When a Loser Becomes a Winner

There are chess games that have their own names. Everyone knows the 'Evergreen Game', the 'Immortal Game', the 'Opera Game', etc. We enjoy the genius and tactical skills of the winners and their names are engraved in the Golden Book of Chess. But what about the hapless losers of those games? Is it fair that Jean Dufresne for example will always be known as 'the guy who lost the 'Evergreen Game'? 

Today I'll try to prove that almost every single chess gem has its 'evil twin' where the yesterday's loser becomes a winner and the genius is reduced to a mere mortal. Let's start with the most famous chess game: the 'Immortal Game'. Since it is probably the most analyzed game ever (it has been analyzed for over 160 years!), let me offer it as a quiz:

Adolf Anderssen | Image Wikipedia

The game is indeed very beautiful even if not flawless. But if you had an impression that the opponents were of the absolutely different chess level, think again. Anderssen and Kieseritzky played about a dozen of games and the score is about even. Look for the next game for example. It looks like Adolf Anderssen is about to produce another attacking gem. Try to find the Kieseritzky's answer:

And how do you like the picturesque final position from another game played by the same players?

Lionel Kieseritzky | Image Wikipedia

Now let's proceed to another famous game of Anderssen: the 'Evergreen Game'. This time the combo is more complicated, but try to find it anyway:

Unlike Kieseritzky, Dufresne was definitely not a match to Anderssen. They have played over thirty games and Anderssen won about three quarters of them. And yet, the next game could be Dufresne's own 'Immortal Game'. Try to find the impeccable finish of Black's attack:

To be continued...

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