Evergreen game – Definition and significance

Evergreen game

Definition

The Evergreen Game is the celebrated 1852 brilliancy played by Adolf Anderssen against Jean Dufresne in Berlin. In opening theory terms, it begins from an Evans Gambit structure (a branch of the Giuoco Piano) and is renowned for a flowing sacrificial attack that culminates in a picturesque checkmate. The label “Evergreen” was popularized by Wilhelm Steinitz, who lauded it as an “evergreen in Anderssen’s laurel wreath,” highlighting its timeless beauty.

Informally in modern chess culture (OTB and online), “evergreen game” is also used more loosely to describe any game—famous, club-level, or personal—that feels timelessly brilliant, combining elegant tactics with coherent attacking ideas.

Usage

How players use the term in practice:

• Strictly: Referring to Anderssen–Dufresne, Berlin 1852 (“the Evergreen Game”).
• Casually: Praising a game as “my evergreen” after a sparkling sacrificial attack in blitz, bullet, or classical time controls.

Examples you might hear online or at the club:

• “That combo was so clean—this might be your evergreen game!”
• “It’s a true evergreen: intuitive sacrifices, initiative, and a model mating net.”

Strategic and historical significance

Historically, the Evergreen Game is a signature masterpiece of the Romantic era, showcasing the value of rapid development, open lines, and the initiative—often at the cost of material. Though modern engines may find defensive resources, the game remains a teaching jewel for attacking principles and combinational motifs.

• Development and initiative: White prioritizes piece activity and open lines over material.
• Classic Evans Gambit themes: b4, c3, and d4 to seize the center, deflect a bishop, and gain tempi.
• Tactical motifs: deflection, Decoy, Discovered attack, and the daring Queen sac in service of king safety violations.
• Enduring instructional value: Frequently appears in lessons about attack, coordination, and exploiting a king stuck in the center after an Open game.

Examples

Opening phase reminiscent of the Evergreen Game (Evans Gambit Accepted). This helps visualize how Anderssen steered the game into dynamic, open positions where tactics flourish:

Typical Evans Gambit start:

In casual conversation, you might apply the term like this:

• “I sacked the exchange for an attack and found a mating net—this one’s my evergreen.”
• “His blitz brilliancy had that Anderssen vibe—total evergreen.”

Interesting facts and anecdotes

• Wilhelm Steinitz famously dubbed it an “evergreen,” praising its perennial freshness in chess literature.
• It’s often mentioned alongside the Immortal game (Anderssen–Kieseritzky, 1851). Both are Romantic-era masterpieces by Anderssen, but the Immortal Game arises from the King’s Gambit, while the Evergreen flows from the Evans Gambit.
• Coaches and content creators still use the Evergreen Game to illustrate themes like initiative, open-file pressure, and coordination—great fodder for puzzle sets and “find the brilliancy” lessons.
• Many tactical motifs in the Evergreen (deflection, clearance, and decoy) connect to classic patterns such as Boden's mate, Opera mate, or even modern “brilliancy” showpieces.

Related terms and further study

• Immortal game — Another Anderssen classic, 1851.
• Brilliancy and Brilliancy prize — Aesthetically outstanding tactical games.
• Romantic era — The attacking, sacrificial style of 19th-century chess.
• Queen sac and Attack — Core themes embodied by the Evergreen.
• Open game — The 1. e4 e5 family, where Evans Gambit arises.

Why it matters today

For study, the Evergreen Game remains a go-to model for learning how to convert a developmental lead into a king hunt. For culture and commentary, calling a game “evergreen” is a high compliment—saying it’s not just good now, but will still impress years from today.