Adolf Anderssen

Biography

He learns the set of failures of his father at the 9 years age. Impassioned, it devours all the literature échiquéenne which it can find, but devotes itself above all to its studies of mathematics. For this period, it practices little, being interested especially in the composition. Become professor with the college with Breslau and its future being ensured, it then begins its career of player at 30 years.

After a first tournament disputed in 1848, he faces Daniel Harrwitz, one of the best players of Europe by making good match. For a pure amateur, this result is remarkable!

Being able to play seriously only during its school holidays, Anderssen is registered in 1851 with the first European tournament of failures which takes place at the same time as the World Fair to London. It takes the top of all the best players of Europe, as well as semi-official world champion: Howard Staunton .

Become a celebrity, it slackens her efforts and misses its following tournament with Manchester (1857).

Then, in 1858, it is made beat by the “extraordinary meteor”, the American Paul Morphy, on the score without call of -2+7=2.

Taking again the drive, it beats in matches the new rising star of the French failures, the baron Ignace Kolisch, then the very strong Master Louis Paulsen (1861).

The following year, it gains the 2nd edition of the tournament of London. Its decline begins in 1866, when it loses its match against the Autrichien Wilhelm Steinitz on the tight score of +6 -8.

It still loses the following matches vis-a-vis Johannes Hermann Zukertort (1871) and Paulsen (1876).

Although having gained some minor tournaments, one had to go obviously: the time of the romantic failures was completed; the time of the scientific and positional play began.

Adolf Anderssen dies out in 1879, leaving the print of an impassioned man, ever overpowered by a defeat and always ready to fight against the best. It was one of the rare Masters to be made any enemy and carried out the quiet life of a modest teacher.

It left us two parts which represent rather well the romanticism of this time: the “immortal Left” (1851) and “the Always Young person” in Berlin (1852).

Famous parts

; The Immortal Part