Adolf Anderssen

Adolf Anderssen was a German master and one of the leading figures of chess before an official world championship existed. His victory in the major London international tournament of 1851 led many contemporaries to regard him as the strongest player of the time. The first formally recognized World Championship was not held until 1886.

Two of his games acquired famous names: the Immortal Game against Lionel Kieseritzky in 1851 and the Evergreen Game against Jean Dufresne in 1852. Both feature sacrifices, meaning voluntary material losses made to gain an attack, the initiative, or checkmate. The names were applied later and do not mean that his entire career consisted only of spectacular combinations.

Anderssen lost a match to Paul Morphy in 1858, but remained a leading competitor and won the London tournament of 1862. His career illuminates a period when international chess was becoming organized but still lacked a stable system of titles and championships.