The Evergreen Game: Anderssen, 1852

If the Immortal Game is the wildest attack, the Evergreen is the most elegant. Anderssen himself played it a year later, and it ends with such a clean combination that the first world champion, Steinitz, called it evergreen: the game that never goes out of style. Open it in the viewer above.

A gambit for the attack

Berlin, 1852. Anderssen opens with an Evans Gambit, a spicy version of the Italian Game: he gives up a pawn on move four to get ahead in development and open the center. Pure Romantic spirit: material in exchange for initiative.

The combination that made it eternal

During the middlegame, both sides attack at once — it’s a double-edged game, not a walk in the park. But at the key moment, Anderssen sees further.

Watch the final moves in the viewer carefully:

1. He gives up a rook with check to open up the black king’s position.
2. He sacrifices the queen on d7, luring the king into a trap.
3. He delivers mate with the two bishops, which had been aiming at the king the entire game.

It’s perfect coordination: every piece contributes, nothing is wasted. That’s why we use it to teach combinations: it shows how several chained threats (one sacrifice after another) give the opponent no time to breathe.

The takeaway: a combination is a forced sequence. Every check and every capture forces the opponent’s hand, until the mate appears on its own.

Keep exploring

• The opening of the attack: the Italian Game and its aggressive Evans Gambit.
• The key finishing resource: the sacrifice in chess.
• The other two gems: The Immortal Game and The Opera Game.
• Want to see more annotated games? Check out the game analysis section.

Replay it slowly and watch the two bishops from the start: they’re already looking at the king. Anderssen only had to open the door for them.