chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

Chessgames premium membership fee will increase to $39 per year effective June 15, 2023. Enroll Now!

Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky
London (1851), London ENG, rd 1, May-28
King's Gambit: Accepted. Kieseritsky Gambit Long Whip (C39)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 14 more Anderssen/Kieseritzky games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: All games have a Kibitzer's Corner provided for community discussion. If you have a question or comment about this game, register a free account so you can post there.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-05-03  Marnoff Mirlony: The "Immortal Game".
Dec-06-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  matey: This I believe is the real "Immortal game" Adolf Anderssen vs Kieseritzky, 1851
Sep-07-08  just a kid: Very amusing draw.
Nov-29-08  ganstaman: I don't get it. Why is this labeled a draw, or why does it show him playing 55. Rxc3? 55...Rxc3 is a tablebase win in 19.
Jul-22-09  Knight13: 17. Qd2!
Nov-03-09  WhiteRook48: 56 h5 what's the continuation there??
Nov-03-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <ganstaman> <anyone who cares>

This is interesting. In the actual game Anderssen had the black pieces even though he moved first. So I thought there must be some mistake in the game score. But these are the same moves Staunton's tournament book gives, including the fatal 55. Rxc3. Instead 55. h5 is a draw, so I am tempted to conclude that the score in Staunton's book is just wrong. But who knows? There were some real howlers at London 1851, and maybe this is just one more.

Going back a few moves, the tournament book shows the position after 51. Rb4 and says "I consider that if Mr. Kieseritsky had played with proper care from this point, he must have won the game easily." But no analysis is given.


click for larger view

(Colors are not reversed in the diagram, obviously.) Was Staunton right? Show your work!

Mar-21-11  David2009: <keypusher: <ganstaman> <anyone who cares>> An oversight by Kieseritsky - agreeing a draw in a won position.


click for larger view

(Andersen-Kieseritsky London IT 1851 G2 55...?) The "book" win starting 55...Rxc3 56.h5 Kf4 57.h6 Rc6+ is not difficult to find. Here's a Crafty End Game Trainer link to the position colours-reversed: http://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-t.... Enjoy trying to mate the EGT as quickly as possible.

Thanks <User: suenteus po 147 > for this fine Game Collection: WCC Index [London 1851]

Dec-25-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  wwall: 51.Rb5? should have lost. White should play 51.Rf5+ and Re5.

After 51.Rb5, instead of 51...Kg3, Black wins after 51...c2! 52.Rb2 Kf3 53.Rb3+ Ke4 and Black queens the c-pawn.

After 51...Kg3, instead of 52.Rb1?, White can draw after 52.h5 c2 53.Rb3+ and 54.Rb2.

Instead of 53...Kf4, Black should simply play 53...Kxh4 54.Rc1 Kg4 which wins.

55.Rxc3?? Rxc3 should have won for Black. Almost any other White move draws.

Sep-23-15  Sally Simpson: Hi K.P.

"Going back a few moves, the tournament book shows the position after 51. Rb4 and says "I consider that if Mr. Kieseritsky had played with proper care from this point, he must have won the game easily." But no analysis is given. "

Staunton does give analysis to this ending, it appears after move 11 in the following game. (where else?)

The layout it confusing. You often see analysis to a previous game mixed in with opening moves of the next game.

see here: page 22

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...

Anyway I had some fun with this game.

http://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blo...

..and the 'Not an Immortal game.'

Kieseritzky vs Anderssen, 1851

The same link to my article gives Staunton's take on this game.

"...a sort of double-barrelled blunder I have hardly ever seen equalled, even amongst beginners games."

Mar-04-16  zanzibar: According to this site:

http://www.chesscentral.com/a-famou...

which looks very well researched, 55.Rxc3 is erroneous. The last moves should be

<55.a4 Rc4 draw>

The "definitive" work on K is cited:

1) Zagadka Kieseritzky'ego (The Mystery of Kieseritzky), Tomasz Lissowski and Bartlomiej Macieja, Warszawa 1996, 300 pages, ca 170 games, with diagrams, maps, drawings etc.

(Exclusively in Polish afaik)

May-30-16  sneaky pete: <keypusher> Staunton does give the analysis to support his claim that after 51.Rb5 .. "with proper care" K. should have wion. It's on the next page (page 22) of the book.

51... c2 52.Rb2 Kf3 53.Rxc2 Rxc2 54.h5 Rc5+ 55.Kg6 Kg4 56.h6 Rc6+ 57.Kg7 Kg5 58.h7 Rc7+ 59.Kg8 Kg6 60.h8=N+ Kf6


click for larger view

and wins.

Nov-04-18  OMH: This score is taken from the tournament book. In "La Régence", October 1851 (p. 309), Kieseritzky published an alternative version which ends more sensibly with 55 a4 Ra5 but is otherwise identical. He also gave an exact date for the game: 27 May 1851.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Featured in the Following Game Collections[what is this?]
historical KGA from Koneig book game 1
from KGA-Knight Gambit -.Older Style continuations by takattack
Match Anderssen!
by amadeus
London 1851
by theArtist
Kieseritsky & Bannik & Lange best games
by Imohthep
96d_The Unbearable Lightness of rook endgames 4
by whiteshark
historical KGA from Koneig book game 1
from KGA-Knight Gambit -.Older Style continuations by takchess
Match Anderssen!
by chessgain
Interesting King's Gambit, London 1851
from My Favorite Games by adelicategenius
King's Gambit: Accepted. Kieseritsky Gambit Long Whip (C39) ·
from vaskolon's favorite games by vaskolon
King's Gambit: Accepted. Kieseritsky Gambit Long Whip (C39) ·
from vaskolon's with sacrifices Mr. ANDERSSON by vaskolon
Round 1.2, 28.05.1851, TB p.19
from London 1851 by MissScarlett
historical KGA from Koneig book game 1
from xKGA-Knight Gambit -.Older Style continuations by fredthebear
Interesting King's Gambit, London 1851
from My Favorite Games by rpn4

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2023, Chessgames Services LLC