The Evergreen Game

Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne

Berlin, casual game · 1852 · 1-0

Preparing your chess set…

Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play

0 / 47 half-moves

Playback speed

Continuous playback · extra time at key moments

Following the game

The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

Named by Wilhelm Steinitz for its lasting freshness. An Evans Gambit becomes a race between Black's attack on g2 and White's attack on the king, settled by a queen sacrifice and a double check.

Scroll through every key moment at your own pace. Turn on Follow game to return to the current lesson as playback continues.

Themes to watch

evans gambitdouble checkqueen sacrifice

Coming up

4. b4

Buy time for the centre

The idea

The Evans Gambit begins with b4, offering a pawn to the bishop on c5. White wants to gain time by attacking that bishop again with c3 and then build a pawn centre with d4.

Follow the continuation

After 4...Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4, White has gained central space. The game continues ...exd4 7. O-O, putting the king into safety before the attack develops.

Remember

Opening sacrifices are investments in time. Use the moves you gain to develop pieces and secure your king.

Coming up

11. Ba3

A bishop cuts across the board

The idea

Ba3 develops the bishop onto the a3–f8 diagonal. It eyes e7 and f8, making Black’s kingside development and castling arrangements uncomfortable.

Follow the continuation

Black plays ...b5 and White captures with Qxb5. The queen is then chased by ...Rb8, but the bishop remains on a3 and later plays a decisive role in the mating attack.

Remember

A strong diagonal can matter many moves later. Notice which king escapes a developed bishop takes away.

Coming up

17. Nf6+

Open lines with a knight sacrifice

The idea

Nf6+ gives check and offers the knight to the g7 pawn. After that pawn captures, White’s e5 pawn can recapture on f6, clearing the e-file and planting a pawn beside Black’s king.

Follow the continuation

The game continues 17...gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8. The open g-file also gives Black counterplay, so White must keep the initiative with forcing moves.

Remember

Opening a file can help both sides. Calculate the opponent’s threats whenever your sacrifice changes the pawn cover.

Coming up

19. Rad1

Bring the last rook into play

The idea

Rad1 puts White’s second rook on the d-file behind the bishop on d3. Black’s queen can capture the knight on f3, but White is preparing checks against the king on e8.

Follow the continuation

After 19...Qxf3, White plays 20. Rxe7+ Nxe7 21. Qxd7+. The rook sacrifice removes the e7 knight, and the queen then draws the king toward the d-file.

Remember

A threat to your king or material must be weighed against forcing checks. Calculate the full sequence before declining to defend.

Coming up

21. Qxd7+

Invite the king onto the open file

The idea

Qxd7+ captures the pawn on d7 and offers the queen to the king on e8. White’s rook is on d1, with the bishop on d3 temporarily blocking its line.

Follow the continuation

Black takes with ...Kxd7. White then plays Bf5+, moving the bishop off the file and delivering check from both bishop and rook.

Remember

A blocked rook can become an attacker in one move. Look for sacrifices that place the enemy king on the line behind your own piece.

Coming up

22. Bf5+

Two checks at once

The idea

Bf5+ checks along f5–e6–d7 and simultaneously opens the d-file for the rook on d1. Since two pieces give check, Black must respond by moving the king.

Follow the continuation

In the game, ...Ke8 is met by Bd7+; after ...Kf8, Bxe7# completes the attack. The bishop that began on a3 joins the finish by capturing on e7.

Remember

Double check sharply limits the defender’s choices. Capturing or blocking just one checking piece is not enough.

Coming up

24. Bxe7#

The bishops close the net

The idea

Bxe7# captures the knight on e7 and checks the king on f8. The pawn on f6 protects the bishop on e7 and controls g7, while the bishop on d7 controls e8.

Follow the continuation

The king cannot capture the protected bishop or escape to e8. Black’s own rook on g8 and pawns on f7 and g7 occupy the other nearby squares, leaving no legal response.

Remember

Pawns are essential attacking pieces. Here the advanced f-pawn both protects the mating bishop and removes an escape square.

← Famous games

The Evergreen Game

Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne

Berlin, casual game · 1852 · 1-0

Preparing your chess set…

Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play

0 / 47 half-moves

Playback speed

Continuous playback · extra time at key moments

Following the game

The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

Named by Wilhelm Steinitz for its lasting freshness. An Evans Gambit becomes a race between Black's attack on g2 and White's attack on the king, settled by a queen sacrifice and a double check.

Scroll through every key moment at your own pace. Turn on Follow game to return to the current lesson as playback continues.

Themes to watch

evans gambitdouble checkqueen sacrifice

Coming up

4. b4

Buy time for the centre

The idea

The Evans Gambit begins with b4, offering a pawn to the bishop on c5. White wants to gain time by attacking that bishop again with c3 and then build a pawn centre with d4.

Follow the continuation

After 4...Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4, White has gained central space. The game continues ...exd4 7. O-O, putting the king into safety before the attack develops.

Remember

Opening sacrifices are investments in time. Use the moves you gain to develop pieces and secure your king.

Coming up

11. Ba3

A bishop cuts across the board

The idea

Ba3 develops the bishop onto the a3–f8 diagonal. It eyes e7 and f8, making Black’s kingside development and castling arrangements uncomfortable.

Follow the continuation

Black plays ...b5 and White captures with Qxb5. The queen is then chased by ...Rb8, but the bishop remains on a3 and later plays a decisive role in the mating attack.

Remember

A strong diagonal can matter many moves later. Notice which king escapes a developed bishop takes away.

Coming up

17. Nf6+

Open lines with a knight sacrifice

The idea

Nf6+ gives check and offers the knight to the g7 pawn. After that pawn captures, White’s e5 pawn can recapture on f6, clearing the e-file and planting a pawn beside Black’s king.

Follow the continuation

The game continues 17...gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8. The open g-file also gives Black counterplay, so White must keep the initiative with forcing moves.

Remember

Opening a file can help both sides. Calculate the opponent’s threats whenever your sacrifice changes the pawn cover.

Coming up

19. Rad1

Bring the last rook into play

The idea

Rad1 puts White’s second rook on the d-file behind the bishop on d3. Black’s queen can capture the knight on f3, but White is preparing checks against the king on e8.

Follow the continuation

After 19...Qxf3, White plays 20. Rxe7+ Nxe7 21. Qxd7+. The rook sacrifice removes the e7 knight, and the queen then draws the king toward the d-file.

Remember

A threat to your king or material must be weighed against forcing checks. Calculate the full sequence before declining to defend.

Coming up

21. Qxd7+

Invite the king onto the open file

The idea

Qxd7+ captures the pawn on d7 and offers the queen to the king on e8. White’s rook is on d1, with the bishop on d3 temporarily blocking its line.

Follow the continuation

Black takes with ...Kxd7. White then plays Bf5+, moving the bishop off the file and delivering check from both bishop and rook.

Remember

A blocked rook can become an attacker in one move. Look for sacrifices that place the enemy king on the line behind your own piece.

Coming up

22. Bf5+

Two checks at once

The idea

Bf5+ checks along f5–e6–d7 and simultaneously opens the d-file for the rook on d1. Since two pieces give check, Black must respond by moving the king.

Follow the continuation

In the game, ...Ke8 is met by Bd7+; after ...Kf8, Bxe7# completes the attack. The bishop that began on a3 joins the finish by capturing on e7.

Remember

Double check sharply limits the defender’s choices. Capturing or blocking just one checking piece is not enough.

Coming up

24. Bxe7#

The bishops close the net

The idea

Bxe7# captures the knight on e7 and checks the king on f8. The pawn on f6 protects the bishop on e7 and controls g7, while the bishop on d7 controls e8.

Follow the continuation

The king cannot capture the protected bishop or escape to e8. Black’s own rook on g8 and pawns on f7 and g7 occupy the other nearby squares, leaving no legal response.

Remember

Pawns are essential attacking pieces. Here the advanced f-pawn both protects the mating bishop and removes an escape square.