Immortal Draw

The Immortal drawn game is a chess game that was played later than 1872 in Vienna between Carl Philipp Meitner and Hamppe.

It illustrates the usual in the 19th century romantic style in which it was attempted checkmate the opponent's king by spectacular victims. In the game Black sacrificed material to drive the white king all over the board into his own camp, but could then only reach draw by perpetual check.

The opponents in this game were Viennese chess masters whose fame on this one game is essentially that was reprinted in many chess books and magazines. Councillor Carl Hamppe (1814-1876) is also regarded as the founder of played in the game opening, the Vienna Game. Lawyer Philipp Meitner (1836-1910) was a participant of the international Vienna chess tournaments in 1873 and 1882. He was the father of the nuclear physicist Lise Meitner.

The so-called Vienna Game

Normally, instead 2 .. Nf6 is played.

Better would be 3 Nf3! d6 4 d4 with a slight advantage for White.

Good was 3 .. Be7, but black is sharp to the point!

Forced

This curious king hike is still best for white.

Threatens mate on b4

Better was 9.d4 ed 10.Ld3

A spectacular queen sacrifice to prevent the consolidation by Sc3 and Ka2, after which Black would probably not sufficient compensation for the minus figure.

Better is 11.Kb5! . After 11 .. Ne7 (or 11 .. b6 12.d4 exd4, 13.Dxd4 Se7, 14.Dxc5! Bd7 , 15.Kb4 a5 , 16.Dxa5! Txa5, 17.Sf3 ) 12.c4! d4 a5 13.Kxc5, 14.Da4 Kd8, 15.Dxa5! Txa5 , 16.Kb4 Nc6 , 17.Kb3 White wins with runner advantage.

Performs mandatory to draw. On the other hand leads 12.Kc3? the loss. After 12 .. d4 , 13.Kc4 Be6 ! ( 13 .. b6 remains? Unclear), 14.Kxc5 Nf6! [ threatens mate in 3: 15 .. Nd7 , 16.Kb5 c6 , 17.Ka4 Sc5 # or # Sb6 ] has white against a mating attack no chance: 15.Lb5 ( 15.Df3 Nd7 , 16.Kb5 c6 ? 17.Dxc6 bxc6 , 18.Kxc6 mate in 5) 15 .. Ke7 [ threatening 16 .. Ne4 # and after 16.d3? take 's 3 trains: 16 .. b6 , 17.Kc6 TA7 plus 18 .. Bd7 # / Ld5 #] 16.Df3 c6 [ threatening 17 .. Nd7 #] 17.Lxc6 Thc8 [ threatens again 18. . Nd7 , 19.Kb5 bxc6 , 20.Dxc6 mate in 5], 18.Kb6 bxc6 [ threatens mate in 4 19 .. Nd7 , 20.Kb7 Tab8 , 21.Ka6 Sc5 , 22.Kxa5 Tb5 #]! 19.Dxf6 Matt in 8 (or 19.Dxc6 in Matt 6)

Threatens 13 .. b6 together with Matt.

Every other train leads to Matt.

Bxc6 After 14 ..? the white king can happen no more.

17.Kxb7? leads to the mat after 17 .. Kd7 18.Dg4 Kd6 19.Dxg7 Thb8 #