The Evergreen Game
Berlin, friendly game
Anderssen lures his opponent into capturing a queen and both rooks, then checkmates with a lone bishop — the pinnacle of romantic-era combination chess.
The Evergreen Game (1852) — a cascade of piece sacrifices ending in bishop checkmate. One of chess's most celebrated combinations.
📖 The Story
Played one year after the Immortal Game, this Berlin friendly was dubbed 'The Evergreen Game' because its beauty never ages. Anderssen opens with the Evans Gambit and by move 17 unleashes one of the deepest combinations in history: Nf6+!, sacrificing a knight, then a rook, then the queen. Dufresne captures each piece greedily — and a lone bishop delivers the final checkmate. Wilhelm Steinitz, the first world champion, called it the most beautiful game ever played.
⚡ Key Moment — Move 17
17.Nf6+! begins the immortal combination. Black captures the knight, then a rook, then the queen — and is still checkmated by a lone bishop on e7.
🎯 Tactical Themes
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the Evergreen Game?
Chess critic Wilhelm Steinitz gave it the name because its beauty, like an evergreen tree, never fades.
What opening is the Evergreen Game?
It begins as a Giuoco Piano with the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4), where White sacrifices a pawn for rapid development.
How does the Evergreen Game end?
White sacrifices a knight, then both rooks, then the queen — and after Black accepts each sacrifice, a lone bishop delivers checkmate on e7.
Do you make similar mistakes in your own games?
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