The Evergreen Game: Anderssen-Dufresne, 1852

The Evergreen Game is one of the most celebrated games of the 19th century, played on September 28, 1852, in Berlin, Germany. It featured the brilliant White player Adolf Anderssen, a German master renowned for his imaginative attacking style, against Jean Dufresne, a strong German player and author. This game exemplifies the romantic era of chess, where bold sacrifices and tactical brilliance were often prioritized over long-term positional considerations.

The opening chosen was the Evans Gambit, C52, which was extremely popular in the mid-19th century for its aggressive possibilities. Anderssen, playing White, quickly opened lines and sacrificed material to accelerate development and create attacking chances against the Black King.

In the game, Anderssen began with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d3 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Re1 Nge7 11.Ba3 b5 12.Qxb5 Rb8 13.Qa4 Bb6 14.Nbd2 Bb7 15.Ne4 Qf5 16.Bxd3 Qh5 17.Nf6+ gxf6 18.exf6 Rg8 19.Rad1 Qxf3 20.Rxe7+ Nxe7 21.Qxd7+ Kxd7 22.Bf5+ Ke8 23.Bd7+ Kf8 24.Bxe7#, culminating in a spectacular checkmate.

The highlights of the game include multiple sacrifices that opened lines towards the Black King, rapid piece development, and precise coordination among the White Queen, Rooks, and minor pieces. Dufresne’s defenses were brilliant but ultimately could not withstand the tactical storm, and Anderssen delivered a final mating net with a beautifully executed combination.

The Evergreen Game remains a classic example of attacking chess, illustrating the power of development, open lines, and piece activity over mere material, and it continues to inspire players today.