 Game Two: Anderssen-Kieseritsky, London 1851 "Chess is a domain in which criticism has not so muchinfluence as in art; for in the domain of chess the results of the gamedecide, ultimately and finally."Adolph Anderssen and Lionel Adalbert Bagration Felix Kieseritsky playedwhat has become universally known among Chess aficionados as "The ImmortalGame" at Simpson's Divan at the same time the rest of the Chess worldwas transfixed by the nearby international Chess tournament. (Staunton describedthe event--the first of its kind--as "a series of grand individualmatches.") Kieseritsky was weakened early in the so-called "friendly"game by his questionable use of Bryan's Counter-Gambit, a strategy thatforeshadowed the inefficacious development that was to soon cost him thegame. Anderssen capitalized in a most daring fashion by sacrificing a bishop,a rook, another rook, and finally his queen before checkmating Kieseritskyon the 23rd move. A diagram from this monumental game was immortalized ona German 75 pfennig currency coupon, along with Anderssen's austere intellectuallikeness. The loser died penniless in the Hotel du Dieu--the charity hospitalfor the insane--in Paris on 18 May 1853; no one attended his burial in apauper's grave. |
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