Misplaced Pages

Evergreen Game: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from[REDACTED] with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 10:16, 31 July 2011 editIhardlythinkso (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers75,441 edits edits to lead← Previous edit Revision as of 10:39, 31 July 2011 edit undoIhardlythinkso (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers75,441 edits copyedits to leadNext edit →
Line 2: Line 2:
The '''Evergreen game''' is a famous ] game played in ] in 1852 between ] and ]. The '''Evergreen game''' is a famous ] game played in ] in 1852 between ] and ].


Adolf Anderssen was one of the strongest players of his time, and was considered by many to be the world champion after winning the ]. Jean Dufresne, a popular author of chess books, was considered {{Who|date=April 2011}} a master of lesser but still considerable skill. Adolf Anderssen was one of the strongest players of his time, and was considered by many to be the world champion after winning the ]. Jean Dufresne, a popular author of chess books, was considered {{Who|date=April 2011}} a master of lesser but still considerable skill. This was an informal game, like the ].


This was an informal game, as was the ]. ] later described the game as the "evergreen in Anderssen's laurel wreath", thus giving this game its name. The German word ''Immergrün'' (Evergreen), used by Steinitz, refers to a specific ] plant, called Periwinkle (]) in English. The symbolic meaning is expressed in the French translation, the "Forever Young Game" (''La Toujours Jeune''). ] later described the game as the "evergreen in Anderssen's laurel wreath", thus giving this game its name. The German word ''Immergrün'' (Evergreen), used by Steinitz, refers to a specific ] plant, called Periwinkle (]) in English. The symbolic meaning is expressed in the French translation, the "Forever Young Game" (''La Toujours Jeune'').
{{algebraic notation|pos=tocleft}} {{algebraic notation|pos=tocleft}}


Line 10: Line 10:
{{Chess diagram|= {{Chess diagram|=
| tright | tright
|'''White: Anderssen<br>Black: Dufresne<br>Opening: ], C52''' |'''White: Anderssen&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Black: Dufresne<br/>Opening: ], C52'''
|= |=
|rd| |bd|qd|kd| |nd|rd|= |rd| |bd|qd|kd| |nd|rd|=

Revision as of 10:39, 31 July 2011

Game animation

The Evergreen game is a famous chess game played in Berlin in 1852 between Adolf Anderssen and Jean Dufresne.

Adolf Anderssen was one of the strongest players of his time, and was considered by many to be the world champion after winning the London 1851 tournament. Jean Dufresne, a popular author of chess books, was considered a master of lesser but still considerable skill. This was an informal game, like the Immortal Game.

Wilhelm Steinitz later described the game as the "evergreen in Anderssen's laurel wreath", thus giving this game its name. The German word Immergrün (Evergreen), used by Steinitz, refers to a specific evergreen plant, called Periwinkle (Vinca) in English. The symbolic meaning is expressed in the French translation, the "Forever Young Game" (La Toujours Jeune).

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

The game

White: Anderssen     Black: Dufresne
Opening: Evans Gambit, C52
abcdefgh
8a8 black rookc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingg8 black knighth8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawnc6 black knighta5 black bishopc4 white bishope4 white pawnc3 white pawnd3 black pawnf3 white knighta2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queenf1 white rookg1 white king8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The position after 7... d3?!

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 captured; if 9...Nxe5, then 10.Re1 d6 11.Qa4+, forking the king and bishop for the win of a piece.
abcdefgh
8a8 black rookc8 black bishope8 black kingg8 black knighth8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawnc6 black knightg6 black queena5 black bishope5 white pawnc4 white bishopb3 white queenc3 white pawnd3 black pawnf3 white knighta2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishope1 white rookg1 white king8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The position after 10. Re1!

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 (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."
abcdefgh
8b8 black rooke8 black kingg8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black bishopc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black knightf7 black pawnh7 black pawnb6 black bishopc6 black knightf6 white pawna4 white queena3 white bishopc3 white pawnd3 white bishopf3 black queena2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawnd1 white rooke1 white rookg1 white king8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The position after 19... Qxf3?

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 position). Black now threatens to take either on f2 or g2, both major threats endangering the white king, but there is a shattering resource available.

20. Rxe7+! Nxe7?

The alternative passive response of 20...Kd8 does hold for a while but White is better after 21.Rxd7+ Kc8 22.Rd8+ Kxd8 (22...Rxd8 23.gxf3+-) 23.Bf5+ Qxd1+ 24.Qxd1+ Nd4 25.g3. Chessmaster: "Black cannot escape with 20...Kd8, in view of 21.Rxd7+! Kc8 22.Rd8+ Kxd8 (or 22...Rxd8 23.gxf3) 23.Be2+, winning."

21. Qxd7+!! Kxd7 22. Bf5+

Double checks are dangerous because they force the king to move. Here it is not only dangerous but decisive.
abcdefgh
8b8 black rookf8 black kingg8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black bishopc7 black pawnd7 white bishope7 white bishopf7 black pawnh7 black pawnb6 black bishopf6 white pawnc3 white pawnf3 black queena2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawnd1 white rookg1 white king8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The final position after 24. Bxe7#

22... Ke8

22...Kc6 loses to 23.Bd7 checkmate.

23. Bd7+ Kf8

23...Kd8 is mated by 24.Bxe7# or 24.fxe7#.

24. Bxe7# 1–0

Savielly Tartakower said, "A combination second to none in the literature of the game." (Tartakower & du Mont 1975:35)

See also

References

External links

Categories:
Evergreen Game: Difference between revisions Add topic