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Adolf Anderssen
Anderssen 
 

Number of games in database: 837
Years covered: 1844 to 1878
Overall record: +428 -322 =72 (56.4%)*
   * 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 C60
 French Defense (27) 
    C01 C13 C11 C14 C10
 Sicilian (23) 
    B20 B21 B45 B32 B43
 Two Knights (16) 
    C59 C58 C55 C57 C56
With the Black pieces:
 King's Gambit Accepted (95) 
    C33 C37 C39 C38
 Ruy Lopez (68) 
    C65 C67 C60 C77 C64
 Evans Gambit (64) 
    C52 C51
 Giuoco Piano (47) 
    C54 C50 C53
 Sicilian (35) 
    B40 B23 B20 B44 B46
 King's Pawn Game (24) 
    C44 C20 C40
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 Chess Club Invitational (1851)
   London (1851)
   5th BCA Congress, London (1862)
   Anderssen - Kolisch (1861)
   Anderssen - Paulsen (1862)
   7th WSB Congress, Aachen (1868)
   2nd NSB Congress, Hamburg (1869)
   Baden-Baden (1870)
   Anderssen - Harrwitz (1848)
   Anderssen - Steinitz (1866)
   8th WSB Congress, Barmen (1869)
   Anderssen - Paulsen (1877)
   Leipzig (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
Search Google for Adolf Anderssen

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 837  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. Anderssen vs Lowenthal 1-0201851Casual gameC33 King's Gambit Accepted
24. Anderssen vs Horwitz ½-½321851London Chess Club InvitationalC33 King's Gambit Accepted
25. Dufresne vs Anderssen 0-1241851Casual gameC37 King's Gambit Accepted
 page 1 of 34; games 1-25 of 837  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 9 OF 9 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Mar-07-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  Joshka: <sudoplatov> That's amazing. Would never have believed it. Guess when playing Morphy one turns into a child! Thanks!
Apr-02-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  Joshka: Anderssen played most of the opponents Morphy would have played had Morphy continues to play, did he ever give an account of the strength of some of the up and comers that would have played Morphy? Or did he ever just flat out say, Morphy was the strongest I have ever faced? Since Morphy never played Steinitz, Anderssen seems to have the most authority when comparing strengths.
Jul-17-19  Chesgambit: sacrfice explorer search :
Adolf Anderssen
matchs
he played with Morphy
Anderssen died of a heart attack at the age of 60. During World War II, bombing raids on his hometown damaged his grave. https://www.kwabc.org/en/newsitem/a...
Mar-05-20  morfishine: I think chessmetrics rated Anderssen at around 2550, give or take a captured Knight or two flung over the shoulder
Mar-05-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <morfishine>
2744 on the Aug. 1870 chessmetrics list, so you're close if a captured knight or two flung over the shoulder are worth 200 rating points.
Mar-06-20  morfishine: Thats an impressive number <beatgiant>! I remember reading an article about 10 years ago that Chessmetrics had Anderssen at 2,550 and Morphy at around 2,720 (They had Alekhine at 2,690)

With more data to work with over time and Anderssen's rating being "revised" up to 2,744, where does that leave Morphy? 2,850 or thereabouts?

Nov-21-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: I have just noticed that Anderssen played 100 games in 1851.
Nov-27-20  unspiek: Anderssen's surname has a Danish look; does anyone know whether he had such a family background?
Dec-20-20  Marcelo Bruno: <unspiek> I remarked that it is true or his ancestors were from North Germany; remember a similar case, although of Lithuanian birth, Arved Heinrichsen (1876-1900).
Jan-02-21  Wanda Nida: adolf anderssen won the first major chess tournament and thus he should be world's first official chess champion!!!

http://encyclopediasupreme.org/0000... https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.ph... by yours truly!

Jan-03-21  WorstPlayerEver: Modern chess history started 1851 in London. The tournament book was one of the first chess books I got.
Mar-16-21  Z 000000001: Found this game in <Hazeltine's Chess Scrap-book v29 (1858)>:

<
[Event "casual"]
[Site "Cologne GER"]
[Date "1859.01.??"]
[Round ""]
[White "Anderssen, Adolf"]
[Black "NN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C51"]
[EventDate "1859.01.??"]
[Source "Hazeltine Scrapbook v29 (1858)"]
[Source_url "https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org
/digital/collection/p4014coll20/id/15844/rec/3"]
[Notes_1 "Source is a newspaper column(?)
- Louis Paulsen submitted the previously unpublished game"]
[Notes_2 "Source error on move w11 - see comment in PGN"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.O-O d6 7.d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9.d5 Na5 10.Bb3 Nf6 11.Bb2 The Hazeltine scrapbook source gives "11. ♗ to ♕ 3d" which is nonsensical. ( 11.Qd3 O-O 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Na4 Qd7 14.Nxb6 axb6 15.h3 Bh5 16.Kh2 Qe7 17.Re1 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nh5 19.Rg1 f6 20.Qd2 Rf7 21.Qh6 ) ( 11.Be3 O-O 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Na4 Qd7 14. Nxb6 axb6 15.h3 Bh5 16.Kh2 Qe7 17.Re1 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nh5 19.Rg1 f6 20. Qd2 Rf7 ) ( 11.Bc2 O-O 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Na4 Qd7 14.Nxb6 axb6 15.h3 Bh5 16.Kh2 Qe7 17.Re1 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nh5 19.Rg1 f6 20.Qd2 Rf7 21.Qh6 ) 11...O-O 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Na4 Qd7 14.Nxb6 axb6 15.h3 Bh5 16.Kh2 Qe7 17. Re1 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nh5 19.Rg1 f6 20.Qd2 Rf7 ( 20...Kh8 ) 21.Qh6 1-0
>

Because the source botched White's 11th (11. B Q3rd ?!?!), the game is a reconstruction. I left a couple of alternative variations in, though they should be stripped.

Q1- does anybody have another version?

Q2- When was it played?

Q3- Is there a better reconstruction?

The source stated it was played in Colgne as Anderson (sic) returned from the Paris. I assume it was Anderssen returning from the Paris Morphy match - so I put the date as Jan 1859.

Mar-21-21  Jean Defuse: ...

Great found! This game is not included in the Anderssen collections.

Hazeltine's Chess Scrap-book v29 give the chess column's from <THE 'SUNDAY DELTA'> (New Orleans) - see: http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

<Unfortunately I can't find Anderssen's game in Scrap-book v29...> A page number would be helpful!

...

Mar-21-21  Chessist: 11.Bb2 Nf6 12.Bd3 is the usual order of moves.
Mar-21-21  Jean Defuse: ...

Similar games from Anderssen in 1859:

[Event "Breslau"]
[Date "1859.??.??"]
[White "Anderssen, Adolf"]
[Black "Suhle, Berthold"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C51"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. d5 Na5 10. Bb2 Nf6 11. Bd3 Bg4 12. Nc3 c6 13. Ne2 O-O 14. Qd2 Nd7 15. Qf4 Bh5 16. Ng3 Bg6 17. Rad1 cxd5 18. exd5 Nc5 19. Nf5 Nxd3 20. Qh6 1-0

Anderssen vs B Suhle, 1860 (wrong year)

...

Mar-21-21  Chessist: Actually I meant 10.Bb2 Nf6 11.Bd3.
Mar-22-22  Polonia: 10/10 how world championships should go:
The Kibitzer's Café

chessgames: adolf anderssen was champion from 1851 to 1868, the lost to steinitz and zukertort does not count and here is why:

Any player who draws world champion should be considered as CO-CHAMPION BUT NOT THE CHAMPION. In reality the lineal world champions should start from Anderssen, because of the major intnerational tournament he won in London in 1851 where he pretty much destroyed all the competition.

1. Adolf Anderssen 1851 - 1858, 1860 - 1865, 1868 - 1871 (23 years on top) Won all matches against Zukertort, except for the 1865 and 1871 match, Steinitz defeated Anderssen in 1866 but Anderssen was not the champ. Co Champions: Paulson drew Anderessen in 1860 match, 5 to 5, one draw, Kolisch did it in 1862 match, 3 to 3 with 2 draws. Anderssen also drew Daniel Harrwitz in 1848 match, 5 to 5, this could be considered the first world championship match since at least 10 serious games were played! In 1860 he drew 11 game match vs Harrwitz. In 1861 he won 9 game match vs Harrwitz. In 1862 he drew 8 game match vs Paulson! In 1864 he also drew Suhle, 3 to 3 with 2 draws. He lost a match in 1865 to Zukertort, regained the title in 1868. Since 1848 match was very competitive and Anderssen defeated everybody who met him, he should be considered the best player of his time.

2. Paul Charles Morphy 1858 - 1860 ( technically, in reality: 1857 - 1884 )

3. Johannes Zukertort 1865 - 1868, 1871 - 1872
In 1866 he played Victor Knorre in a 6 games match, it was drawn 3 to 3.

4/1. Willhelm ( William ) Steinitz 1872 - 1894 (Defeated Zukertort in 1872, the 1866 match should not count against Anderssen, because at that time Zukertort was stronger from Anderssen, beating him in 1865)

5. Emanuel Lasker 1894 - 1920 (He resigned the title in 1920

Mar-22-22  Polonia: 4/1. Willhelm ( William ) Steinitz 1872 - 1894 (Defeated Zukertort in 1872, the 1866 match should not count against Anderssen, because at that time Zukertort was stronger from Anderssen, beating him in 1865)
Jul-06-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  sakredkow: Happy Birthday Adolf Anderssen! Over 200 years old and, as you can see above, still looking good!
Jul-15-22  Reviews By AdiN: <SINCE ADOLF ANDERSSEN WON FIRST STRONG INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT HE SHOULD BE KNOWN AS FIRST WOLD CHESS CHAMPION!!!>

three unofficial world chess champsions who should be 1, 2, 3, then steinitz:

https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.ph...

Any player who draws world champion should be considered as CO-CHAMPION BUT NOT THE CHAMPION. In reality the lineal world champions should start from Anderssen, because of the major intnerational tournament he won in London in 1851 where he pretty much destroyed all the competition.

1. Adolf Anderssen 1851 - 1858, 1860 - 1865, 1868 - 1871 (23 years on top) Won all matches against Zukertort, except for the 1865 and 1871 match, Steinitz defeated Anderssen in 1866 but Anderssen was not the champ. Co Champions: Paulson drew Anderessen in 1860 match, 5 to 5, one draw, Kolisch did it in 1862 match, 3 to 3 with 2 draws. Anderssen also drew Daniel Harrwitz in 1848 match, 5 to 5, this could be considered the first world championship match since at least 10 serious games were played! In 1860 he drew 11 game match vs Harrwitz. In 1861 he won 9 game match vs Harrwitz. In 1862 he drew 8 game match vs Paulson! In 1864 he also drew Suhle, 3 to 3 with 2 draws. He lost a match in 1865 to Zukertort, regained the title in 1868. Since 1848 match was very competitive and Anderssen defeated everybody who met him, he should be considered the best player of his time.

2. Paul Charles Morphy 1858 - 1860
(technically, in reality: 1857 - 1884)

3. Johannes Zukertort 1865 - 1868, 1871 - 1872 In 1866 he played Victor Knorre in a 6 games match, it was drawn 3 to 3

Dec-15-22  Honest Adin Reviews: adolf anderssen should be world first official chess champion, because he won the 1851 london tournament where all (except for one) the world's top players participated! crappy uscf and crappy fide, LISTEN UP!
Feb-22-23  Honest Adin Reviews: here, TYPICAL WIKISCUM ETERNAL MISTERSYNGERGY "DELETES" LIKE HASLEY OR https://www.wikipediasucks.co/forum... RAUNSCHWEIG DAVE wikimoron en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Talk:Motivation_and_emot- ion#Is_the_study_of_motivation_relevant_to_all_a- reas_of_Psychology archive.is/vllU3 archive.md/6g3wn dave braunschweig @#$%* wikipedoidioking of wikiversitiy wikidiot supreme like his @#$%pal antandrus!!! https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Tal... https://archive.md/ETuPl CORRECT INFO:
https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.ph... AGAIN, PROOF WHY WIKIPEDOIA IS TOTAL SHYT DELUXE!!! https://archive.is/OuZxY
Jun-08-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Joshka: Anderssen played numerous games against Morphy and Steinitz. Did he ever give a written account as to whom he thought was really the strongest? I know as an amateur tournament player I can easily compare the strengths of any 2 players I have played numerous times, I'm sure he could have done the same and must have?? thanks in advance!!
Aug-18-23  ariel el luchador: Salvo desde el año 1858 hasta el año 1863 donde claramente morphy fue el mejor de todos porque no dejo títere sin cabeza incluyendo a anderssen es muy difícil decir quien era el mejor habló hasta el año 1863 porque después se dedicó solo a jugar con Maurian hasta el año 1869.es cierto que a partir del 59 estaba casi retirado pero todavía jugaba de vez en cuando.a partir de 1886 con la aparición del título oficial hasta el 94 queda muy claro que steinitz es el mejor pero lasker quien ganó el título en 1894 nunca quiso disputar su título con rubinstein alekine nunca le dio la revancha a capablanca desde que apareció el titulo
Aug-18-23  ariel el luchador: Digo desde que la fide se hizo cargo del título mundial desde 1948 quedó claro que el campeón mundial era el mejor de todos.asi fue hasta la de los años 90.igual la vigencia de anderssen fue increíble fue el gran ganador de torneos desde el 51 hasta1878 en match es no era tan bueno .por supuesto muchos jugadores superaron el nivel de anderssen y otros grandes jugadores años después pero la gracia era superarlos en su época de esplendor no después con toda la información a cuesta
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