Play Chess Against Adolf Anderssen

Adolf Anderssen (1818-1879), the German attacking master who won the first international tournament and produced the Immortal Game, sits across the board. Set the strength, clock, color and starting position, then press Start game.

Play Anderssen now

Portrait of Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen — Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen, 1818-1879.

Black · Adolf Anderssen10:00

Choose the settings, then press Start game.

White · You10:00

Adolf Anderssenhistorical player

Preparing the board.

Set the game on the right. Start unlocks the board and starts the side-to-move clock.

Set up your game against Adolf Anderssen

Adolf Anderssen stays selected. Choose the playing strength, clock, color and starting position.

OpponentAdolf AnderssenStrength1500Clock10+5You playWhite

Opponent

Adolf Anderssen remains selected while you choose the settings for this game.

Adolf Anderssen1818-1879

Playing strength

Legend playing strength100-point steps

1500

1500Anderssen, 1500 Elo target2600

Time control

The first number is the starting time in minutes. The second is the increment after each completed legal move.

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All chess legends

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About Adolf Anderssen

Adolf Anderssen seated in Breslau in 1863

Adolf Anderssen (1818-1879) was the strongest player in the world through most of the 1850s and 1860s, the era between Morphy and Steinitz. A mathematics teacher from Breslau, he won London 1851, the first international chess tournament, and filled that period with the most romantic attacking games ever played. His Immortal Game and Evergreen Game, both built on sacrifices of whole armies, are still among the first masterpieces many students meet. He lost matches to Morphy and Steinitz, then proved his class again by winning Baden-Baden 1870 ahead of Steinitz.

Won London 1851Took first at the first international tournament ever held, beating Staunton on the way

The Immortal GameSacrificed both rooks and his queen to mate Kieseritzky in London in 1851

The Evergreen GameAnother sacrificial masterpiece, against Jean Dufresne in Berlin in 1852

Baden-Baden 1870 winnerFinished first ahead of Steinitz at the strongest tournament of its time

1818
Born in Breslau
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was born on 6 July 1818 in Breslau, Prussia. He learned chess from his father and later taught mathematics at the local gymnasium.
1846
Strongest in Breslau
By the mid-1840s he was the best player in his home city and had begun publishing chess problems.
1851
Wins London
Won the first international chess tournament, defeating Lionel Kieseritzky, Jozsef Szen and Howard Staunton before beating Marmaduke Wyvill in the final.
1851
The Immortal Game
In a friendly game played during the London tournament he gave up a bishop, both rooks and his queen to mate Kieseritzky, the most famous attacking game ever played.
1852
The Evergreen Game
Against Jean Dufresne in Berlin he produced another cascade of sacrifices, later named the Evergreen Game.
1858
Beaten by Morphy
Lost the Paris match to Paul Morphy 2-7 with 2 draws, a result that settled who the best active player in the world was.
1866
Loses to Steinitz
Lost a match to Wilhelm Steinitz in London 6-8, all fourteen games decisive, a passing of the torch toward the scientific school.
1870
Wins Baden-Baden
At fifty-two he won the great Baden-Baden tournament ahead of Steinitz, often called his finest tournament victory.
1879
Death in Breslau
Died in his home city on 13 March 1879. His games remained the model of romantic attacking chess for generations.