensible on the surface -- they have extra material and the position seems complex. But Anderssen has calculated a stunning combination.

17.Nf6+!! -- The first thunderbolt! The knight leaps to f6 with check, forking the king and the queen (and threatening Nd5+ discoveries). This move is the beginning of one of chess history's most beautiful combinations.

17...gxf6 18.exf6 -- The pawn recaptures, opening the e-file and threatening the knight on e7 while also cutting off the Black king's escape to the kingside.

18...Rg8 -- Black defends as best as possible, putting the rook on the g-file.

19.Rad1! -- Anderssen brings the last piece into the attack. Every single White piece is now aimed at the Black king. The rook joins the d-file, and the coordination of White's forces is complete.

19...Qxf3? -- Dufresne captures the knight, hoping to relieve pressure. He may have thought this was his best chance, winning material while the White queen is far from the action. But Anderssen has seen deeper.

20.Rxe7+! Nxe7 -- The rook sacrifice! Anderssen gives up the rook on e7, smashing open the position around the Black king. Black must capture.

21.Qxd7+!! Kxd7 22.Bf5+ Ke8 23.Bd7+ Kf8 24.Bxe7# CHECKMATE!

The queen sacrifice on move 21 is breathtaking. Anderssen gives up his queen (after already sacrificing the rook), and the bishops deliver a forced checkmate. The final position is pure beauty: the two bishops (d7 and e7) combine with the f6 pawn to create an inescapable mating net. The Black king on f8 has no squares -- d7 and e7 are covered by bishops, g8 is blocked by Black's own rook, g7 is covered by the f6 pawn, and f7 is covered by the d7 bishop.

The Brilliance Explained

The double sacrifice. Giving up first a rook (20.Rxe7+) and then the queen (21.Qxd7+!!) requires extraordinary vision. Anderssen had to see that after the queen sacrifice, the bishops alone would deliver checkmate.

The bishop pair in action. The two bishops on f5 and e7 (after maneuvering) cover all the escape squares. This is a textbook demonstration of the bishop pair's power in open positions.

The preparation. The combination didn't come from nowhere. Anderssen's earlier moves -- Nf6+, exf6, Rad1 -- all set the stage. Each move improved the coordination of his pieces while creating the conditions for the final blow.

The quiet move 19.Rad1! Before the fireworks, Anderssen calmly brought his last piece into the game. This patience -- developing the final attacker before launching the combination -- is a lesson for all chess players.

Comparison with the Immortal Game

Both games feature stunning sacrifices and beautiful checkmates. But while the Immortal Game has a wild, almost chaotic energy, the Evergreen Game has a more structured elegance. The combination flows logically from the preceding play, and each sacrifice is part of a precise sequence leading to forced checkmate.

Steinitz preferred the Evergreen Game, calling it the more sophisticated achievement. Others prefer the raw excitement of the Immortal Game. Both are treasures of chess art.

Lessons from the Evergreen Game

1. Develop all your pieces before attacking. Anderssen's 19.Rad1! brought the last piece into play before the combination. Don't launch an attack with pieces still at home.

2. Open lines against the king. The pawn on f6 and the open e-file were crucial to the final combination. Keeping lines open toward the enemy king is essential for any attack.

3. Bishops are powerful in open positions. The two bishops delivered the final checkmate. In open positions, bishops can cover enormous areas of the board.

4. Calculate before sacrificing. Anderssen's sacrifices were not speculative -- they were precisely calculated to force checkmate. When you sacrifice, make sure you've seen the whole line.

The Evergreen Game continues to inspire players more than 170 years after it was played. Its combination of strategic preparation and tactical brilliance makes it, as Steinitz predicted, forever green.