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Adolf Anderssen
Anderssen 
 

Number of games in database: 842
Years covered: 1844 to 1878
Overall record: +428 -324 =75 (56.3%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 15 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Evans Gambit (106) 
    C51 C52
 King's Gambit Accepted (98) 
    C39 C33 C38 C37 C34
 Ruy Lopez (47) 
    C77 C65 C70 C61 C63
 French Defense (27) 
    C01 C13 C11 C14 C02
 Sicilian (23) 
    B20 B21 B45 B44 B43
 Two Knights (16) 
    C59 C58 C55 C56 C57
With the Black pieces:
 King's Gambit Accepted (95) 
    C33 C37 C39 C38
 Ruy Lopez (69) 
    C65 C67 C60 C64 C77
 Evans Gambit (65) 
    C52 C51
 Giuoco Piano (47) 
    C54 C50 C53
 Sicilian (35) 
    B40 B23 B20 B44 B46
 King's Pawn Game (24) 
    C44 C40 C20
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Anderssen vs Kieseritzky, 1851 1-0
   Anderssen vs Dufresne, 1852 1-0
   J Rosanes vs Anderssen, 1863 0-1
   Anderssen vs Zukertort, 1869 1-0
   C Mayet vs Anderssen, 1851 0-1
   J Rosanes vs Anderssen, 1862 0-1
   Anderssen vs Zukertort, 1865 1-0
   Anderssen vs B Suhle, 1860 1-0
   Anderssen vs E Schallopp, 1864 1-0
   Anderssen vs Paulsen, 1873 1-0

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   London (1851)
   London Chess Club Invitational (1851)
   Anderssen - Harrwitz (1848)
   Anderssen - Kolisch (1861)
   5th BCA Congress, London (1862)
   2nd NSB Congress, Hamburg (1869)
   Baden-Baden (1870)
   7th WSB Congress, Aachen (1868)
   Anderssen - Paulsen (1862)
   Anderssen - Steinitz (1866)
   8th WSB Congress, Barmen (1869)
   Leipzig (1877)
   Anderssen - Paulsen (1877)
   Vienna (1873)
   Paris (1878)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   19sp Anderssen - Blackburne - Charousek by Littlejohn
   19sp Anderssen - Blackburne - Charousek by Goatsrocknroll23
   Match Anderssen! by amadeus
   Match Anderssen! by chessgain
   1851 Beyond London Phil Max Isa by fredthebear
   vaskolon's with sacrifices Mr. ANDERSSON by vaskolon
   xOlde Kings ande theur Gamebits by fredthebear
   Kings Gambit by Nodreads
   vaskolon's PAUL MORPHY'S GAMES by vaskolon
   The Chess Champions (Romantic Era) by Owl
   vaskolon's favorite games by vaskolon
   Anderssen, Blackburne, Charousek by monet11
   Capn's Crunch Munched by Fredthebear by fredthebear
   attack_1900 by plerranov


Search Sacrifice Explorer for Adolf Anderssen
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ADOLF ANDERSSEN
(born Jul-06-1818, died Mar-13-1879, 60 years old) Germany

[what is this?]

Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was born in Breslau. He was one of the strongest players of his day and was regarded by some to be the World Champion after his victory in the London (1851) tournament.1,2 He lost this honor in the Anderssen - Morphy (1858) match. One year later, however, Paul Morphy retired from international chess, and Anderssen was able to regain his reputation as the world's leading player, drawing Ignatz von Kolisch in Paris 1860 (+5 -5 =1),3 and winning the Anderssen - Kolisch (1861) match in London (+4 -3 =2). Anderssen also won the London International 1862 over Louis Paulsen, who finished second.2 He subsequently drew him in the Anderssen - Paulsen Match (1862) match (+3 -3 =2). In 1866, Anderssen narrowly lost a match with Wilhelm Steinitz (+6 -8 =0). He scored his final great success by winning the Baden-Baden (1870) tournament, ahead of Steinitz and Joseph Henry Blackburne. 4

Anderssen is regarded as the quintessential Romantic, and his sacrificial brilliancies such as The Immortal Game (Anderssen vs Kieseritzky, 1851) and The Evergreen Game (Anderssen vs Dufresne, 1852) have stood the test of time.

However, Willy Hendriks in his book "The Ink Wars" argues that this view of Anderssen is too simplistic, and that games like "his very modern Sicilian victory" in Blackburne vs Anderssen, 1878 deserve more attention. Anderssen and Howard Staunton were two of the earliest champions of the Sicilian Defense. In his match against Morphy, he even originated Anderssen's Opening (1.a3) as a way of reaching the Sicilian with colors reversed (1.a3 e5 2.c4), with which he scored 1 1/2 out of 3 against Morphy.

Anderssen died of a heart attack at age 60. During World War II, bombing raids on his hometown damaged his grave.

Anderssen also played consultation chess on the teams of Adolf Anderssen / Johannes Zukertort / Dr C. Schmid, Adolf Anderssen / Allies, Anderssen / Stern, Anderssen / Goering / Allies & Adolf Anderssen / Bernhard Horwitz / Josef Kling.

Notes:

1 Wikipedia article: Adolf Anderssen

2 http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/v1l...

3 http://www.365chess.com/tournaments...

4 http://www.endgame.nl/bad1870.htm

Last updated: 2023-01-25 08:20:57

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 34; games 1-25 of 842  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. H Seligo vs Anderssen 1-0281844BreslauC26 Vienna
2. von der Lasa vs Anderssen 1-0211845BreslauC44 King's Pawn Game
3. Anderssen vs von der Lasa 0-1321845BreslauC38 King's Gambit Accepted
4. von der Lasa vs Anderssen 1-0481845BreslauC39 King's Gambit Accepted
5. Anderssen vs von der Lasa 1-0291845BreslauB01 Scandinavian
6. Anderssen vs von der Lasa 0-1281846BreslauC37 King's Gambit Accepted
7. von der Lasa vs Anderssen 0-1201846BreslauB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
8. Anderssen vs Harrwitz 0-1301848Anderssen - HarrwitzB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
9. Harrwitz vs Anderssen 0-1361848Anderssen - HarrwitzC33 King's Gambit Accepted
10. Harrwitz vs Anderssen 1-0321848Anderssen - HarrwitzC44 King's Pawn Game
11. Harrwitz vs Anderssen 0-1261848Anderssen - HarrwitzC33 King's Gambit Accepted
12. Anderssen vs Harrwitz 1-0281848Anderssen - HarrwitzB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
13. Anderssen vs Harrwitz 0-1341848Anderssen - HarrwitzD32 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch
14. Harrwitz vs Anderssen 0-1501848Anderssen - HarrwitzC33 King's Gambit Accepted
15. Anderssen vs Harrwitz 1-0371848Anderssen - HarrwitzC54 Giuoco Piano
16. Harrwitz vs Anderssen 0-1381848Blindfold exhibition gameC39 King's Gambit Accepted
17. Anderssen vs Harrwitz 0-1551848Anderssen - HarrwitzC01 French, Exchange
18. Harrwitz vs Anderssen 1-0171848Anderssen - HarrwitzC33 King's Gambit Accepted
19. Salpius vs Anderssen 1-0371849BerlinC52 Evans Gambit
20. Anderssen vs J Schlesinger 0-1301849Double blindfold gameC02 French, Advance
21. N D Nathan vs Anderssen 0-1221850Casual gameC39 King's Gambit Accepted
22. Dufresne vs Anderssen 1-0351851Casual gameC52 Evans Gambit
23. A Mongredien vs Anderssen  1-0201851Casual gameC24 Bishop's Opening
24. Anderssen vs Lowenthal 1-0201851Casual gameC33 King's Gambit Accepted
25. Anderssen vs Horwitz ½-½321851London Chess Club InvitationalC33 King's Gambit Accepted
 page 1 of 34; games 1-25 of 842  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Anderssen wins | Anderssen loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 9 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-05-05  SBC: <nikolaas>

While I knew Anderssen had been a published chess problemist prior to taking up chess competitvely, I had never been able to find any of his compostitions. Do you know the original source for the one you posted? (or where to find others)

thanks

Feb-10-05  Akiba: Hermann von Gottschall's bio, "Adolf Anderssen - Der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst" includes 80 problems of Anderssen. Edition Olms reprinted the book in the 1980s, I don't know if there has ever been an english edition (probably not).
Feb-11-05  SBC: <Akiba>

Thanks.

May-02-05  otoss: All 812 Anderssen games in this site:

http://chess-bg.nm.ru

May-27-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  chancho: Adolf Anderssen never married and lived with his Mother and Sister.This guy was very sociable and liked to drink with friends .I guess Chess was his special lady.
May-27-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  chancho: Morphy had promised Anderssen a rematch in Breslau, but never kept his promise.Too bad, Anderssen would have been more up to the challenge, and given Morphy a better fight.
Aug-15-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  BishopBerkeley: The resting-place of one of the true gentlemen of the Royal Game:

http://sbchess.sinfree.net/Andersse...

Bravo, Sarah Beth (<SBC>)!! Bravo, Herr Anderssen!

(: ♗ Bishop Berkeley ♗ :)

P.S. Am I to understand that Herr Anderssen won two of the last four games he played against Paul Morphy , one of them as Black? I wonder if these games are in true chronological order?

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

Sep-10-05  Gioachino Greco: I wonder if anyone has an opinion on who would win a match between a in-prime Anderssen and an in-prime Steinitz.

I have always suspected that Anderssen might just be able to surmount Steinitz's advantage in theory with his greater combinative ability. What do you think?

Sep-10-05  ughaibu: I think Anderssen's positionalness is under-rated. Have a look at Adolf Anderssen vs Steinitz, 1866 in which they bang on like a couple of hypermoderns followed by a long endgame. It could've been played last week.
Sep-10-05  percyblakeney: I think an in-prime Anderssen would have had a much better result against Morphy than he did, but that he still would have lost against both him and Steinitz. In 1866 Anderssen was a better player than when he played Morphy, while Steinitz was far from his prime and still won with 8-6. So I vote for Steinitz...
Sep-10-05  ughaibu: Unfortunately the validity of my previous post is questioned by the fact that the game linked to is not in Pickard or Chessbase.
Sep-10-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: <ughaibu> I nominate you as the most skeptical kibitzer for the upcoming Chessgames awards.

You do not even spare your own posts!

Sep-10-05  TIMER: Morphy was actually a year younger than Steinitz, but he stopped playing before Steinitz even entered the scene.
Sep-10-05  sneaky pete: <ughaibu> That game Adolf Anderssen vs Steinitz, 1866 <it could have been played last week> was probably played by someone like Ray Keene in the 1970ies. It's one of five 20th century games that are, for some incomprehensible reason, attributed to Anderssen and Steinitz (who, being real men, opened all their 1866 match games with the king's pawn).

The other spurious games are Adolf Anderssen vs Steinitz, 1866; Steinitz vs Adolf Anderssen, 1866; Steinitz vs Adolf Anderssen, 1866 and Steinitz vs Adolf Anderssen, 1866.

Sep-10-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <P.S. Am I to understand that Herr Anderssen won two of the last four games he played against Paul Morphy , one of them as Black? I wonder if these games are in true chronological order?>

No, they are not. The Evans Gambit that Anderssen won was the first game of his match with Morphy -- incidentally, it was the only Evans Gambit Morphy ever played in a serious match. Morphy had a low opinion of the gambit.

Here's how the match went from Anderssen's perspective. He had black in odd-numbered games. The match was played to seven wins.

W Evans Gambit 72 moves
D Ruy Lopez about 45 moves
L Ruy Lopez 21 moves
L Ruy Lopez about 53 moves
L Center Counter about 54 moves
L Sicilian Reversed (1. a3) 42 moves
L Center Counter 25 moves
D Sicilian Reversed 50 moves?
L Sicilian 17 moves
W Sicilian Reversed 77 moves
L Irregular 35 moves?

The King's Gambits between Morphy and Anderssen were casual games, played the day of the 17 move Sicilian I think. Morphy played the King's Gambit a few times in the Lowenthal match, but not against Anderssen or Harrwitz. He really wasn't a gambit player, his reputation notwithstanding. Here's an example of what Tartakower called "the real, the profound Morphy."

Morphy vs Lowenthal, 1858

Sep-18-05  Averageguy: What do you guys here think his better, the evergreen game or the immortal game?
Sep-20-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: I would vote for the Evergreen.
Sep-21-05  Hesam7: No offence meant, but the picture reminds me of Homer! LoL =))
Sep-21-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: What, he looks like he can't see? :-o
Sep-21-05  Hesam7: LoL <keypusher>, I meant "Homer J Simpson"!! =))
Oct-05-05  ConfusedPatzer: Ya I remember reading somewhere that Morphy was considered a dry player in his time! They must had no attention span back then when it came to chess.
Oct-28-05  Swindler: Does someone know what Anderssen achieved in the field of mathematics?
Dec-11-05  percyblakeney: Anderssen won his most famous games in the first years of the 1850’s, but he probably become a better player with every decade, and a couple of results from his last years are very impressive. Winning Baden-Baden 1870 ahead of Steinitz and Blackburne and finishing third behind the same players in Vienna 1873 is good enough, but his last big tournament wasn't bad either.

In Paris 1878 he was 60 years old and didn't have many months left to live. Blackburne and Mackenzie won the previous and following tournaments they played, but in their four games against Anderssen they didn’t reach one single draw. Anderssen finished sixth in a strong field after losing some games against the weaker players, but no one had a better result against the top four (Zukertort and Winawer shared first place).

Jan-16-06  Dim Weasel: A chess problem by Anderssen available in Dim Weasel chessforum.
Jan-16-06  FHBradley: <Swindler:> I believe Anderssen was a mathematics teacher in a Gymnasium, which, I suppose, is something like a high school. He is often referred to as a "professor", but that doesn't mean that he had a position at a university. I could be wrong, of course. On the other hand, being a Gymnasium teacher does not mean one could not be good, even brilliant, at mathematics, as is shown by the case of Leopold Löwenheim.
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