The Immortal Game

Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky

London, casual game · 1851 · 1-0

Preparing your chess set…

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

0 / 45 half-moves

Playback speed

Continuous playback · extra time at key moments

Following the game

The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

The emblem of the Romantic era. Anderssen gives up a bishop, both rooks and his queen, then mates with three minor pieces while Black's army sits undeveloped.

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

king's gambitsacrificesking huntromantic chess

Coming up

2. f4

Offer a pawn for activity

The idea

With 2. f4, Anderssen challenges the e5 pawn and offers his own f-pawn. If Black accepts, White can build a centre and develop quickly, but the diagonal toward White’s king becomes exposed.

Follow the continuation

The game continues 2...exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+. The bishop immediately points at f7, while Black uses the newly opened diagonal to check the king.

Remember

A gambit buys time and open lines at a material cost. Always examine the checks your pawn move makes possible.

Coming up

3... Qh4+

A check that changes king safety

The idea

The queen on h4 checks along h4–g3–f2–e1. White’s f-pawn has left that diagonal, so the king is exposed before White has finished developing.

Follow the continuation

Anderssen chooses 4. Kf1, giving up castling rights. Black then plays ...b5, while White continues to develop and looks for activity to compensate for the displaced king.

Remember

An early check can have a lasting cost even when it wins no material. Track castling rights as well as the immediate threat.

Coming up

4... b5

Deflect the attacking bishop

The idea

Black offers the b-pawn with ...b5, attacking the bishop on c4. Accepting draws that bishop away from its diagonal toward f7 and gives Black time to develop.

Follow the continuation

After 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nf3, White develops with an attack on the queen on h4. Black retreats to h6, so both sides are competing to gain useful moves with threats.

Remember

When a pawn attacks a piece, compare the value of taking it with the time spent moving that piece again.

Coming up

16... Bc5

A rook is under attack

The idea

The bishop arrives on c5 and looks down the clear diagonal c5–d4–e3–f2–g1. White’s rook on g1 is now attacked, but Black’s king is still on e8.

Follow the continuation

White answers 17. Nd5 instead of saving the rook. After ...Qxb2, Anderssen plays Bd6, concentrating his remaining pieces around the black king.

Remember

Before answering a material threat, check whether you can create a stronger threat against the king. Ignoring an attack requires a concrete plan.

Coming up

17. Nd5

A knight takes the centre

The idea

Nd5 brings the c3 knight to a powerful central square. It attacks the queen on f6 and controls e7 and c7, important squares near Black’s uncastled king.

Follow the continuation

Black moves the queen to b2 and takes a pawn. White then plays 18. Bd6, tightening the net around e8 while leaving the rooks exposed.

Remember

A developing move with a threat can gain a tempo. Central knights are especially useful when they also take away king escapes.

Coming up

18. Bd6

Let the rooks go

The idea

Bd6 places the bishop on a diagonal toward e7 and f8. Black can capture the rook on g1 with the bishop, and the queen on b2 also has a route to the rook on a1.

Follow the continuation

The game follows 18...Bxg1 19. e5 Qxa1+ 20. Ke2. White loses both rooks, but the bishop and two knights remain close enough to threaten the king.

Remember

Count active attackers, not just material totals. A sacrifice is justified by the resulting threats, not by how spectacular it looks.

Coming up

19. e5

Cut off the queen’s return

The idea

The pawn advances to e5, blocking the diagonal from Black’s queen on b2 toward g7. This makes it harder for the queen to return to the kingside when White’s knight enters g7.

Follow the continuation

Black takes the other rook with ...Qxa1+. After 20. Ke2 Na6, White plays 21. Nxg7+, using the square that the queen can no longer reach along the diagonal.

Remember

An attacking pawn move can be valuable because it blocks a defender’s route. Look for interference as well as direct threats.

Coming up

21. Nxg7+

Drive the king onto d8

The idea

Nxg7+ captures a pawn and checks the king on e8. The knight on g7 also controls f8 and e6, while the knight on d5 helps restrict the king’s central escape squares.

Follow the continuation

Black plays ...Kd8. Anderssen then places his queen on f6 with check, setting up a final deflection of the knight on g8.

Remember

Forcing the king onto a particular square can prepare a combination. Ask which escape squares your other pieces already control.

Coming up

22. Qf6+

Deflect the last knight

The idea

Qf6+ checks the king on d8 along f6–e7–d8. The queen offers itself to the knight on g8, which currently guards e7.

Follow the continuation

After 22...Nxf6, White plays 23. Be7#. The knight has been drawn away from e7, allowing the bishop to deliver the final check.

Remember

When a defender guards the mating square, look for a forcing way to lure it elsewhere. A queen can be expendable if mate follows.

Coming up

23. Be7#

Three minor pieces finish the game

The idea

The bishop on e7 checks the king on d8 and is protected by the knight on g7. The knight on d5 covers c7 and e7, while the bishop also controls c5 and f8 along its diagonals.

Follow the continuation

Black’s own pieces occupy c8 and d7. The knight on d5 controls c7 and e7, and the knight on g7 covers e8. The king has no legal escape, and the adjacent diagonal check cannot be blocked.

Remember

A mating net depends on controlled squares and blocked exits. A bishop and two coordinated knights can outweigh a huge material deficit.

← Famous games

The Immortal Game

Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky

London, casual game · 1851 · 1-0

Preparing your chess set…

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

0 / 45 half-moves

Playback speed

Continuous playback · extra time at key moments

Following the game

The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

The emblem of the Romantic era. Anderssen gives up a bishop, both rooks and his queen, then mates with three minor pieces while Black's army sits undeveloped.

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

king's gambitsacrificesking huntromantic chess

Coming up

2. f4

Offer a pawn for activity

The idea

With 2. f4, Anderssen challenges the e5 pawn and offers his own f-pawn. If Black accepts, White can build a centre and develop quickly, but the diagonal toward White’s king becomes exposed.

Follow the continuation

The game continues 2...exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+. The bishop immediately points at f7, while Black uses the newly opened diagonal to check the king.

Remember

A gambit buys time and open lines at a material cost. Always examine the checks your pawn move makes possible.

Coming up

3... Qh4+

A check that changes king safety

The idea

The queen on h4 checks along h4–g3–f2–e1. White’s f-pawn has left that diagonal, so the king is exposed before White has finished developing.

Follow the continuation

Anderssen chooses 4. Kf1, giving up castling rights. Black then plays ...b5, while White continues to develop and looks for activity to compensate for the displaced king.

Remember

An early check can have a lasting cost even when it wins no material. Track castling rights as well as the immediate threat.

Coming up

4... b5

Deflect the attacking bishop

The idea

Black offers the b-pawn with ...b5, attacking the bishop on c4. Accepting draws that bishop away from its diagonal toward f7 and gives Black time to develop.

Follow the continuation

After 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nf3, White develops with an attack on the queen on h4. Black retreats to h6, so both sides are competing to gain useful moves with threats.

Remember

When a pawn attacks a piece, compare the value of taking it with the time spent moving that piece again.

Coming up

16... Bc5

A rook is under attack

The idea

The bishop arrives on c5 and looks down the clear diagonal c5–d4–e3–f2–g1. White’s rook on g1 is now attacked, but Black’s king is still on e8.

Follow the continuation

White answers 17. Nd5 instead of saving the rook. After ...Qxb2, Anderssen plays Bd6, concentrating his remaining pieces around the black king.

Remember

Before answering a material threat, check whether you can create a stronger threat against the king. Ignoring an attack requires a concrete plan.

Coming up

17. Nd5

A knight takes the centre

The idea

Nd5 brings the c3 knight to a powerful central square. It attacks the queen on f6 and controls e7 and c7, important squares near Black’s uncastled king.

Follow the continuation

Black moves the queen to b2 and takes a pawn. White then plays 18. Bd6, tightening the net around e8 while leaving the rooks exposed.

Remember

A developing move with a threat can gain a tempo. Central knights are especially useful when they also take away king escapes.

Coming up

18. Bd6

Let the rooks go

The idea

Bd6 places the bishop on a diagonal toward e7 and f8. Black can capture the rook on g1 with the bishop, and the queen on b2 also has a route to the rook on a1.

Follow the continuation

The game follows 18...Bxg1 19. e5 Qxa1+ 20. Ke2. White loses both rooks, but the bishop and two knights remain close enough to threaten the king.

Remember

Count active attackers, not just material totals. A sacrifice is justified by the resulting threats, not by how spectacular it looks.

Coming up

19. e5

Cut off the queen’s return

The idea

The pawn advances to e5, blocking the diagonal from Black’s queen on b2 toward g7. This makes it harder for the queen to return to the kingside when White’s knight enters g7.

Follow the continuation

Black takes the other rook with ...Qxa1+. After 20. Ke2 Na6, White plays 21. Nxg7+, using the square that the queen can no longer reach along the diagonal.

Remember

An attacking pawn move can be valuable because it blocks a defender’s route. Look for interference as well as direct threats.

Coming up

21. Nxg7+

Drive the king onto d8

The idea

Nxg7+ captures a pawn and checks the king on e8. The knight on g7 also controls f8 and e6, while the knight on d5 helps restrict the king’s central escape squares.

Follow the continuation

Black plays ...Kd8. Anderssen then places his queen on f6 with check, setting up a final deflection of the knight on g8.

Remember

Forcing the king onto a particular square can prepare a combination. Ask which escape squares your other pieces already control.

Coming up

22. Qf6+

Deflect the last knight

The idea

Qf6+ checks the king on d8 along f6–e7–d8. The queen offers itself to the knight on g8, which currently guards e7.

Follow the continuation

After 22...Nxf6, White plays 23. Be7#. The knight has been drawn away from e7, allowing the bishop to deliver the final check.

Remember

When a defender guards the mating square, look for a forcing way to lure it elsewhere. A queen can be expendable if mate follows.

Coming up

23. Be7#

Three minor pieces finish the game

The idea

The bishop on e7 checks the king on d8 and is protected by the knight on g7. The knight on d5 covers c7 and e7, while the bishop also controls c5 and f8 along its diagonals.

Follow the continuation

Black’s own pieces occupy c8 and d7. The knight on d5 controls c7 and e7, and the knight on g7 covers e8. The king has no legal escape, and the adjacent diagonal check cannot be blocked.

Remember

A mating net depends on controlled squares and blocked exits. A bishop and two coordinated knights can outweigh a huge material deficit.