Adolf Anderssen

Anderssen was born in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland) and he was the world's best chess player for most of 15 years. He lived in Breslau for most of his life working as a professor of mathematics. He gained the title of world chess champion after winning the first great modern tournament in London in 1851. In 1866 he lost a close match to Wilhelm Steinitz (who won two clear matches) and lost his title. This historical matchup introduced a number of new techniques to the game of chess.

Anderssen is celebrated for two of his chess games in which he was victorious through combinations involving heavy sacrifices. In the first (called the immortal game), as white against Felix Kieseritzki in 1851, he sacrified a bishop, two rooks and finally his queen. In the second in Berlin, 1852, (called the evergreen game) as white against Jean Dufresne, the total sacrifice was more modest, but still exceeded queen and minor piece.

Anderssen's dominance was briefly interrupted by the meteoric career of Paul Morphy. In 1858 Morphy pummeled Anderssen by a match score of 7-2, blowing apart Anderssen's opening preparation to the extent that he was reduced to opening with a3. The initial move of a3 is still referred to as Anderssen's Opening, but now (as then) is almost never played in serious competition.