Lionel Kieseritzky
Encyclopedia
Lionel Adalbert Bagration Felix Kieseritzky (January 1, 1806 – May 18, 1853) was a 19th-century chess master
, famous primarily for a game he lost against Adolf Anderssen
, which because of its brilliance was named "The Immortal Game
".
, Livonia, Russian Empire
into a Baltic German family. From 1825 to 1829 he studied at the University of Dorpat, and then worked as a mathematics teacher, like Anderssen. From 1838 to 1839, he played a correspondence
match against Carl Jaenisch
– unfinished, because Kieseritzky had to leave for Paris. In Paris he became a chess professional, giving lessons or playing games for five francs an hour, and editing a chess magazine.
, and for the few years before his death was among the top two players in the world along with Howard Staunton
. His knowledge of the game was significant and he made contributions to chess theory
of his own, but his career was somewhat blighted by misfortune and a passion for the unsound. In 1842 he tied a match with Ignazio Calvi
(+7 −7 =1). In 1846 he won matches against the German masters Bernhard Horwitz
(+7 −4 =1) and Daniel Harrwitz
(+11 −5 =2). He enjoyed a number of other magnificent victories across his career, but his nerve was lacking when it came to tournament
play.
He was invited to play in the first international chess tournament, the London 1851 tournament
, where he scored ½–2½ and was defeated in the first round by the eventual winner Adolf Anderssen
. One of the games was finished in a mere 20 minutes after a horrific blunder
Staunton described as having been "never equalled even among beginners of the game". The other loss was equally one-sided. During his time in London however, Kieseritzky also played an offhand game against Anderssen which has so thrilled generations of chess players that it has been dubbed "The Immortal Game
". Despite losing, it was in fact Kieseritzky who recorded and published the game during his period as editor of "La Regence".
Kieseritzky was never a popular man owing to his narcissistic character—considering himself the "Chess Messiah"—and on May 18, 1853, he died unmourned in Paris
, France
following a bout of mental illness. He was buried in a pauper's grave, its location has been found but not his exact plot, and a memorial has been placed.
, represents probably his finest combination
and bears a similarity to the famous "Immortal Game
" he was to lose seven years later:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 b5 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nc3 Ng4 7. Nh3 Nc6 8. Nd5 Nd4 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 f3! 11. d3 f6 12. Bc4 d5 13. Bxd5 Bd6 14. Qe1? (14.e5! seems to be in White's favor. Instead he is delivered a beautiful forced checkmate
.) 14... fxg2+ 15. Kxg2 Qxh3+!! 16. Kxh3 Ne3+ 17. Kh4 Nf3+ 18. Kh5 Bg4# 0–1
Chess master
A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically prevail against most amateurs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning being clear from context....
, famous primarily for a game he lost against Adolf Anderssen
Adolf Anderssen
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was a German chess master. He is considered to have been the world's leading chess player in the 1850s and 1860s...
, which because of its brilliance was named "The Immortal Game
Immortal game
The Immortal Game was a chess game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky on 21 June 1851 in London, during a break of the first international tournament. The very bold sacrifices made by Anderssen to finally secure victory have made it one of the most famous chess games of all time...
".
Early life
Kieseritzky was born in Dorpat (Tartu)Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
, Livonia, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
into a Baltic German family. From 1825 to 1829 he studied at the University of Dorpat, and then worked as a mathematics teacher, like Anderssen. From 1838 to 1839, he played a correspondence
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
match against Carl Jaenisch
Carl Jaenisch
Carl Friedrich Andreyevich von Jaenisch was a Finnish and Russian chess player and theorist. In the 1840s, he was among the top players in the world.-Life and career:...
– unfinished, because Kieseritzky had to leave for Paris. In Paris he became a chess professional, giving lessons or playing games for five francs an hour, and editing a chess magazine.
Chess career
Kieseritzky became one of the four leading French masters of the time, alongside Louis de la Bourdonnais, Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint-Amant, and BoncourtBoncourt (chess player)
Boncourt was one of the leading chess player in France in the years between 1820 and 1840.-Short biography:Although he was one of the leading players of his time, not much is known about his life. His first name remains unknown, and the dates of his birth and death can only be estimated...
, and for the few years before his death was among the top two players in the world along with Howard Staunton
Howard Staunton
Howard Staunton was an English chess master who is generally regarded as having been the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851, largely as a result of his 1843 victory over Saint-Amant. He promoted a chess set of clearly distinguishable pieces of standardised shape—the Staunton pattern—that...
. His knowledge of the game was significant and he made contributions to chess theory
Chess theory
The game of chess is commonly divided into three phases: the opening, middlegame, and endgame. As to each of these phases, especially the opening and endgame, there is a large body of theory as how the game should be played...
of his own, but his career was somewhat blighted by misfortune and a passion for the unsound. In 1842 he tied a match with Ignazio Calvi
Ignazio Calvi
Ignazio Calvi was an Italian patriot and chess player.After taking part to a popular insurrection in Modena and participating to a military campaign of the Savoia army, he was forced to expatriate. He moved to Paris in 1834, remaining there for 14 years...
(+7 −7 =1). In 1846 he won matches against the German masters Bernhard Horwitz
Bernhard Horwitz
Bernhard Horwitz was a German English chess master and chess writer.Horwitz was born in Neustrelitz, and went to school in Berlin, where he studied art. From 1837 to 1843, he was part of a group of German chess players known as "The Pleiades".He moved to London in 1845...
(+7 −4 =1) and Daniel Harrwitz
Daniel Harrwitz
Daniel Harrwitz was a Jewish German chess master.Harrwitz was born in Breslau in the Prussian Province of Silesia. He established his reputation in Paris, particularly as a player of blindfold games...
(+11 −5 =2). He enjoyed a number of other magnificent victories across his career, but his nerve was lacking when it came to tournament
Chess tournament
A chess tournament is a series of chess games played competitively to determine a winning individual or team. Since the first international chess tournament in London, 1851, chess tournaments have become the standard form of chess competition among serious players.Today, the most recognized chess...
play.
He was invited to play in the first international chess tournament, the London 1851 tournament
London 1851 chess tournament
right|thumb|[[Adolf Anderssen]] won both the London International Tournament and the rival London Club Tournament.London 1851 was the first international chess tournament. The tournament was conceived and organised by English player Howard Staunton, and marked the first time that the best chess...
, where he scored ½–2½ and was defeated in the first round by the eventual winner Adolf Anderssen
Adolf Anderssen
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was a German chess master. He is considered to have been the world's leading chess player in the 1850s and 1860s...
. One of the games was finished in a mere 20 minutes after a horrific blunder
Blunder (chess)
In chess, a blunder is a very bad move. It is usually caused by some tactical oversight, whether from time trouble, overconfidence or carelessness. While a blunder may seem like a stroke of luck for the opposing player, some chess players give their opponent plenty of opportunities to blunder.What...
Staunton described as having been "never equalled even among beginners of the game". The other loss was equally one-sided. During his time in London however, Kieseritzky also played an offhand game against Anderssen which has so thrilled generations of chess players that it has been dubbed "The Immortal Game
Immortal game
The Immortal Game was a chess game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky on 21 June 1851 in London, during a break of the first international tournament. The very bold sacrifices made by Anderssen to finally secure victory have made it one of the most famous chess games of all time...
". Despite losing, it was in fact Kieseritzky who recorded and published the game during his period as editor of "La Regence".
Kieseritzky was never a popular man owing to his narcissistic character—considering himself the "Chess Messiah"—and on May 18, 1853, he died unmourned in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
following a bout of mental illness. He was buried in a pauper's grave, its location has been found but not his exact plot, and a memorial has been placed.
Example game
The following game, played in Paris in 1844 against SchultenJohn William Schulten
John William Schulten was a 19th-century chess master from Germany and the United States. In the 1840s and 1850s, he traveled widely in Europe and the United States to play some of the best chess players in the world — Adolf Anderssen, Alexandre Deschapelles, Daniel Harrwitz, Bernhard Horwitz,...
, represents probably his finest combination
Combination (chess)
In chess, a combination is a sequence of moves, often initiated by a sacrifice, which leaves the opponent few options and results in tangible gain. At most points in a chess game, each player has several reasonable options from which to choose, which makes it difficult to plan ahead except in...
and bears a similarity to the famous "Immortal Game
Immortal game
The Immortal Game was a chess game played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky on 21 June 1851 in London, during a break of the first international tournament. The very bold sacrifices made by Anderssen to finally secure victory have made it one of the most famous chess games of all time...
" he was to lose seven years later:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 b5 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nc3 Ng4 7. Nh3 Nc6 8. Nd5 Nd4 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 f3! 11. d3 f6 12. Bc4 d5 13. Bxd5 Bd6 14. Qe1? (14.e5! seems to be in White's favor. Instead he is delivered a beautiful forced checkmate
Checkmate
Checkmate is a situation in chess in which one player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to meet that threat. Or, simply put, the king is under direct attack and cannot avoid being captured...
.) 14... fxg2+ 15. Kxg2 Qxh3+!! 16. Kxh3 Ne3+ 17. Kh4 Nf3+ 18. Kh5 Bg4# 0–1