Anderssen's Evergreen Game: Every Move Explained For Chess Beginners

Adolf Anderssen's Evergreen Game is one of the most celebrated chess games ever played. In it, Anderssen used the Evan's Gambit to seize a large initiative and overwhelm his uncastled opponent, Jean Dufresne, with an amazing combination!

The game receives it's title from first World Chess Champion Wilhelm Steinitz's 1879 annotations:

"An evergreen in the laurel crown of the departed chess hero."

The great writer and player Saveilly Tartakower deemed the final blows:

"A combination second to none in the literature of the game."

The game is flawed, but the flaws are always interesting and instructive as Black excessively delays castling and both players fight for the initiative. White's 17.Nf6+?! looks natural, but it gives Black unnecessary chances to attack the white king, and Dufresne could even have saved the game in the end, but only with miraculous defense.

Lessons:

• Don't delay. Castle!
• Material can be traded for activity, central control, and more.
• You may need to sacrifice to expose a king in the middle.

I've annotated the game one move at a time below. To those seeing the game for the first time, I hope you are inspired and agree that it is "Evergreen"!

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