Evergreen game
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The evergreen game is a famous chess game played in 1852 by Adolf Anderssen and Jean Dufresne.
Adolf Anderssen was one of the stongest players of his time, and was considered by many to be the world champion after winning the 1851 London tournament. Jean Dufresne was a popular author of chess books, and did manage to win a few games against masters.
This was an informal game, like the "immortal game". Wilhelm Steinitz later identified the game as being the "evergreen in Anderssen's laurel wreath", giving this game its name.
The game is recorded below in algebraic chess notation. It can also be downloaded in PGN format.
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4
- This is the "Evans Gambit", a popular opening in the 1800s and still seen occasionally today. White gives up material to gain an advantage in development.
- 4...Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d3?!
- This isn't considered to be a good response; alternatives include dxc3 or d6.
- 8. Qb3!?
- This immediately attacks the f7 pawn, but Burgess suggests Re1 instead.
- 8.... Qf6 9. e5 Qg6
- White's e5 pawn cannot be captured; if 9... Nxe5, then 10. Re1 d6 11. Qb5+, forking the king and bishop for the win of a piece.
- 10. Re1! Nge7 11. Ba3 b5?!
- Rather than defending his own position, black offers a counter-sacrifice to activate his queen's rook with tempo. Burgess suggests 11. ...a6 instead to allow the b-pawn to advance later with tempo.
- 12. Qxb5 Rb8 13. Qa4 Bb6
- Black cannot play O-O here because 14. Bxe7 would win as piece as the knight on c6 cannot simulanteously protect the knight on e7 and the bishop on a5.
- 14. Nbd2 Bb7 15. Ne4 Qf5? 16. Bxd3 Qh5 17. Nf6+!?
- This is a beautiful sacrifice, although Burgess notes that 17. Ng3 Qh6 18. Bc1 Qe6 19. Bc4 wins material in a much simpler way.
- 17.... gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8 19. Rad1! Qxf3
- The black queen cannot be captured because the rook on g8 pins the white pawn on g2 (see position).
| Template:Chess position |
| After 19....Qxf3 |
- 20. Rxe7+! Nxe7? 21. Qxd7+!! Kxd7 22. Bf5+
- Double-checks are dangerous because they force the king to move. Here it is not only dangerous but decisive.
- 22.... Ke8 23. Bd7+ Kf8 24. Bxe7# 1-0
- Savielly Tartakower said, "A combination second to none in the literature of the game."
References
- Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms. The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games. 1998. New York: Carroll and Graf Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-7867-0587-6.
- Eade, James. Chess for Dummies. 1996. Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. ISBN 0-7645-5003-9.
- Savielly Tartakower and J. du Mont. 500 Master Games of Chess. Dover Publications, June 1, 1975, ISBN 0486232085.
- Wheeler, David A. http://www.dwheeler.comde:Immergrüne Partie