The Game
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White: Anderssen Black: Dufresne Opening: ECO C52
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4
- This is the Evans Gambit, a popular opening in the 19th century and still seen occasionally today. White gives up material to gain an advantage in development.
4... Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. 0-0 d3?!
- This isn't considered to be a good response; alternatives include 7...dxc3 or 7...d6.
8. Qb3!?
- This immediately attacks the f7-pawn, but FIDE Master Graham Burgess suggests 8.Re1 instead (Burgess, Nunn & Emms 2004:20).
8... Qf6 9. e5 Qg6
- White's e5-pawn cannot be taken; if 9...Nxe5, then 10.Re1 d6 11.Qa4+, forking the king and bishop to win a piece.
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10. Re1! Nge7 11. Ba3 b5?!
- Rather than defending his own position, Black offers a counter-sacrifice to activate his a8-rook with tempo. Burgess suggests 11...a6 instead, to allow the b-pawn to advance later with tempo (Burgess, Nunn & Emms 2004:21).
12. Qxb5 Rb8 13. Qa4 Bb6
- Black cannot castle here because 14. Bxe7 would win a piece, as the knight on c6 cannot simultaneously 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 (Burgess, Nunn & Emms 2004:21–22). The Chessmaster computer program annotation says "this is not without danger, as Black now obtains an open g-file for counterplay."
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17... gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8 19. Rad1! Qxf3?
- After 19...Qxf3, the black queen cannot be captured because the rook on g8 pins the white pawn on g2 (see diagram). Black now threatens to take either on f2 or g2, both major threats to the white king, but Anderssen has a shattering resource available.
20. Rxe7+! Nxe7?
- The passive alternative 20...Kd8 does hold longer, but White is better after 21.Rxd7+ Kc8 22.Rd8+ Kxd8 (22...Rxd8 23.gxf3) 23.Bf5+ (Chessmaster gives 23.Be2+) Qxd1+ 24.Qxd1+ Nd4 25.g3.
21. Qxd7+!! Kxd7 22. Bf5++
- Double checks like this move are powerful because they force the king to move. Here it is decisive.
22... Ke8
- 22...Kc6 loses to 23.Bd7# (checkmate).
23. Bd7+ Kf8
- If 23...Kd8, then either 24.Bxe7 or 24.fxe7 are mate.
24. Bxe7# 1–0
Savielly Tartakower said, "A combination second to none in the literature of the game." (Tartakower & du Mont 1975:35).
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Read more about this topic: Evergreen Game
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